linux unix tutorial

Linux is one of the most widely used open-source operating systems. It's fast, secure, stable, and powers everything from smartphones and servers to cloud platforms and IoT devices. Linux is especially popular among developers, system administrators, and DevOps professionals.

Linux is:

• A Unix-like OS used in servers, cloud infrastructure, supercomputers, personal computers and embedded systems.

• Reliable and secure, making it ideal for web hosting, networking, and automation.

• Preferred in DevOps, where it's used for scripting, configuration, containerization (Docker), and CI/CD pipelines.

• Open-source and customizable, giving users full control over their systems and workflows.

This Linux tutorial is designed for both beginners and experienced professionals. It covers everything from basic commands and file management to advanced topics like file permissions and shell scripting.

1. Understanding Linux Basics

In this section, we cover the basics of the Linux operating system, how it works, and how it's different from Unix. Learn about the concept of Linux distributions (distros), why they exist, and how to choose the right one based on your needs—whether you're a beginner, developer, or system admin.

• Introduction to Linux Operating System

• What are Linux Distributions?

• Choosing a Linux Distribution

• Difference between Linux/Unix

Installing Linux

Before getting started with Linux, we need to set it up on your system. Common methods:

• Installing Linux Using a Virtual Machine

• Creating a Dual Boot System with Linux and Windows

2. Linux Commands

Linux commands are instructions entered in the terminal to perform tasks such as navigating directories, managing files, monitoring system performance, and installing software. Learn the most commonly used commands and a complete list for deeper study.

3. Linux File System

The Linux file system organizes data in a hierarchical structure, starting from the root ("/"). It defines how files and directories are stored, accessed, and managed, ensuring efficient system navigation and resource organization. Explore key components including the directory structure, file types, absolute and relative paths, and mount points.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-file-system/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-file-hierarchy-structure/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-directory-structure/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/file-system-navigation-commands-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/absolute-relative-pathnames-unix/

4. File Management in Linux

File management in Linux covers creating, viewing, editing, moving, copying, and deleting files and directories using both the command line and graphical tools. Topics include essential commands and concepts like file paths, wildcards, and hidden files.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/file-management-in-linux/

• Files Listing: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/ls-command-in-linux/

• Creating Files: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/touch-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• Displaying File Contents: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/cat-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• Copying a File: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/cp-command-linux-examples/

• Moving and Renaming a File: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/mv-command-linux-examples/

• Deleting a File: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/rm-command-linux-examples/

File Permissions in Linux

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/permissions-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/ls-command-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/chmod-command-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/soft-hard-links-unixlinux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/advance-file-permissions-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/find-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/cat-command-in-linux-with-examples/

5. Package Management

Package management in Linux involves installing, updating, and removing software using package managers like apt, yum, or dnf. It simplifies handling software dependencies and ensures systems stay updated and secure.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/understanding-package-managers-and-systemctl/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/apt-get-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/debian-software-package-managementdpkg-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-install-rpm-packages-on-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/installation-and-configuration-of-yum-in-red-hat-linux-8/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/yum-commands-for-linux-package-management/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-find-opensuse-linux-version/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/pacman-command-in-arch-linux/

Linux Packages Manager

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/debian-software-package-managementdpkg-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/installation-and-configuration-of-yum-in-red-hat-linux-8/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/dnf-command-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/apt-get-command-in-linux-with-examples/

6. User and Group Management

Managing users and groups in Linux involves creating, modifying, and controlling user accounts, assigning permissions, and organizing users into groups for efficient access control and system security.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-check-the-groups-a-user-belongs-to-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/sudo-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/user-management-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/awk-command-unixlinux-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/id-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/useradd-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/passwd-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-change-the-username-or-userid-in-kali-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/group-management-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/permissions-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/chmod-command-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/passwd-command-in-linux-with-examples/

7. Linux Networking

Linux networking covers configuring IP addresses, managing network interfaces, setting up firewalls, monitoring traffic, and enabling communication between devices and servers.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/network-configuration-trouble-shooting-commands-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-configure-network-interfaces-in-centos/

Linux Firewall

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-firewall/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-firewall/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/iptables-command-in-linux-with-examples/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-setup-firewall-in-linux/

