How to use the command 'nautilus' (with examples)

Nautilus is the default file explorer for the GNOME desktop environment. It allows users to navigate and manage files and directories on their computer. This article will provide examples of various use cases of the ’nautilus’ command.

Use case 1: Launch Nautilus

Code:

nautilus

Motivation: This command is useful when you want to open Nautilus to browse your files and directories.

Explanation: When you execute the command ’nautilus’ without any arguments, it will launch Nautilus and open the user’s home directory.

Example output: Nautilus will open, displaying the user’s home directory.

Use case 2: Launch Nautilus as root user

Code:

sudo nautilus

Motivation: This command is helpful when you need to perform administrative tasks with Nautilus, such as modifying system files or directories.

Explanation: By using ‘sudo’ before the ’nautilus’ command, you run Nautilus with root privileges. This allows you to access and modify restricted files and directories.

Example output: Nautilus will open with root privileges, displaying the root directory ("/").

Use case 3: Launch Nautilus and display a specific directory

Code:

nautilus path/to/directory

Motivation: This command lets you directly open a specific directory in Nautilus without navigating through the file system manually.

Explanation: When you provide the path to a directory as an argument, Nautilus will open and display that directory.

Example output: Nautilus will open, showing the specified directory.

Use case 4: Launch Nautilus with a specific file or directory selected

Code:

nautilus --select path/to/file_or_directory

Motivation: This command is useful when you want to open Nautilus and automatically have a specific file or directory selected.

Explanation: By using the ‘–select’ option followed by the path to a file or directory, Nautilus will open and the specified item will be selected.

Example output: Nautilus will open, with the specified file or directory selected.

Use case 5: Launch Nautilus in a separated window

Code:

nautilus --new-window

Motivation: This command allows you to open a new Nautilus window, separate from any existing Nautilus instances.

Explanation: When you use the ‘–new-window’ option, Nautilus will open in a new window instead of reusing an existing one.

Example output: Nautilus will open in a new window, separate from any already-open instances.

Use case 6: Close all Nautilus instances

Code:

nautilus --quit

Motivation: This command is helpful when you want to close all open instances of Nautilus quickly.

Explanation: By using the ‘–quit’ option, Nautilus will close all open instances and exit.

Example output: All open instances of Nautilus will be closed.

Use case 7: Display help

Code:

nautilus --help

Motivation: This command provides a quick way to access the help documentation for Nautilus.

Explanation: When you execute the ’nautilus –help’ command, it will display a list of available options and a brief explanation of each one.

Example output: A list of available options for the Nautilus command and their explanations will be displayed.

Conclusion:

The ’nautilus’ command is a versatile tool for managing files and directories in the GNOME desktop environment. Whether you need to open specific directories, select files, or perform administrative tasks, Nautilus provides several useful options for customization and efficiency.