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clarify the starting point of the command chain
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AdminBee
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pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ pwd /home/saml/somedir $ ls dir1 dir2 dir3 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ pwd /home/saml/somedir $ ls dir1 dir2 dir3

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty
clarify the starting point of the command chain
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edit approved Feb 2, 2021 at 11:49
Umlin
edit approved Feb 2, 2021 at 11:49
Umlin
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pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty
attempt explain it does a cd
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slm ♦
slm ♦
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pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. Our NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1 now~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popingpopping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is infactin fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1 now.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start poping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is infact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty

pushd, popd, and dirs are shell builtins which allow you manipulate the directory stack. This can be used to change directories but return to the directory from which you came.

For example

start up with the following directories:

$ ls dir1 dir2 dir3

pushd to dir1

$ pushd dir1 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

dirs command confirms that we have 2 directories on the stack now. dir1 and the original dir, somedir. NOTE: Our "current" directory is ~/somedir/dir1.

pushd to ../dir3 (because we're inside dir1 now)

$ pushd ../dir3 ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ dirs ~/somedir/dir3 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir3

dirs shows we have 3 directories in the stack now. dir3, dir1, and somedir. Notice the direction. Every new directory is getting added to the left. When we start popping directories off, they'll come from the left as well.

manually change directories to ../dir2

$ cd ../dir2 $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir2 $ dirs ~/somedir/dir2 ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir

Now start popping directories

$ popd ~/somedir/dir1 ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir/dir1

Notice we popped back to dir1.

Pop again...

$ popd ~/somedir $ pwd /home/saml/somedir

And we're back where we started, somedir.

Might get a little confusing, but the head of the stack is the directory that you're currently in. Hence when we get back to somedir, even though dirs shows this:

$ dirs ~/somedir

Our stack is in fact empty.

$ popd bash: popd: directory stack empty
attempt explain it does a cd
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edit approved Jan 7, 2020 at 21:56
rogerdpack
edit approved Jan 7, 2020 at 21:56
rogerdpack
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Added command results that will illustrate the effect of manually changing directories
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edit approved Apr 16, 2019 at 13:50
Scott Yang
edit approved Apr 16, 2019 at 13:50
Scott Yang
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Some copy edit, added link to related documentation.
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edit approved Sep 9, 2015 at 9:30
Slothworks
edit approved Sep 9, 2015 at 9:30
Slothworks
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slm ♦
slm ♦
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