cd(1)
Change the current working directory in the shell.
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Synopsis
cd [DIRECTORY]Description
cd changes the current working directory to the specified directory. If no directory is given, it changes to the home directory. It is a shell built-in command, not an external program.
The directory argument can be an absolute path (starting with /), a relative path (relative to the current directory), or a special reference like .. (parent directory) or ~ (home directory).
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-P | Resolve symbolic links before changing directory (physical directory) |
-L | Keep symbolic links as-is without resolving them (logical directory) |
Examples
Change to the absolute path /home/user/documents
cd /home/user/documentsMove up one directory level to the parent directory
cd ..Change to the current user's home directory
cd ~Change to the home directory (same as cd ~)
cdChange to the previous directory you were in
cd -Change to a subdirectory relative to the current location
cd ./subfolder