IBM i Global

IBM i Global

Connect, learn, share, and engage with IBM Power.

 View Only

IBM i Commands Every User Should Know

By Gaurav Khanna posted Thu March 27, 2025 05:00 AM

  

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.

Disclaimer: Some of the commands listed in this blog require elevated privileges or special authorities (like *ALLOBJ, *SECADM, *JOBCTL, etc.) and are intended for use by IBM i administrators or advanced users under guidance. General users should not have command-line access (LMTCPB(*YES)), and all usage should comply with your organization's security policies.

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

Note: Some of the following commands may require special authorities and are typically used by operators or administrators to monitor and manage system performance. Use only if authorized.

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

Note: These commands deal with user profiles and object-level security. They should only be used by administrators with appropriate authority.

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... Use with caution, as ending critical jobs may disrupt system operations.
  • 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

Admin Tip: These backup and restore commands should be used by authorized personnel only. Always verify backup strategies and understand recovery steps before execution.

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're exploring IBM i as a beginner or working in an administrative role, familiarizing yourself with these essential commands and their appropriate usage will improve your confidence and effectiveness. Always operate within your assigned authority to maintain the integrity and security of the system.

2 comments
39 views

Permalink

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/blogs/gaurav-khanna/2025/03/27/ibm-i-commands-every-user-should-know

Comments

Gaurav Khanna
7 days ago

Thanks @Sandi Moore for the valuable input! You're absolutely right, many of these commands are powerful and require appropriate authority. My goal with this blog was to create a reference guide for awareness and understanding, especially for those new to IBM i who want to explore its capabilities in a responsible and supervised manner.

You're spot-on about LMTCPB(*YES) and the importance of controlling command line access. I’ll consider adding a disclaimer to highlight that these commands should be used only within the bounds of assigned roles and with proper permissions, ideally under the guidance of a system administrator. As you said - “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Thanks again for the great reminder - your comment adds depth and context that benefits all readers..

Thanks and Regards,

Gaurav

Sandi Moore
7 days ago

@Gaurav Khanna, these are some great commands you've gathered. I would like to mention that the general user should never have command line access (LMTCPB *YES) and only a true IBM i administrator should be using these commands. Many of the commands will also require one, some, or all  of the eight special authorities, which an end user shouldn't have, either. As Spider-Man would say, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Cheers,

Sandi