Before We Begin
The terminal has a reputation it doesn't deserve. It looks like something from a 1980s movie about hacking. It isn't. It's just a text-based way to talk to your computer — and once you learn four commands, you'll wonder why you ever used anything else for file navigation.
Here's the truth: you are already using the terminal. You used it in F2. You typed echo and pressed Enter. That was a terminal command. This module is about understanding what you already did — and adding four more tools to your set.
We are not becoming command-line experts. We are crossing the moat. On the other side: the ability to navigate your project, run Python scripts, and use Git — all of which require the terminal.
The Five Commands You Actually Need
The entire terminal vocabulary you need for this course is five commands. That's the list. Learn these, and the terminal stops being intimidating. You already know one: echo. Here are the other four.
Shows you exactly where you are in the file system. Type it when you're lost. It always tells you the full path from root to your current location.
Lists everything in the current folder. Type it to see what's here. On Mac and Linux use ls. On Windows use dir. Both show files and folders in your current location.
Moves you into a folder. Type cd my-folder to enter it. Type cd .. (two dots) to move up one level. This is how you navigate the tree.
Creates a new folder. Type mkdir my-project to create a folder called my-project. Works on all operating systems.
Creates a new empty file. The first file in every project starts this way. On Mac/Linux use touch notes.txt. On Windows use echo.> notes.txt. Both create an empty file with the name you provide.
Navigate Your Workspace
You're going to navigate your workspace using only the terminal. No mouse, no file explorer — just commands.
Open VS Code with your aiiqm-workspace folder. Open the integrated terminal using View → Terminal or Ctrl+`.
Type pwd and press Enter. You should see the full path to aiiqm-workspace. This is where you are right now.
Type ls (Mac) or dir (Windows) and press Enter. The folder is empty for now — that's correct. You should see the terminal is ready for your next command.
Type mkdir foundation-notes and press Enter. You've created a new folder called foundation-notes.
Type cd foundation-notes and press Enter. You've moved inside the folder.
Type pwd again — you're now inside foundation-notes. The path should end with /foundation-notes or \foundation-notes (depending on Mac/Linux or Windows).
Create a file: touch notes.txt (Mac) or echo.> notes.txt (Windows). You've created an empty text file.
Type ls / dir — you should see notes.txt in the output. It's there.
Type cd .. to return to aiiqm-workspace. You've moved up one level. Type pwd to confirm.
Control Your File System
You can now orient yourself in any project folder and create the structure you need without touching the mouse. This is control. The terminal isn't a scary place — it's precision.
Verify that you can navigate and create files by completing these checks:
- You ran pwd and saw the correct path to your workspace.
- You created the foundation-notes folder using mkdir and saw it confirm.
- You navigated into it and back out using cd and cd ..
- You created notes.txt and confirmed it with ls/dir.
Common Mistakes
Before You Move On
- You ran pwd and know what it shows — your current location in the file system.
- You created a folder with mkdir and confirmed it with ls/dir.
- You navigated in and out of a folder with cd and cd ..
- You created a file and confirmed its existence with ls/dir.
What You Proved Today
You crossed the moat. The terminal is no longer an alien place — it's a tool you can use with confidence. Navigation and file creation are now part of your skill set.
- Analyze: You understood that the terminal is a text interface with five essential commands — not a hacking tool.
- Integrate: You navigated your workspace, created a folder, created a file, and moved between directories using only commands.
- Manage: You can now orient yourself in any project folder and create the structure you need without touching the mouse.
