Welcome to Linux

Linux is one of the most important pieces of software in the modern world. It powers everything from smartphones and web servers to supercomputers, routers, smart TVs and embedded devices.

But what exactly is Linux? And why is it used in so many different places? In this lesson, you will find out.

The Linux Terminal

The Linux command line is a text interface to your computer. Often referred to as the shell, terminal, console, prompt or various other names, it can give the appearance of being complex and confusing to use, but once you understand it, it becomes a very powerful tool.

This lesson will teach you a little of the history of the command line, then walk you through some practical exercises to become familiar with a few basic commands and concepts

A Brief History of Linux

Linux has its roots in Unix, an operating system developed in the 1970s for multi-user mainframe computers. Users connected remotely through simple terminals that only had a keyboard and screen. Everything was text-based, with no mouse or graphics.

Because text required very little computing power, these systems were fast and efficient even over slow networks. Users controlled the computer by typing commands such as cd to change directories, ls to list files, and mv to move or rename them.

A program called a shell managed these commands and allowed users to combine them or automate tasks with scripts. The original Unix shell was called sh, while bash is one of the most common shells used on Linux today.

Linux is a Unix-like operating system, meaning it follows many of Unix's ideas and conventions. Modern Linux still uses the same powerful text-based interface, usually through a software terminal running alongside graphical applications.

Basic Linux commands

Now that you know where the Linux command line came from, it's time to start using it. Linux commands are small programs that perform specific tasks, such as navigating through directories, creating files, and moving files through the filesystem.

The command line works by typing a command in and pressing Enter. For example, try typing:

pwd

pwd stands for Print Working Directory It tells you which folder you are currently inside.

Another useful command is:

ls

ls lists the files and folders in your current directory. This is one of the commands you will use most often when working in a Linux terminal.

You can also move between directories using cd:

cd Documents

This changes your current directory to the Documents folder. To move back up one level, use:

cd ..

These commands might seem simple, but they form the foundation of working with Linux. In the next lessons, you'll build on them to create, modify, move and delete files directly from the command line.