8. Shell Scripting

Shell scripting is writing a series of commands in a script file to automate tasks in a Linux or Unix shell. It simplifies repetitive tasks like file management, system monitoring, and process automation, using languages like Bash or other shell environments.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-linux-shell-shell-scripting/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/the-linux-kernel/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/different-shells-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/different-shells-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-shell-and-kernel/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-terminal-console-shell-and-kernel/

Creating and Running Shell Scripts

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-create-a-shell-script-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-scripting-define-bin-bash/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/comments-in-shell-script/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-script-to-broadcast-a-message/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-save-output-of-command-in-a-file-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-exit-when-errors-occur-in-bash-scripts/

Variables in Shell Scripting

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-scripting-shell-variables/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-scripting-different-types-of-variables/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-scripting-rules-for-naming-variable-name/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-scripting-different-types-of-variables/

Bash Scripting

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/bash-scripting-introduction-to-bash-and-bash-scripting/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/bash-script-define-bash-variables-and-its-types/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/bash-scripting-working-of-bash-scripting/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-run-bash-script-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/bash-scripting-functions/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-sh-and-bash/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/basic-operators-in-shell-scripting/

Advanced Topics in Shell Scripting

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/making-linux-shell-c/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/shell-script-examples/

9. System Administration

System administration in Linux involves managing and maintaining Linux systems, including tasks like user management, file permissions, software installation, network configuration, and monitoring system performance. It ensures the system operates efficiently and securely.

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-linux-system-administration/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/beginners-guide-to-linux-system-administration/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/basic-shell-commands-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/user-management-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/group-management-in-linux/

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-monitor-system-usage-outages-and-troubleshoot-linux-servers/

Linux Systemd and Boot Process

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-systemd-and-its-components/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/boot-process-with-systemd-in-linux/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-control-systemd-services-on-remote-linux-server/

10. Advanced Linux Concepts

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/the-linux-kernel/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-loadable-kernel-module/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/virtualisation-with-docker-containers/

Networking Services

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/dynamic-host-configuration-protocol-dhcp/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/domain-name-system-dns-in-application-layer/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/file-transfer-protocol-ftp-in-application-layer/

Web Server Administration

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-apache-and-nginx/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-install-and-configure-nginx-from-source-on-linux/

11. Linux Cloud

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/role-of-linux-in-cloud-computing-and-devops/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-command-in-devops/

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/deploying-and-managing-linux-in-the-cloud/

Linux Interview Questions

Top 70 commonly asked Linux interview questions covering commands, shell scripting, system administration, networking, and troubleshooting:

• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-interview-questions/

Best Approach to Learn Linux

Follow this step-by-step approach to learn and master Linux efficiently:

1

Understand Linux Basics

Start by learning what Linux is, its distributions (distros), and its core components like the kernel, shell, and file system.

2

Install a Linux Distro

Choose a beginner-friendly distribution like Ubuntu or Fedora and set it up on your system (dual boot or virtual machine).

3

Learn Basic Commands

Familiarize yourself with essential commands like ls, cd, pwd, cp, mv, rm, and mkdir. Practice navigating directories and managing files.

4

Explore the File System

Understand the Linux file structure, including /home, /var, /etc, and /usr. Learn how permissions work using chmod, chown, and ls -l.

5

Work with Text Editors

Get comfortable with terminal-based editors like Vim or Nano for creating and editing files.

6

Understand Package Management

Learn how to install, update, and remove software using package managers like apt (Debian-based) or yum/dnf (Red Hat-based).

7

Explore Shell Scripting

Start writing basic shell scripts to automate repetitive tasks and understand how shell scripting integrates with Linux commands.

8

Manage Processes and Services

Use commands like ps, top, and kill to manage processes and explore system services using systemctl.

9

Networking in Linux

Understand networking basics like IP configuration (ifconfig or ip), checking connectivity (ping), and managing firewall settings (ufw or iptables).

10

Learn Advanced Tools

Explore tools like grep, awk, sed, and cron for text processing and task scheduling.

11

Work on Real Projects

Set up a web server using Apache or Nginx, configure SSH for remote access, or create a simple home automation script.

12

Stay Updated

Regularly practice and stay updated with the latest Linux features, commands, and best practices by joining Linux forums and following tutorials.