cmd cheat sheet: files, variables, batch syntax and network commands

updated 2026-10-21

tool: Command Prompt (cmd)
versions: Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016+
os: windows

Command Prompt (cmd.exe) commands grouped by task. Every built-in command prints its help with /? (for example for /?). In batch files, loop variables are written %%a; at the prompt, %a.

Files and folders

Task	Command
Current folder / change folder and drive	cd / cd /d D:\work
List names only / folders only / recursive	dir /b / dir /b /ad / dir /b /s *.log
Make a folder (with parents)	mkdir a\b\c
Copy / move / rename	copy a.txt b.txt / move a.txt dir\ / ren a.txt b.txt
Copy a tree	robocopy src dst /e (or xcopy src dst /e /i)
Delete a file / a folder tree	del file.txt / rd /s /q folder
Print a file / create a file	type file.txt / > file.txt echo text
Search text	findstr /i /n "error" *.log
Where is a program	where git

Variables and strings

cmd

set "NAME=errcodex-report.txt"
echo whole: %NAME%
echo first 8 chars: %NAME:~0,8%
echo last 3 chars: %NAME:~-3%
echo replace: %NAME:report=summary%
set /a SUM=7*6
echo arithmetic: %SUM%
if defined NAME echo NAME is defined
if not defined NOPE echo NOPE is not defined
if /i "%NAME:~-3%"=="TXT" echo case-insensitive compare matched

Output

whole: errcodex-report.txt
first 8 chars: errcodex
last 3 chars: txt
replace: errcodex-summary.txt
arithmetic: 42
NAME is defined
NOPE is not defined
case-insensitive compare matched

Syntax	Meaning
%VAR:~start,length%	substring; negative start counts from the end
%VAR:old=new%	replace every occurrence of old (case-insensitive)
set /a X=Y*2+1	integer arithmetic
%~1, %~dp0, %~n1, %~x1	argument without quotes; folder of the script; name; extension
%CD%, %DATE%, %TIME%, %RANDOM%, %ERRORLEVEL%	dynamic variables

Batch syntax

cmd

for %%f in (a.txt b.txt) do > %%f echo data
for %%f in (*.txt) do echo found %%f
for /l %%i in (1,1,3) do echo counter %%i
call :greet World
goto :eof
:greet
echo Hello, %~1
exit /b 0

Output

found a.txt
found b.txt
counter 1
counter 2
counter 3
Hello, World

Construct	Example
if / else	if exist "out\" (echo yes) else (echo no)
Compare numbers	if %N% GEQ 10 echo big (EQU NEQ LSS LEQ GTR GEQ)
Loop over files / numbers / lines	for %%f in (*.log) / for /l %%i in (1,1,10) / for /f
Subroutine	call :label args ... exit /b
Run on success / failure	cmd1 && cmd2 / cmd1 \|\| cmd2
Redirect output / errors / both	> out.txt / 2> err.txt / > all.txt 2>&1
Discard output	> nul 2>&1

System and network

These print values of the machine they run on:

cmd

ipconfig /all
ipconfig /flushdns
netstat -ano | findstr :443
tasklist /fi "imagename eq node.exe"
systeminfo | findstr /b /c:"OS Name" /c:"OS Version"
hostname
whoami

Command	Shows
ipconfig /all	every adapter: IP, mask, gateway, DNS servers, MAC (Physical Address), DHCP
ipconfig /flushdns	clears the DNS resolver cache
netstat -ano	connections and listening ports with the owning PID (-a all, -n numeric, -o PID)
netstat -ano \| findstr :8080	which PID uses port 8080; then tasklist /fi "pid eq PID"
tasklist / tasklist /svc	running processes / services hosted in each process
systeminfo	OS version and build, install date, boot time, memory, hotfixes

Sources

commands · cmdCheck %ERRORLEVEL% in a batch file (if errorlevel, ||, exit /b)Read a command's exit code in cmd with %ERRORLEVEL%, test it with if errorlevel N (true for N or higher) or && and ||, and return a code with exit /b N.commands · cmdfor /f in cmd: read a file line by line or capture a command's outputfor /f loops over the lines of a file, a string or a command's output and splits them with tokens and delims. Use %%a in batch files and usebackq for spaces.compare · cmdxcopy vs robocopy: which one to use for copying foldersrobocopy retries, mirrors, resumes and logs, so use it for backups and large folder trees; xcopy is older and simpler, with no mirror, retry or multithreading.cheat sheets · powershellPowerShell cheat sheet: files, objects, filtering, strings and error handlingPowerShell cheat sheet: find commands and help, work with files, filter and sort objects, format strings, hashtables, loops, errors and bash equivalents.