In the list below, C- means "control key", M- means "meta key" (escape). For meta commands, press the meta key, then the other key. Thus M-f stands for the keyboard sequence "press meta key", " press f".
C-x C-s Save file
C-x C-f Find (open) file. Emacs asks for file name at bottom of screen.
C-x C-z Leave emacs temporarily (return with "fg" ("foreground"))
C-x C-c Quit emacs
C-g Abort command (get out of trouble)
C-f Move cursor forward one character
C-b Move cursor backwards one character
C-n Move cursor to next line
C-p Move cursor to previous line
C-a Move cursor to beginning of line
C-e Move cursor to end of line
C-v Go forward one screen
M-v Go backward one screen
C-k Kill text from cursor to end of line. (Cut text out)
C-y Yank back killed text. (Paste text in)
C-l Redisplay the screen if it is garbled.
M-f Move cursor forward one word
M-b Move cursor backwards one word
M-> Move to end of file
M-< Move to beginning of file
C-u 7 C-n Move forward 7 lines
C-u 10 C-p Move back 10 lines
To go to a specific line: Type M-x goto-line <return>, then type the line number followed by <return>. There a shortcuts. Type the command "help -q emacs goto " in a local window to find out about it. (Local shortcut is M-x #).
Emacs has an excellent on-line help tutorial. To use it, start up emacs. When you are "in emacs", type C-h, then type the letter "t". Follow directions. When you wish to leave the tutorial, type C-x C-c.
Many keyboards have "arrow" keys. These move the cursor around in the expected way. The DEC machines have a "compose" key which works like the meta key, except: hold the compose key down while pressing the other key.