How to Change Current Working Directory in Linux

The cd command in Linux stands for “change directory”. It is used to navigate between directories in the filesystem. By specifying a directory path as an argument, you can move into that directory. If no argument is provided, cd takes you to your home directory. The command is essential for navigating the filesystem, whether you’re working in the terminal or writing scripts.

It supports absolute paths (starting from the root /), relative paths (starting from the current directory), and special shortcuts like ~ for the home directory and .. to move up one level. With cd, you can efficiently move around the filesystem and access the files and directories you need.

Navigate to a Directory

cd /path/to/directory

Example:

cd /var/www/html  # Move to the web root directory

---

Go to Home Directory

cd ~   # Using tilde
cd     # Without arguments (also goes to home)

---

Move Up One Directory

cd ..

Example:
From /home/user/docs, moves to /home/user.

---

Move Up Multiple Directories

cd ../../   # Go up two levels

Example:
From /home/user/docs/project, moves to /home/user.

---

Return to Previous Directory

cd -

Switches between the current and previous directory.
Example:
From /etc, run cd /var/log, then cd - returns to /etc.

---

Navigate to Root Directory

cd /

Takes you to the root of the filesystem.

---

Use Environment Variables

cd $HOME   # Same as cd ~
cd $OLDPWD # Go back to the last directory (like cd -)

---

Handle Spaces in Directory Names

cd "My Documents"   # With quotes
cd My\ Documents    # With backslash

Escapes spaces to navigate into folders like My Documents.

---

Use Wildcards

cd Dir*   # Navigate to the first directory matching "Dir*"

Example:
If Dir1 and Dir2 exist, cd Dir* moves to Dir1.

---

Resolve Symlinks Physically

cd -P symlink_dir

Forces cd to resolve the physical path (ignores symbolic links).

---

Combine with Command Substitution

cd $(dirname $(which nginx))  # Go to the directory of the nginx binary

Changes to the directory where a command (e.g., nginx) is located.

---

Navigate to Directories with Special Characters

cd "dir#name"    # Quotes handle special characters
cd dir\#name     # Backslash escapes the special character

---

Use Absolute vs. Relative Paths

cd /etc/nginx          # Absolute path
cd ../../usr/local/bin # Relative path

---

Script-Friendly Directory Changes

cd /target/dir && ./run_script.sh  # Navigate and run a script

Changes directory only if the command succeeds.

---

Handle Directories Starting with -

cd -- -dirname  # Use "--" to stop option parsing

Example:
Navigate to a directory named -test:

cd -- -test

---

Bonus: Shortcut Aliases

Add aliases to your ~/.bashrc for frequent directories:

alias cddot='cd ~/projects/dotfiles'  # Quick access to dotfiles
alias cdlog='cd /var/log'             # Jump to logs

Then run cddot or cdlog to navigate instantly.

---

Key Notes

• Use Tab to auto-complete directory names.
• cd . stays in the current directory (rarely useful, but valid).
• Combine cd with ls to explore directories:

  cd /var/log && ls -l