Getting Started with Linux: Key Lessons from the Linux Foundation

Linux is an awesome, open-source operating system that powers everything from servers to smartphones. If you're new to Linux and want to get started, the Linux Foundation has some great courses to help you out. Here are some key takeaways from a beginner-friendly Linux Foundation course.

1. Understanding Linux Basics

• Linux is based on Unix principles, which focus on keeping things simple and efficient. You'll get to know:

• The Linux file system structure, including folders like /home, /var, /etc, and /bin

• Handy command-line commands to move around and manage files

• How the Linux kernel works and talks to your hardware and apps

• The different Linux distributions and what makes them unique

1. Mastering the Command Line

The command line is where all the magic happens in Linux. Here are some must-know commands:

• ls – Lists files and folders (use ls -l for extra details)
• cd – Moves between directories (cd .. takes you up a level)
• cp – Copies files (cp file1 file2 to make a copy)
• mv – Moves or renames files (mv oldname newname to rename a file)
• rm – Deletes files (rm -r removes folders too)
• grep – Searches for words in files (grep 'keyword' filename)
• cat, less, and more – Show the contents of files quickly

1. Managing Users and Permissions

To keep things secure, Linux has a solid user and permission system. You'll learn about:

• Adding and managing users (adduser, passwd, usermod, deluser)
• Changing file permissions (chmod, chown, ls -l to check permissions)
• Managing groups (usermod -aG groupname username to add users to groups)
• How permission values like rwxr-xr-- and numbers like chmod 755 work

1. Installing and Managing Software

Installing software on Linux is pretty straightforward. Here’s what you’ll use:

• apt (for Debian/Ubuntu-based systems) – Example: apt install package_name
• yum or dnf (for RHEL/CentOS-based systems) – Used for software management
• snap and flatpak – Universal package managers for different distros
• How to build and install software from source if needed

1. System Monitoring and Process Management

Keeping your Linux system running smoothly means monitoring it. Some useful commands include:

• top and htop – Show what’s running on your system in real time
• ps – Check running processes (ps aux gives detailed info)
• kill – Stop processes (kill -9 PID for force quitting)
• df and du – Check disk space (df -h makes it human-readable)
• free -m – See how much memory is being used
• uptime – Find out how long your system has been running

1. Basic Shell Scripting

Want to automate boring tasks? Shell scripting makes life easier. You'll get into:

• Writing simple Bash scripts using #!/bin/bash
• Using loops (for, while) and conditions (if, else)
• Setting up automated tasks with cron (crontab -e to edit cron jobs)
• Working with variables and user inputs (read command) to make scripts interactive

1. Networking and Security Basics

• Linux is a networking powerhouse. You'll learn how to:
• Check network connectivity (ping, netstat, ip a for IP details)
• Set up firewalls (iptables, ufw for managing access rules)
• Securely connect to remote systems with SSH (ssh user@hostname, scp for file transfers)
• View active connections (netstat -tulnp shows open ports and services)
• Strengthen security with tools like fail2ban and SELinux