How do I run two commands in one line in Windows CMD?

Running Multiple Commands in One Line in Windows CMD: A Simple Guide ✨

Have you ever found yourself needing to run multiple commands in a single line in the Windows CMD console? Maybe you're looking to save time or streamline your workflow. Regardless of the reason, we've got you covered! In this guide, we'll walk you through the process step by step. 💪🖥️

The Linux Way: touch thisfile ; ls -lstrh

If you're familiar with Linux, you might have seen commands run back to back, separated by a semicolon (;). For example, the command touch thisfile ; ls -lstrh creates a new file named "thisfile" and then lists the contents of the current directory in a detailed format, sorted by time, with human-readable sizes.

But how can you achieve the same chaining of commands on Windows? Let's dive in! ⚙️

The Windows CMD Way: Using the Ampersand (&)

The symbol you're looking for in Windows is the ampersand (&). This powerful character allows you to run multiple commands sequentially in the CMD console. Here's how it works:

command1 & command2

To better grasp this concept, let's say you want to navigate to a specific folder and then list its contents. You would use the following line:

cd C:\Path\To\Folder & dir

In this example, the cd command changes the directory to "C:\Path\To\Folder", and then the dir command lists the contents of that folder.

Handling Command Execution Order: Conditional Execution

But wait, there's more! Did you know you can control the execution order of your commands? Let's imagine you want command2 to only run if command1 executes successfully. In that case, you can use the double ampersand (&&) like this:

command1 && command2

Let's illustrate this with an example. Assume you want to compile your code only if the directory change is successful. Here's the code you would use:

cd C:\Path\To\Folder && compile

In this case, if the cd command successfully changes the directory, the compile command will then be executed.

Calling Executables with Spaces in the Path

Now, what if you want to run an executable that resides in a folder with spaces in its path? In these situations, surround the entire command with double quotation marks ("). Here's how it looks:

"C:\Path To\Executable" arg1 arg2 & command2

Remember to replace C:\Path To\Executable with the actual path to your executable file, and arg1 and arg2 with any additional arguments required.

The Power Is in Your Hands! 💥

Now that you know how to run two commands in one line in Windows CMD, it's time to take your command-line skills to the next level! Start chaining commands, saving time, and boosting your productivity. 🚀

If you found this guide helpful or have any questions, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts. Happy coding! ✌️😊