Common HDFS Commands

1) Create a directory in HDFS at given path(s)

Usage:
hadoop fs -mkdir <paths>

Example:
hadoop fs -mkdir /user/saurzcode/dir1 /user/saurzcode/dir2

2) List the contents of a directory

Usage :
hadoop fs -ls <args>

Example:
hadoop fs -ls /user/saurzcode

3) Upload and download a file in HDFS

Upload: hadoop fs -put:

Copy single src file, or multiple src files from local file system to the Hadoop data file system:

Usage:
hadoop fs -put <localsrc> ... <HDFS_dest_Path>

Example:
hadoop fs -put /home/saurzcode/Samplefile.txt  /user/saurzcode/dir3/

Download: hadoop fs -get:

Copies/Downloads files to the local file system

Usage:
hadoop fs -get <hdfs_src> <localdst>

Example:
hadoop fs -get /user/saurzcode/dir3/Samplefile.txt /home/

4) See contents of a file

Same as unix cat command:
Usage:
hadoop fs -cat <path[filename]>

Example:
hadoop fs -cat /user/saurzcode/dir1/abc.txt

5) Copy a file from source to destination

Usage:
hadoop fs -cp <source><dest>

Example:
hadoop fs -cp /user/saurzcode/dir1/abc.txt /user/saurzcode/dir2

6) Copy a file from/To Local file system to HDFS

copyFromLocal

Copy a file from source to destination

Usage:
hadoop fs -copyFromLocal <localsrc> URI

Example:
hadoop fs -copyFromLocal /home/saurzcode/abc.txt /user/saurzcode/abc.txt

Similar togetcommand, except that the destination is restricted to a local file reference.

7) Move file from source to destination.

Note:- Moving files across filesystem is not permitted.

Usage :
hadoop fs -mv <src><dest>

Example:
hadoop fs -mv /user/saurzcode/dir1/abc.txt /user/saurzcode/dir2