pwd stands for "print working directory." It outputs the full, absolute path of the directory you're currently in.

Usage:

bash

pwd

That's it — no flags required for everyday use.

Why it matters:

  • It's the fastest way to confirm exactly where you are in the file system, especially after a series of cd commands.
  • The output is always the full path from root (/) to your current location — no guessing or relative paths.
  • Useful in scripts too: combine it with command substitution (current_dir=$(pwd)) to capture your working directory for later use.

Bonus flags:

  • pwd -P shows the physical path, resolving any symlinks.
  • pwd -L (the default on most shells) shows the logical path, including symlinks as-is.