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Mr. Lemon
Mr. Lemon

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If you're just about to switch to Linux, read this.

#linux #terminal #ubuntu #mint

Well... Well... Well...

You're probably tired of Windows.

Or maybe you're just curious. You want to try something different, you've heard about Linux, and you're wondering:

"Is Linux actually worth trying?"

If that's you, this post is for you.

What do I want to talk about?

If you've never used Linux before, choosing your first distribution can be confusing.

There are hundreds of Linux distributions, and everyone seems to have a different opinion about which one is "the best."

So let's keep it simple.

Here are a few beginner-friendly distributions you can start with:

  1. Linux Mint — Cinnamon is recommended
  2. Pop!_OS
  3. Ubuntu
  4. Zorin OS
  5. MX Linux

You don't need to understand everything about Linux distributions right now.

Just choose one and start.

I'll talk more about choosing a distribution in another post.

How do we use Linux for the first time?

First things first:

Don't immediately replace your entire operating system.

You have two good options for trying Linux:

  1. Virtual machine — recommended for your first experiment
  2. Dual boot — better if you want to use Linux seriously

Virtual machine

A virtual machine lets you run Linux inside your existing operating system.

It's basically like running another computer inside your computer.

The advantage is that you don't have to modify your disk partitions or risk breaking your existing installation.

The downside?

It uses additional CPU, RAM, and storage, so the experience can be slower, especially on older hardware.

Dual boot

With dual boot, Linux and your existing operating system are installed on the same computer.

When you turn on your computer, you choose which one you want to use.

This gives Linux access to your computer's hardware almost directly, so performance is much better than a virtual machine.

However, setting up a dual-boot system is more complicated. You'll need to deal with things like:

  • Creating a bootable USB
  • Disk partitions
  • Bootloaders
  • Backups

If you're completely new to Linux, I'd recommend trying a virtual machine first.

If you decide that you actually like Linux, then consider dual booting.

Important note about dual boot

Before installing Linux, boot into the Live USB environment and make sure your hardware works properly.

Test things like:

  • Wi-Fi / Ethernet
  • Audio
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse / touchpad
  • Display
  • Bluetooth, if you need it

Also, make sure your USB drive is working correctly and has enough storage for the ISO. 8 GB or more is a reasonable minimum for many modern Linux ISOs.

And most importantly:

Back up your important files before modifying your partitions.

A mistake during partitioning can result in data loss.

Okay, I've installed Linux. Now what?

Welcome.

Now comes the fun part.

The first thing I recommend learning is the terminal.

No, you don't need to become a command-line wizard.

And no, you don't have to do everything through the terminal.

But understanding the terminal will make Linux much easier to use and understand.

Package managers

The distributions I mentioned above are Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions, so they commonly use APT.

A package manager is basically a tool that lets you install, remove, and update software.

For example, to install a package:

sudo apt install <package-name>
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Let's break it down:

  • sudo → run the command with administrator privileges
  • apt → the package manager
  • install → tell APT to install something
  • <package-name> → the package you want

For example:

sudo apt install git
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To remove a package:

sudo apt remove <package-name>
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For example:

sudo apt remove git
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Updating your system

First, update the package lists:

sudo apt update
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Then upgrade installed packages:

sudo apt upgrade
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These commands do different things.

apt update refreshes the information about available packages.

apt upgrade actually installs available updates.

You will often see them used together:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
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You can also upgrade a specific package:

sudo apt install --only-upgrade <package-name>
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Terminal commands

Now for the fun part.

Here are some commands I recommend learning first:

pwd
ls
cd
cat
mkdir
touch
cp
mv
rm
rmdir
find
file
tree
nano
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You don't need to memorize all of them immediately.

Start by understanding what they do and use them regularly.

For example:

pwd
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shows your current directory.

ls
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lists files and directories.

cd
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changes your current directory.

mkdir
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creates a directory.

touch
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creates an empty file.

And:

rm
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removes files.

Be careful with rm.

Unlike deleting a file through a graphical file manager, you generally don't get a friendly confirmation or recycle-bin experience.

How should you learn these commands?

You don't need to read a 500-page Linux book on day one.

Search for things like:

Linux command line crash course
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or:

Linux command line for beginners
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Watch a tutorial, then actually use the commands yourself.

Don't just watch someone type commands for an hour.

Open your terminal and type them.

Break things.

Make directories.

Create files.

Move them around.

Delete them.

Then figure out how to fix your mistakes.

That's where you actually learn.

One last thing

You don't need to know everything about Linux before using Linux.

You will learn things as you need them.

At first, you'll probably ask:

"How do I install this?"

Then:

"Why doesn't this work?"

Then:

"What is this permission error?"

And eventually:

"Wait... I can automate this with a shell script?"

That's when things start getting interesting.

Linux isn't just another operating system.

It's an environment where you can learn how your computer actually works.

So pick a distribution, install it safely, open the terminal, and start exploring.

Welcome to Linux.

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