Terminal basics · Lesson 11 of 34 · 7 minutes

Safe movement

Move between root, etc, and home while checking location.

Open the lab Course map

Mastery 0/3Run itExplain itApply it

learner@clairos:~ $

↑ history · Tab complete · Ctrl+C cancel · Esc, Tab to leaveExit 0

Your objectives

Hints are always available. Wrong turns never cost XP.

1
Enter etc
Run cd /etc.
Hint & worked example
Change the shell working directory; .. selects the parent and ~ identifies your home.
The command outcome must match the task, including successful access or the explicitly requested failure.
```
cd /etc
```
Remember: Changing directories changes how later relative paths resolve.
2
Check etc path
Run pwd.
Hint & worked example
Print the directory that relative paths currently resolve from.
The command outcome must match the task, including successful access or the explicitly requested failure.
```
pwd
```
Remember: A relative path is interpreted from the working directory, not necessarily the home folder.
3
Return home
Run cd ~.
Hint & worked example
Change the shell working directory; .. selects the parent and ~ identifies your home.
The command outcome must match the task, including successful access or the explicitly requested failure.
```
cd ~
```
Remember: Changing directories changes how later relative paths resolve.

Understand the pattern

Most file mistakes begin with being in the wrong directory.

cd: Change the shell working directory; .. selects the parent and ~ identifies your home.
Changing directories changes how later relative paths resolve.
pwd: Print the directory that relative paths currently resolve from.
A relative path is interpreted from the working directory, not necessarily the home folder.

Worked example and expected result

$ cd /etc

(no output; exit 0)

Exit status: 0. The command completed successfully in the training fixture.

$ pwd

/etc

Exit status: 0. The command completed successfully in the training fixture.

$ cd ~

(no output; exit 0)

Exit status: 0. The command completed successfully in the training fixture.

Try a variation

Repeat this workflow in the sandbox with a different scratch filename. Keep the system fixtures unchanged and compare the observed output with your expectation before moving on.

Explain it

In “Safe movement”, which interpretation is safe?A relative path is interpreted from the working directory, not necessarily the home folder.A command appearing in history proves it completed successfully.A successful first check guarantees that every dependent service is healthy.

Apply it elsewhere

Before adapting the pwd workflow from “Safe movement” to another server, what should you do?Paste the training paths unchanged into production.Skip output inspection whenever the command is familiar.Confirm the current directory, target identity, permissions, and the installed command behavior first.

Keep the momentum.

Complete the lab, then explain and apply the pattern.

Next: Quoted paths Try an incident drill

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