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How to Rename Files in Linux

How to Rename Files in Linux
Awais Khan
Technical writer
Linux
23.01.2025
Reading time: 7 min

Visualize yourself as a Linux expert, skillfully navigating files and directories. One day, you find yourself needing to alter the names of numerous files. Perhaps you're organizing documents, changing photos names from a vacation, or managing code files for a project. Renaming each file manually seems daunting and time-consuming. What do you do?

The Linux environment offers various strong tools to make this task easy and effective. Whether dealing with a single file or a directory full of them, the system offers various ways to change files names quickly and easily.

Here, we'll explore a range of ways to rename files in the Linux environment. 

Method 1: Via the mv Command

Changing file names in Linux is usually accomplished via the mv command, which is both simple and widely adopted. Besides changing file names, it can also be employed to move files.

The primary syntax is:

mv [options] source target

Where:

  • source is the existing name or path of the file or directory you aim to rename or move.

  • target refers to the updated name or destination path for the file or directory.

Changing a Filename with mv

Adhere to the following steps to change a filename with mv:

  1. Launch your terminal application.

  2. Enter the directory where the file you wish to change is located:

cd /path/to/directory

Image1

  1. Employ mv to change the filename:

mv oldfilename newfilename

Image3

Update oldfilename to match the current name and newfilename to reflect the new name.

  1. Check the directory files to ensure their names are changed:

ls

Image2

Other Options

  1. To prevent existing files from being overwritten, apply:

mv -n oldfilename newfilename
  1. For transferring files to another directory while modifying their names, utilize:

mv oldfilename /newpath/newfilename
  1. To change directories name, apply:

mv olddirectory newdirectory

Method 2: Via the rename Command

For bulk files, rename surpasses mv in functionality. It can change multiple filenames in a single command and accommodates complex patterns with regular expressions.

Below is the standard format for employing the command:

rename [options] 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' files

Where:

  • 's/oldpattern/newpattern/': A substitution pattern where oldpattern is the text you want to replace, and newpattern is the text you want to substitute in.

  • files: The files you want to apply the rename operation to.

rename Installation on Linux

Some Linux distributions don't come with this utility pre-installed. Employ the package manager for installation.

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install rename

On CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install prename

Changing a Filename with rename

  1. Launch the terminal and go to the target folder:

cd /path/to/directory
  1. Next, run rename with a regex pattern to adjust multiple file names:

rename 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Image5

Replace oldpattern with the pattern you want to modify and newpattern with the updated pattern.

  1. To update all .txt filenames to .md in a directory, utilize:

rename 's/\.txt$/\.md/' *.txt

Image4

Additional rename Options

  • Start filename with a prefixed text:

rename 's/^/prefix_/' *
  • Append a suffix to the filenames:

rename 's/$/_suffix/' *
  • Real-time filename display while renaming:

rename -v 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *
  • Update the filename even if the target file already exists:

rename -f 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *
  • Previews the actions without executing any modifications:

rename -n 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Method 3: Via Bash Script

To perform more advanced file name changes, consider using a bash script. This technique enables sophisticated file name changes and automates frequent renaming operations.

  1. Open your terminal and create a new script file to start writing a bash script:

nano rename_files.sh
  1. Proceed by adding this code to the script file:

#!/bin/bash
for file in *.txt; do
mv "$file" "${file%.txt}.md"
done

This script changes all .txt filenames to .md files.

  1. Save the file and grant it executable permissions:

sudo chmod +x rename_files.sh
  1. Run the script to change filenames:

./rename_files.sh

Image7

Method 4: Via the find Command with mv

find and mv together offer a precise way to update multiple file names based on detailed conditions. Using this method, you can pinpoint specific files based on criteria like name patterns, size, and modification date. Further commands can be combined to create powerful file modification operations.

