Hydraulic cylinders (also called linear hydraulic motors) are mechanical actuators that are used to give a linear force through a linear stroke. Hydraulic cylinders are able to give pushing and pulling forces of millions of metric tons with only a simple hydraulic system. Very simple hydraulic cylinders are used in presses; here, the cylinder consists of a volume in a piece of iron with a plunger pushed in it and sealed with a cover. By pumping hydraulic fluid in the volume, the plunger is pushed out with a force of plunger-area pressure.

More sophisticated cylinders have a body with end cover, a piston rod, and a cylinder head. At one side the bottom is, for instance, connected to a single clevis, whereas at the other side, the piston rod is also foreseen with a single clevis. The cylinder shell normally has hydraulic connections at both sides; that is, a connection at the bottom side and a connection at the cylinder head side. If oil is pushed under the piston, the piston rod is pushed out and oil that was between the piston and the cylinder head is pushed back to the oil tank.