Table of Contents
Welcome to Linux Fundamentals
This part of the course is your on-ramp to Linux. It assumes no prior experience and focuses on the skills and concepts you need to become comfortable using a Linux system—first through the graphical desktop, then increasingly through the command line.
You’ll see terms and tools that reappear throughout the rest of the course. The goal of Part I is not to make you an expert, but to give you a solid, confident start.
Goals of Part I
By the end of Part I, you should be able to:
- Recognize what makes Linux different from other operating systems.
- Understand, at a high level, how Linux is put together (kernel, GNU tools, distributions).
- Choose and install a Linux distribution appropriate for your needs.
- Perform a first-time setup and make basic system adjustments.
- Use the desktop environment for everyday tasks.
- Navigate the Linux filesystem at a beginner level.
- Be ready to move on to the command line in Part II.
You do not need any programming knowledge, server experience, or prior Linux exposure.
What This Part Covers (and What It Doesn’t)
Part I focuses on:
- The big-picture ideas behind Linux:
- Where it came from.
- How it fits into the wider world of operating systems.
- Why people and companies choose Linux.
- Practical, beginner-friendly tasks:
- Installing Linux on a real machine or virtual machine.
- Making sense of different distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.).
- Getting your system ready for everyday use (updates, drivers, software).
- Understanding the basic layout of files and folders.
- Using the graphical desktop environment.
It deliberately does not go deep into:
- Command-line workflows and shell scripting (that’s Part II and later).
- System administration (services, networking, security hardening, etc., in Parts III–V).
- DevOps, cloud, or advanced internals (Parts VI–VII).
You’ll see some of those topics mentioned, but only at a level that helps you understand why Linux fundamentals matter.
How the Chapters in Part I Fit Together
Part I is broken into several chapters that build on each other. Here’s how they connect and what you should expect to get from each, without going into their full details.
1. What Is Linux?
This opening chapter gives you context and vocabulary rather than skills. It answers questions like:
- How Linux relates to other operating systems.
- How historical projects (Unix, GNU, the Linux kernel) led to what we call "Linux" today.
- Why open source matters and how it shapes the Linux ecosystem.
- Where Linux shows up in real life (servers, phones, embedded devices, desktops).
- The difference between using Linux on a laptop, a server, or embedded hardware.
You’ll come away with a mental model of "what Linux is and is for," which makes later, practical chapters easier to understand.
2. Choosing a Linux Distribution
Once you know what Linux is, the next practical task is deciding which Linux to use.
This chapter helps you:
- Understand what a “distribution” (distro) actually is in the Linux world.
- Recognize the main package formats and why they matter.
- Distinguish between:
- General-purpose, beginner-friendly distros.
- More advanced, hands-on distros.
- Rolling vs fixed-release models.
- Match distributions to your goals:
- Learning the basics.
- Daily desktop use.
- Preparing for certain certifications or careers.
By the end, you should be able to say, "I will start with X distribution, for these reasons."
3. Installing Linux
After choosing a distribution, this chapter walks you through getting it onto a machine. It focuses on:
- Preparing installation media (usually a bootable USB).
- Different installation scenarios:
- Using an entire machine just for Linux.
- Dual-booting with Windows while keeping your existing data.
- Installing inside a virtual machine so you don’t touch your main system.
- The basics of disk partitioning from a beginner perspective:
- How Linux divides storage into areas like
/,/home, and swap. - What to expect during the installer process visually.
- The initial steps of first boot after installation.
The aim is that you can safely and successfully get a working Linux system, even if you’ve never installed an operating system before.
4. First Steps After Installation
With Linux installed, this chapter focuses on getting you from "fresh install" to "usable daily system" through graphical tools whenever possible.
You’ll:
- Learn the basic ideas of a Linux desktop environment:
- How it differs from just "the operating system" itself.
- How to log in, open applications, manage windows, and log out.
- Perform essential maintenance immediately after install:
- Updating the system to get security fixes and new packages.
- Installing a handful of important everyday tools.
- Deal with common first-time needs:
- Graphics or Wi-Fi drivers.
- Enabling proprietary drivers when needed.
- Use the software center / app store interface:
- Searching for and installing applications in a point-and-click way.
This chapter makes Linux feel more like a familiar desktop system and less like an unfamiliar experiment.
5. Linux Filesystem Hierarchy
Once you’re using Linux, you need to know where things live on the system. This chapter introduces the standard layout that almost all Linux distributions follow.
You’ll learn, at a conceptual level:
- What the “root filesystem” is.
- The purpose of key directories (for example, where configuration files, user data, and temporary files typically go).
- The idea that everything in Linux is part of a single directory tree starting at
/. - The notion of different file types (regular files, directories, some special system entries).
- The difference between absolute and relative paths, which will be essential later when you start using the terminal.
The goal is not memorization of every directory, but familiarity: folders like /home, /etc, /var, and /usr will stop looking mysterious.
6. The Linux Graphical Environment
This chapter rounds out Part I by expanding your comfort with the graphical user interface.
It:
- Introduces a few common desktop environments (like GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE) so you’re not confused if yours looks different from screenshots.
- Shows how file managers let you browse the filesystem visually.
- Walks through basic system settings:
- Display, keyboard, language.
- User preferences like themes or shortcuts.
- Explains workspaces and window management as Linux desktops often provide multiple virtual desktops, tiling options, and advanced layouts.
By the end of this chapter, you should feel at home using Linux as a day-to-day desktop—opening files, adjusting settings, organizing windows—without needing to touch the terminal yet.
How to Approach Part I
A few suggestions for getting the most out of this section:
- Follow the order: Later chapters assume you’ve at least skimmed the earlier ones.
- Practice on a real or virtual system:
- If you’re nervous about installing on real hardware, start with a virtual machine.
- Expect some unfamiliar terms:
- You don’t need to memorize everything; you just need enough familiarity that future chapters feel less intimidating.
- Don’t worry about the command line yet:
- Part I is mostly graphical and conceptual. Command-line topics are intentionally saved for Part II.
What You’ll Be Ready for After Part I
Once you finish Part I, you should:
- Have a working Linux system you can log into and use.
- Be able to install software, update your system, and adjust basic settings.
- Recognize key Linux concepts and directory names when they appear later.
- Feel prepared to open a terminal and start learning command-line skills in Part II.
From here, you’ll transition smoothly into "Command Line Essentials," where you’ll begin to interact with Linux in the way power users and administrators do every day.