Use this template to update file names with find and mv:

find . -name "oldpattern" -exec mv {} newpattern \;

Image6

Additional Options

  • Change the file names larger than 1MB:

find . -size +1M -exec mv {} newname \;
  • Modify file names in the last 7 days:

find . -mtime -7 -exec mv {} newname \;

Method 5: Via the mmv Command

The mmv command is a powerful tool designed to simplify batch renaming of files through its advanced pattern matching capabilities. This command allows you to change multiple filenames at once by specifying patterns and replacement strings. It makes it ideal for handling large numbers of files that follow a specific naming convention. 

The syntax is:

mmv [options] source target

Changing a Filename with mmv

  1. Get mmv ready for use by installing it through the default package manager:

sudo apt install mmv
  1. Utilize mmv alongside patterns for effective filename modification:

mmv oldpattern newpattern

Image9

Additional mmv Options

  • Utilize this command to add a prefix to every file in a directory:

mmv '*' 'prefix#1'
  • Exhibit the names of files as they get modified:

mmv -v '*.txt' 'prefix_#1.txt'

Method 6: Via GUI

For those who favor a graphical interface, various Linux desktop environments offer tools for effortless file name changes. This approach is especially beneficial for users who aren't as familiar with command-line tasks.

Follow this procedure to change file names through a graphical tool:

  1. Launch your file manager application. The name and appearance may vary depending on your desktop environment (e.g., Nautilus for GNOME, Dolphin for KDE, Thunar for XFCE).

Image8

  1. Open the file manager/explorer and head to the folder with the files.

Image12

  1. Right-click the file you plan to edit and pick "Rename" or "Edit Name" from the contextual menu that appears.

Image11

  1. Type the new name, then press Enter or select "Rename" to apply the update.

Image13

Bulk file name change procedures may differ somewhat based on your file manager:

  1. Hold the Ctrl key and click on each file you want to change to select them.

  1. Select "Rename" by right-clicking on any of the files you've picked.

Image15

  1. Confirm the updates and check that the files are adjusted as desired.

Best Practices for File Naming Conventions

Consistent file naming conventions can significantly improve the ease of managing files and enhance overall organization. This section outlines best practices for naming files.

Use Descriptive Names

Choose names that are clear and descriptive, highlighting the file's content, purpose, or creation date. For example, replace doc1.txt with project_report_Jan2025.txt.

Avoid Special Characters

Refrain from including special characters (such as !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, and *) in filenames, since they can cause complications in file management and scripts.

Use Underscores or Hyphens

Replace spaces with underscores (_) or hyphens (-) in filenames to ensure they work seamlessly across different systems and scripts. For instance, use project_report_Jan2025.txt instead of project report Jan 2025.txt.

Guidelines for Changing Filename in Linux

  • Backup First: Back up your files first before performing extensive name changes.

  • Test Changes: Test the changes on a handful of files first.

  • Careful Use of Wildcards: Use wildcards carefully to prevent unintentional file modifications.

Conclusion

There are several approaches to changing file names in Linux, each tailored to different user preferences. Single-file tasks suit mv; for bulk operations, choose rename or mmv. Advanced customization can be achieved with Bash scripts and command combinations, whereas GUI tools present a more user-friendly choice. This in-depth guide will ensure you’re capable of executing any filename changing task smoothly in a Linux environment. 

By mastering these tools and techniques, you can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity when managing files in Linux. Understanding how to use these commands not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors that can occur with manual renaming.

In addition, Hostman provides Linux VPS web hosting services to empower your applications. 

Linux
23.01.2025
Reading time: 7 min

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How to Set Up Backup with Bacula

