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Kihoro Codes

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Introduction to Linux for Data Engineers, Beginner Friendly Approach

Why is Linux important for data engineers

Linux is an open source Operating System that is customizable therefore; it is able to meet the specific needs of different professionals such as data engineers. It is a very efficient and secure platform to use. Data engineers deal with extracting, transforming and loading very large volumes of data. They prefer a Linux terminal for the following reasons:

_1. Compatibility with Data Engineering Tools: There are tools such as Hadoop (to store and process large data sets), Kafka (real time data streaming) and Docker (create, deploy and run container applications) all run seamlessly on Linux.
2.** Security and Stability:** Linux is built on a promise of Security and is very reliable in handling sensitive data. Its open source nature allows it to be regularly updated with security patches by developers all around the world.

  1. Scalability and Flexibility: Data Engineers work with data that is ever growing in volume, to keep up with the demand, Linux is very good at offering more processing power and speed to create workflows.
  2. Command Line Interface: Data Engineers work on the Linux CLI as it ensures efficient, high speed processing and provides powerful automation capabilities. The CLI is also used to manage remote servers and computers using tools such as SSH._

Basic Linux commands

mkdir : Creates a new directory.
cd : Changes to the specified directory.
ls: Lists files and directories in the current directory.
mv : Moves or renames the source to the destination.
cp : Copies the source to the destination.
rm (Remove) Deletes files and directories.
touch : Creates an empty file or updates its modification time.
Clear: Clears the terminal screen.
ssh @: Connects to the remote server.

Text Editors in the Linux Terminal
There are 2 editors available: Vi and Nano
Vi
Vi is a text editor that divides the editing process into different modes. It has 3 Key modes. They include: This modal approach allows for fast and efficient text manipulation, making it a favorite for many seasoned developers and engineers.

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