theshell.ch/site/pages/fs/cd.html

---
layout: page
category-page: fs
category-title: FileSystem
tags: change directory
author: Alessandro Marinelli
title: cd
previous-page: pages/fs/absolute.html
next-page: pages/fs/cp.html
---

<!-- Co-authored with Mirko Ponzio -->

<p>
The <code>cd</code> command is used to change the working directory<br/>
The name stands for <i>Change Directory</i>.<br/>

The default cd command syntax is:
</p>

<pre>
cd [flags] [path]
</pre>

<p>
Where [flags] are the cd flags, read below for more info,and [path] is the
path (absolute or relative), of the directory which we  want to make as working directory.
</p>

<h3>Change the working directory</h3>
<p>
Let's see how to use the command <code>cd</code> in order to change the working directory:
</p>

<pre>
pwd
    ~
cd Desktop/multimedia
pwd
    ~/Desktop/multimedia
</pre>

<p>
As you can see, we changed the working directory from ~ (which stands for HOME),
to "multimedia". Now our Shell will work on the  directory "multimedia"
until a new <code>cd</code> will occour.</p>

<p>
<b>Notice:</b> If you want to move to a directory which is not contained in the
current working directory, you <u>MUST</u> use the absolute path.
</p>