Bacula is a cross-platform client-server open source backup software that enables you to back up files, directories, databases, mail server data (Postfix, Exim, Sendmail, Dovecot), system images, and entire operating systems. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of installing and configuring Bacula on Linux, as well as creating backups and restoring user data. To get started with Bacula, you’ll need a server or virtual machine running any Linux distribution. In this tutorial, we’ll be using a cloud server from Hostman with Debian 12. Bacula Architecture Bacula’s architecture consists of the following components: Director (Bacula Director) The core component responsible for managing all backup, restore, and verification operations. The Director schedules jobs, sends commands to other components, and writes information to the database. Storage Daemon (Bacula Storage) Handles communication with storage devices such as disks, cloud storage, etc. The Storage Daemon receives data from the File Daemon and writes it to the configured storage medium. File Daemon (Bacula File) The agent installed on client machines to perform the actual backup operations. Catalog A database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite) used by Bacula to store information about completed jobs, such as backup metadata, file lists, and restore history. Console (Bacula Console, bconsole) A command-line utility for interacting with Bacula. The Console allows administrators to control the Director via a CLI. GUI tools such as Bacula Web and Baculum are also available. Monitor (Optional) A component for monitoring the Bacula system status. It tracks job statuses, daemon states, and storage device conditions. Creating Test Data for Backup Let’s create some test files to use in our backup. Create a test directory and navigate into it: mkdir /root/test_backups && cd /root/test_backups Now create six sequential files: touch file{1..6}.txt Also, create a directory in advance for storing restored files: mkdir /root/restored-files Installing Bacula In this tutorial, we will install all Bacula components on a single server. However, Bacula also supports a distributed setup where components such as the Director, Storage Daemon, Client, and database can be installed on separate servers. This decentralized setup is suitable for backing up multiple systems without overloading a single server. We'll be using Debian 12 and installing PostgreSQL (version 15) as the backend database. Update the package index and install Bacula (server and client components): apt update && apt -y install bacula-server bacula-client PostgreSQL 15 will also be installed during this process. During installation: When prompted with: “Configure database for bacula-director-pgsql with dbconfig-common?”, press ENTER. When asked to choose the database host, select localhost, since we are installing everything on one server. When prompted with: “PostgreSQL application password for bacula-director-pgsql”, set a password for the Bacula database.  Do not leave this field empty, or a random password will be generated. Re-enter the password when asked to confirm. The installation will then continue normally. After the installation is complete, verify the status of Bacula components and PostgreSQL. Check the status of the Bacula Director: systemctl status bacula-director Check the Storage Daemon: systemctl status bacula-sd Check the File Daemon: systemctl status bacula-fd Check PostgreSQL: systemctl status postgresql If all components display a status of active, then Bacula has been successfully installed and is running. Bacula Configuration Bacula is configured by editing the configuration files of the program components. By default, all Bacula configuration files are located in the /etc/bacula directory. Next, we will configure each Bacula component individually. Configuring Bacula Director Using any text editor, open the bacula-dir.conf configuration file for editing: nano /etc/bacula/bacula-dir.conf Let’s start with the Director block, which sets the main configuration parameters for the Director component: Director { Name = 4142939-bi08079-dir DIRport = 9101 QueryFile = "/etc/bacula/scripts/query.sql" WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/bacula" PidDirectory = "/run/bacula" Maximum Concurrent Jobs = 20 Password = "ohzb29XNWSFISd6qN6fG2urERzxOl9w68" Messages = Daemon DirAddress = 127.0.0.1 } Explanation of parameters: Name: The name of the Director component. This is a unique identifier used to connect with other components like the File Daemon and Storage Daemon. 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18 July 2025 · 14 min to read
Linux

