Introduction

IBM i is a powerful system designed for reliability, security, and scalability. Whether you are a new user, administrator, or just exploring IBM i, understanding essential commands will help you navigate, manage files, and monitor system performance effectively. This guide covers basic commands every IBM i user should know.

1. Navigation Commands

These commands help users move through the IBM i system and access key areas.

• WRKSPLF (Work with Spool Files) – View and manage print/output jobs.
• WRKACTJOB (Work with Active Jobs) – Display all running jobs on the system.
• DSPLIBL (Display Library List) – Show the libraries in the current library list.
• WRKLIB (Work with Libraries) – View and manage libraries on IBM i.
• DSPJOB (Display Job) – Check details of your current job/session.
• SIGNOFF – Log off from the IBM i session. 

2. File Management Commands

IBM i organizes data into libraries, files, and members. Here are essential file management commands:

• WRKLNK (Work with Links) – Navigate the Integrated File System (IFS).
• WRKOBJ (Work with Objects) – Search for objects across the system.
• WRKF (Work with Files) – View and manage database files.
• DSPFD (Display File Description) – Show details of a file.
• DSPFFD (Display File Field Description) – Display field-level details of a file.
• CPYF (Copy File) – Copy records from one file to another.
• DLTF (Delete File) – Delete a file from the system.
• MOVOBJ (Move Object) – Move objects between libraries. 

3. System Monitoring Commands

Monitoring the system ensures that it is running efficiently. These commands help track performance and resolve issues.

• WRKACTJOB (Work with Active Jobs) – Check CPU and memory usage of jobs.
• WRKSYSSTS (Work with System Status) – Display overall system performance metrics.
• WRKUSRJOB (Work with User Jobs) – View jobs for a specific user.
• WRKOUTQ (Work with Output Queues) – Monitor print jobs in output queues.
• DSPMSG (Display Messages) – Check system messages and notifications.
• DSPLOG (Display Log) – View system logs for error tracking.
• ENDJOB (End Job) – Terminate a job that is consuming too many resources. 

4. User Profile & Security Commands

Managing users and security settings is crucial for system integrity.

• DSPUSRPRF (Display User Profile) – View details of a user profile.
• CHGUSRPRF (Change User Profile) – Modify user settings and authorities.
• WRKUSRPRF (Work with User Profiles) – List and manage user profiles.
• WRKAUT (Work with Authority) – Set permissions for objects and users.
• DSPAUT (Display Authority) – Show access levels for a specific object. 

5. Job & Work Management Commands

IBM i handles work using jobs and subsystems. These commands help manage workloads:

• SBMJOB (Submit Job) – Run a job in batch mode.
• WRKSBMJOB (Work with Submitted Jobs) – Track and manage submitted jobs.
• ENDJOB (End Job) – Stop a running job.
• WRKJOB (Work with Job) – Display job details and logs.
• CHGJOB (Change Job) – Modify job settings like priority and output queue.
• DSPJOBLOG (Display Job Log) – View logs related to job execution. 

6. Backup & Recovery Commands

Ensuring data backup is crucial for disaster recovery. These commands help with backup and restoration:

• SAVLIB (Save Library) – Back up an entire library.
• SAVOBJ (Save Object) – Save individual objects.
• RSTLIB (Restore Library) – Restore a library from backup.
• RSTOBJ (Restore Object) – Restore an object from backup.

7. Network & Communication Commands

These commands help manage network settings and communication protocols.

• WRKCFGSTS (Work with Configuration Status) – Display network device status.
• NETSTAT (Network Status) – Show active network connections.
• WRKTCPPTP (Work with TCP/IP Point-to-Point Profiles) – Manage TCP/IP connections.
• PING – Test network connectivity between IBM i and other systems.
• TRCCNN (Trace Connection) – Troubleshoot network issues. 

Conclusion

Understanding these IBM i commands will help you navigate the system, manage files, monitor performance, and ensure smooth operations. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, mastering these essential commands will improve your efficiency and confidence when working with IBM i.