cd(1)cd(1)NAMEcd - Changes the current working directory
SYNOPSIScd [directory]
Note
The C shell has a built-in version of the cd command. If you are using
the C shell, and want to guarantee that you are using the command
described here, you must specify the full path /usr/bin/cd. See the
csh(1) reference page for a description of the built-in command.
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry stan‐
dards as follows:
cd: XCU5.0
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
industry standards and associated tags.
OPTIONS
None
OPERANDS
The pathname (either full or relative) to be used as the new working
directory.
If (hyphen) is specified as the directory, the cd command
changes your current (working) directory to the directory name
saved in the environment variable OLDPWD.
DESCRIPTION
The cd command moves you from your present directory to another direc‐
tory. You must have execute (search) permission in the specified
directory.
If you do not specify a directory, cd moves you to your login directory
($HOME in ksh and sh environments, or $home in csh environment). If
the specified directory name is a full pathname, it becomes the current
working directory. A full pathname begins with a / (slash) for the
root directory, with a . (dot) for the current working directory, or
with a .. (dot dot) for the parent directory. If the directory name is
not a full pathname, cd searches for it relative to one of the paths
specified by the $CDPATH shell variable (or $cdpath csh variable).
This variable has the same syntax as, and similar semantics to, the
$PATH shell variable (or $path csh variable).
EXIT STATUS
The following exit values are returned:
The directory was successfully changed. An error occurred.
EXAMPLES
To change to your home directory, enter: cd To change to a new direc‐
tory, enter: cd /usr/include
This changes the current working directory to /usr/include. Now
file pathnames that do not begin with / or ../ specify files
located in /usr/include. To go down one level of the directory
tree, enter: cd sys
If the current working directory is /usr/include and if it con‐
tains a subdirectory named sys, then /usr/include/sys becomes
the current working directory. To go up one level of the direc‐
tory tree, enter: cd ..
The special filename .. (dot dot) always refers to the directory
immediately above the current working directory.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables affect the execution of cd: A
colon-separated list of pathnames that refer to directories. If the
directory operand does not begin with a / (slash) character, and the
first component is not (dot) or cd command will search for directory
relative to each directory named in the CDPATH variable, in the order
listed. The new working directory will be set to the first matching
directory found. An empty string in place of a directory pathname rep‐
resents the current directory. If CDPATH is not set, it will be treated
as if it were an empty string. The name of the home directory, used
when no directory operand is specified. Provides a default value for
the internationalization variables that are unset or null. If LANG is
unset or null, the corresponding value from the default locale is used.
If any of the internationalization variables contain an invalid set‐
ting, the utility behaves as if none of the variables had been defined.
If set to a non-empty string value, overrides the values of all the
other internationalization variables. Determines the locale for the
interpretation of sequences of bytes of text data as characters (for
example, single-byte as opposed to multibyte characters in arguments).
Determines the locale for the format and contents of diagnostic mes‐
sages written to standard error. Determines the location of message
catalogues for the processing of LC_MESSAGES. A pathname of the previ‐
ous working directory, used by the cd - form of the command. The cd
command sets this variable to your current working directory before
changing to a new current directory. A pathname of the current working
directory, set by the cd command after it has changed to that direc‐
tory.
SEE ALSO
Commands: csh(1), ksh(1), pwd(1), Bourne shell sh(1b), POSIX shell
sh(1p)
Functions: chdir(2)
Environment: environ(5)
Standards: standards(5)cd(1)