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Once the installation finishes, you need to generate the fstab file: genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab Generating the fstab file makes partition mounting management easier and ensures automatic and consistent mounting at system startup. 5. System Configuration Step 1. To configure Arch Linux after installation, you need to chroot into the OS without rebooting: arch-chroot /mnt Step 2. First, install the nano text editor: pacman -S nano Step 3. Uncomment the encoding for English in the relevant file (you would edit locale.gen): nano /etc/locale.gen Uncomment the line for en_US.UTF-8. After this, save the changes and exit nano, then generate the locales: locale-gen To enable the English language, execute: echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf Step 4. At this step, set up the system clock. For example:  ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Nicosia /etc/localtime The region is set. Now synchronize the hardware clock: hwclock --systohc Step 5. Next, set the hostname for your system: echo "hostname" > /etc/hostname Step 6. As the second-to-last step, set the root password. Run: passwd You will be prompted to enter and confirm the password. Step 7. Lastly, set up the previously installed GRUB bootloader to boot the server: grub-install --target=i386-pc /dev/sda Then create the GRUB configuration file: grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg This command will automatically configure GRUB. Step 8. Arch Linux is now successfully installed. Exit the chroot: exit Then go to the Access tab in your control panel and switch the server to standard boot mode. After that, click Save and Reboot. You can remove the additional disk after this step. Step 9. The system will boot, but it is not ready for use yet. First, connect to the server and enable the DHCP client daemon: systemctl enable dhcpcd Then start it: systemctl start dhcpcd Make sure the service shows the status active (running). Step 10. Next, configure the SSH connection. First, create a backup of the sshd configuration: cp /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/backup.sshdconf Then set PermitRootLogin to Yes in the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file: nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config Finally, enable the SSH daemon: systemctl enable sshd And start it: systemctl start sshd When checking with systemctl status sshd, the service should show active (running) status. Don’t forget to add and configure SSH keys before connecting to the server. 6. Additional Configuration The installation is complete, but you can also perform additional system configuration by reviewing the official Arch Linux setup documentation. To install packages, use the command: pacman -S package_name To update the system, use: pacman -Suy Conclusion In this guide, we reviewed the process of installing Arch Linux on your cloud server and performed its basic configuration. We used a temporary Debian 11 OS and an additional disk for the installation image. By following these steps, you can create a powerful and flexible virtual environment for developing, testing, and running applications based on Arch Linux.
03 July 2025 · 8 min to read
Linux

