Introduction to the Unix Command Line
About the course | Intended audience | Prerequisites | Content details | Scheduled events
About the course
A practical introduction to the Unix command line for researchers working with computational tools and large datasets.
The Unix shell is a powerful and essential tool for modern computational research, particularly in areas such as bioinformatics, data science and large-scale data analysis. This course introduces the core concepts and commands needed to work effectively in a Unix/Linux command-line environment.
Participants learn how to navigate the filesystem, manipulate text-based data and combine commands into efficient workflows for handling research data.
By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- understand the role of the Unix command line in computational research workflows
- navigate filesystems and manage files using a Unix terminal
- understand how Unix commands are structured and how to access command documentation
- perform common file and text manipulation tasks using command-line tools
- combine multiple commands into simple data-processing pipelines
- use Bash as a practical tool for data handling and automation
Teaching is primarily hands-on, combining short presentations with demonstrations and guided practical exercises.
Back to topIntended audience
This course is suitable for:
- researchers and students who are new to Unix or Linux command-line environments
- participants working with computational or data-intensive research workflows
- researchers interested in bioinformatics, scripting or large-scale data analysis
- anyone looking to develop practical command-line and data manipulation skills
Prerequisites
No previous experience is required.
The course is designed for beginners and assumes no prior familiarity with Unix, Linux or command-line computing.
Content details
The course combines lectures, demonstrations and hands-on practical exercises focused on real-world command-line workflows.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to Unix and the command line
Overview of Unix/Linux operating systems and the role of the shell in computational workflows. Participants learn how command-line tools are structured and how to access help and documentation.
- Navigating the filesystem
Working with directories and files from the command line, including understanding relative and absolute file paths and organising data within a Unix environment.
- Basic file manipulation
Using core Unix commands to create, move, copy and combine files, together with practical techniques for inspecting and summarising file contents.
- Working with text-based data
Manipulating and analysing text files using standard Unix tools. Participants learn how to search for patterns, count values and extract information from large datasets.
- Combining commands and pipelines
Using pipes and command chaining to combine multiple tools into efficient workflows for data processing and automation.
- Introduction to Bash workflows
Developing practical Bash command-line workflows for repetitive research tasks and large-scale data handling.
Topics include Unix, Linux, Bash and command-line data handling techniques commonly used in computational research and bioinformatics.