cd (change directory) in Linux CLI - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What is the output of this sequence of commands?

Assume you start in your home directory /home/user. You run these commands:

cd /var/log
cd ../lib
pwd

What is the output of pwd?

Linux CLI

cd /var/log
cd ../lib
pwd

A /var/lib

B /var/log/lib

C /var/log

D /home/user/lib

💡 Hint

Remember that .. moves one directory up from the current location.

Starting at /var/log, cd ../lib moves up to /var, then into lib, so the path is /var/lib.

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What happens when you run cd -?

You start in /home/user, then run cd /etc. Next, you run cd -. What directory will you be in after the last command?

Linux CLI

cd /home/user
cd /etc
cd -
pwd

A /home/user

B /etc

C /

D Error: no previous directory

💡 Hint

cd - switches to the previous directory you were in.

The cd - command returns you to the last directory you were in, which is /home/user.

💻 Command Output

advanced

What error does this command produce?

You run this command:

cd /nonexistent/path

What error message will the shell show?

Linux CLI

cd /nonexistent/path

A bash: cd: command not found

B bash: cd: permission denied

C bash: cd: /nonexistent/path: No such file or directory

D No error, directory changed

💡 Hint

Think about what happens if you try to go to a folder that does not exist.

The shell reports that the directory does not exist with the message: 'No such file or directory'.

💻 Command Output

advanced

What is the output of this command sequence involving symbolic links?

Assume /tmp/link is a symbolic link to /var/log. You run:

cd /tmp/link
pwd -P

What is the output?

Linux CLI

cd /tmp/link
pwd -P

A /tmp/link

B /var/log

C /tmp

D Error: pwd command not found

💡 Hint

The -P option shows the physical directory, resolving symbolic links.

Using pwd -P shows the real directory path, so it outputs /var/log.

🚀 Application

expert

How many directories deep is the final location?

Starting at /home/user, you run:

cd ../../etc/../var/./log/../lib

How many directories deep is the final directory from the root /? (Count each directory level in the path)

Linux CLI

cd ../../etc/../var/./log/../lib
pwd

A 5

B 2

C 4

D 3

💡 Hint

Simplify the path step by step, removing . and resolving ...

The final path is /var/lib which has 2 directory levels: var, lib.