How to Open a Port on Linux

Opening ports in Linux is an important task that allows certain services or applications to exchange data over the network. Ports act as communication gateways, allowing access to authorized services while blocking unauthorized connections. Managing ports is key to secure access, smooth app functionality, and reliable performance. Understanding Ports and Their Purpose Ports are the logical endpoints of network communication, where devices can send and receive information. HTTP uses port 80, HTTPS uses port 443, and SSH uses port 22. An open port means the service that listens for incoming network traffic is associated with it. A closed port, on the other hand, stops communication via that gateway. Maintaining availability and security requires proper management of Linux open ports. Check Existing Open Ports on Linux Before opening a port, check the open ports in Linux to see which ones are currently active. You may achieve this using several Linux commands. netstat To display open ports, run: netstat -tuln The netstat utility provides a real-time view of active network connections, displaying all listening endpoints. The -tuln flags refine the output to show only TCP and UDP ports without resolving hostnames. Note: In case netstat isn’t installed, install it via: sudo apt install net-tools ss The ss utility can also be utilized to check ports: ss -tuln Compared to netstat, the ss command is more recent and fast. It shows the ports that are in use as well as socket information. nmap For a detailed analysis of Linux open ports, use: nmap localhost The nmap utility scans the given host (localhost in this case) for open ports. This is useful for finding ports exposed to public networks. Note: You can install nmap on Linux via: sudo apt install nmap Opening Ports on Linux Firewall modification is required to grant access through a chosen endpoint. Linux provides several options for handling these tasks, including iptables, ufw, and firewalld. Here are the methods to open ports with these utilities. Method 1: Via iptables Iptables is a robust and lower level firewall utility that grants fine-grained control over network traffic. To open a port with iptables, take these steps: Add a Rule to Allow Traffic from a Specific Port  Enable HTTP access on port 8080 with this command: sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -j ACCEPT sudo: Execute the command as superuser. iptables: Refers to the firewall utility. -A INPUT: Inserts a rule in the input chain, controlling incoming traffic. -p tcp: Shows that the rule is for TCP traffic. --dport 8080: Points to port 8080 for the rule. ACCEPT: Specifies that incoming traffic matching the rule is accepted. This permits incoming TCP on port 8080. However, iptables changes are volatile and will be undone after reboot. Note: The iptables can be installed with persistent packages using: sudo apt install iptables iptables-persistent Save the Configuration For making the rule permanent and remain even after a system restart, store iptables rules via: sudo netfilter-persistent save This directive preserves current iptables or nftables rules such that they are preserved during reboots. Reload Changes Reload the firewall configuration as needed with: sudo netfilter-persistent reload Method 2: Via UFW Ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a minimal front-end for managing iptables rules. It allows you to easily open ports with simple commands. This is how you can do it: Enable Ufw  First, ensure the ufw firewall is activated: sudo ufw enable Executing this command allows UFW to modify firewall settings. Note: UFW can be installed with: sudo apt install ufw Allow Traffic Via Specific Port  For instance, to open port 22 for SSH, use: sudo ufw allow 22/tcp sudo: Grants superuser privileges. ufw allow: Adds a rule to permit traffic. 22/tcp: Sets port 22 for communication while restricting the rule to TCP protocol. This permits access on port 22, enabling remote SSH connections. Verify the Firewall Status  To ensure the port is accessible and the rule is active, execute: sudo ufw status The status command displays all active rules, including the allowed ports. Method 3: Via Firewalld Firewalld is a dynamic firewall daemon present on Linux. It is simpler to customize the firewall rules compared to using iptables. Here’s how to enable port access via firewalld: Add a Permanent Rule for the Desired Port  To enable HTTPS access on port 443, run: sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=443/tcp firewall-cmd: Invokes the firewalld command. --permanent: Ensures the rule stays active after the firewall reloads or the system boots. --add-port=443/tcp: Opens port 443 to accept incoming TCP traffic. Note: Install firewalld on Linux via: sudo apt install firewalld Once installed, you should activate and run it: sudo systemctl enable firewalld sudo systemctl start firewalld Reload the Firewall  Finalize the settings to enable the newly defined policy: sudo firewall-cmd --reload Applying firewall modifications makes recent policy updates functional without rebooting. Verification Check whether the port is opened successfully: sudo firewall-cmd --list-all The --list-all command provides a complete list of rules, helping you determine if port 443 is open. Testing the Newly Opened Port Always check if the newly opened port is available for incoming connections. Here’s how: Using telnet Test the port opening via: telnet localhost port_number Successful access means the port is open and responsive. Using nmap Analyze the host to verify if the specified endpoint is accessible.: nmap -p port_number localhost The -p flag specifies the port to scan. Using curl Check HTTP service availability: curl localhost:port_number A successful response confirms the service is running on the opened port. Troubleshooting Common Issues Ports opening may occasionally fail due to configuration errors or conflicting software settings. Follow these tips: Verify Firewall Rules: Run iptables -L or ufw status to assess firewall restrictions and permissions. Check Service Status: Check if the assigned service is active with systemctl status <service-name>. Opening Specific Ports Based on Protocol Understanding the protocol used by the service can help configure ports more effectively. For instance, web traffic typically uses TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) for stable communication, while certain gaming services may require UDP (User Datagram Protocol) for faster packet transmission. Opening a TCP Port To access port 3306 for MySQL traffic: sudo ufw allow 3306/tcp This explicitly permits TCP traffic through port 3306, ensuring stable communication for database queries. Opening a UDP Port To access port 161 for SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), run: sudo ufw allow 161/udp UDP provides faster, connectionless communication, ideal for monitoring tools like SNMP. Managing Port Accessibility Once a port is opened, controlling its visibility ensures security and prevents unauthorized access. Restricting Access to Specific IPs To limit port access to a specific IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100): sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.100 to any port 22 This allows SSH access via port 22 only from the specified IP address, enhancing security. Closing Ports To revoke access to port 80: sudo ufw deny 80/tcp This denies incoming traffic on port 80, effectively closing it for HTTP services. Conclusion Confirming open ports in Linux is a key step for optimizing network functionality and deploying services effectively. With the use of utilities such as iptables, ufw, or firewalld, you can control traffic securely for your apps. You need to test and debug in order to confirm the port is open and working as expected. From web servers to SSH access, to other network services, port management skills ensure smooth operations and better security.
01 July 2025 · 7 min to read

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