fdisk and lsblk in Linux CLI - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - fdisk and lsblk

Start

↓

Run lsblk

↓

Display block devices

↓

Run fdisk -l

↓

Display detailed partition info

↓

User decides next step

↓

Create/Delete partitions with fdisk

↓

Exit

First, lsblk lists block devices simply. Then fdisk -l shows detailed partition info. User can then manage partitions with fdisk.

Execution Sample

Linux CLI

lsblk
fdisk -l

List block devices and show detailed partition info.

Execution Table

Step	Command	Output Summary	Details Shown
1	lsblk	Lists block devices in tree form	Shows device names, sizes, types, mount points
2	fdisk -l	Lists detailed partition info	Shows device, start/end sectors, size, type, boot flag
3	User views info	Decides on partition changes	No output, user action step
4	fdisk /dev/sdx (optional)	Starts fdisk interactive mode	User can create/delete partitions
5	Exit	End of process	No output

💡 User finishes viewing or editing partitions and exits fdisk.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After lsblk	After fdisk -l	After fdisk interactive	Final
block_devices	unknown	list of devices with sizes and mount points	detailed partition info per device	updated partition table if changed	final partition table

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does lsblk show a simple tree but fdisk -l shows detailed numbers?

lsblk shows a quick overview of devices and mounts (see execution_table step 1), while fdisk -l shows detailed partition layout with sectors and types (step 2). They serve different purposes.

Can I use fdisk without lsblk first?

Yes, but lsblk helps you see devices and mount points quickly before making changes with fdisk (see execution_table step 1 and 4).

What happens if I change partitions in fdisk?

The partition table updates after you write changes in fdisk interactive mode (step 4). This affects the block_devices variable (variable_tracker).

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what does the lsblk command show at step 1?

A Detailed partition sectors and types

B Block devices in a tree with sizes and mount points

C Interactive partition editing

D No output

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 1 under Output Summary

At which step does the user start editing partitions interactively?

A Step 2

B Step 3

C Step 4

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look at execution_table row 4 Command and Output Summary

If no changes are made in fdisk interactive mode, what is the final state of block_devices?

A List of devices with old partition info

B Unknown

C Updated partition table

D Empty

💡 Hint

See variable_tracker row block_devices final column

Concept Snapshot

lsblk shows block devices simply in a tree with sizes and mount points.
fdisk -l lists detailed partition info including sectors and types.
Use fdisk interactively to create or delete partitions.
Always check lsblk before fdisk to avoid mistakes.
Exit fdisk to save or discard changes.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how lsblk and fdisk commands work together. First, lsblk lists block devices in a simple tree format showing device names, sizes, types, and mount points. Then fdisk -l lists detailed partition information including start and end sectors, sizes, partition types, and boot flags. The user can then decide to run fdisk interactively to create or delete partitions. The variable block_devices changes from unknown to a list of devices after lsblk, then to detailed partition info after fdisk -l, and finally updates if partitions are changed in fdisk. Key moments include understanding the difference between lsblk and fdisk -l outputs, the role of lsblk before fdisk, and what happens when partitions are changed. The quizzes test understanding of command outputs and steps. The snapshot summarizes the commands and their usage.