What need to know about linux

What You Need to Know about Linux Operating Systems

Linux has been around since the mid-1990s, reaching a user base spanning industries and continents. Nowadays, Linux is everywhere, from mobile phones to cars and appliances. But before it became a platform for running desktops and embedded systems, it was one of the most reliable and secure operating systems. If you’re curious, here’s what you need to know about Linux Operating Systems.

Why Use Linux?

Many of us are more familiar with the Windows Operating System when using the computer. However, that’s not the case for those in the IT sector. In fact, some of the world’s biggest companies depend on Linux since they find it more reliable, secure, and faster.

Another good thing about Linux is that it’s open source, which allows you to create an operating system out of a basic Linux operating system. Moreover, it’s pretty hard for malware to get into a Linux kernel, making it secure and reliable.

While the Linux learning curve can be tricky to navigate initially, the experience gained in working with Linux translates to all the vast platforms it supports. In fact, Linux is the basis for other operating systems, such as Android, since it does offer so much flexibility.

Another reason to use Linux is that the kernel is free and comes from the open-source GNU GPL, which allows you to add whatever you want to create a custom configuration. It’s possible to download just about every Linux distribution. For instance, you can download a form of Linux kernel with a few fully functional add-ons but without added cost.

How is it Used?

Every version of the Linux Operating System can manage hardware resources, handle applications, and offer some form of the user interface. The vast community of developers and numerous distributions have made Linux available for any task, and Linux has penetrated various computing areas.

For instance, Linux emerged as a popular OS for web servers such as Apache. It’s also the preferred choice for network operations and scientific computing tasks requiring huge compute clusters and mobile devices with OS versions like Android. You will find Linux in various settings since it can support numerous uses. For instance, it can support high-volume and multi-threading applications for different servers, from web servers to email and database servers.

Linux also works for embedded devices or systems requiring limited computing function, including household appliances and automotive entertainment systems. Software development is another function of Linux. Although several development tools use Windows and other operating systems, Linux is the most widely used OS for open-source software development.

Linux is highly configurable and relies on a modular design allowing users to customise different operating system versions. Users can also optimise it for various purposes like computation performance, network performance, and deployment on some hardware platforms.

Managing Processes

Linux can be tricky to use if it’s your first time. Thus, consider hiring Linux specialists to help you better understand the operating system and how to use it for your business. For instance, managing processes in Linux can be tricky. You could come across different commands as you navigate it.

Top and Ps are the two most common commands for process management in Linux. The top command will display a long list of real-time processes, including CPU usage and memory. Use your keyboard’s up and down arrow keys to browse the list. If you need to quit, press “q.” If you need to stop a process, highlight it using the up and down arrow keys, then press “k.”

Meanwhile, the Ps command means “Process Status.” When you activate this, it will display the processes currently running. But unlike the Top, Ps will not generate real-time output. While Ps will only display processes currently running, you can also use it to list the entire processes.

You can activate the kill command when you need to stop a process while using Linux. It will send a signal to the process to stop. You can send various other signals, but the most common is “kill-9,” while the default signal is 15.

What are File Permissions on Linux?

Although Linux is one of the most secure operating systems and has various security features, potential vulnerabilities can exist when local access is granted. The most common security breaches are file permission-based issues due to users not assigning the proper permissions to directories and files.

There are three types of permissions in Linux, read, write, and execute. “Read” is when you will read the file and list the directory, while “write” is when you write new files or modify existing directory files. Meanwhile, execute means to access and run the file.

The directory is similar to the folders in Windows. The chown and chmod commands are used to control access to the files. Chmod commands mean change mode, which allows the changing of files and folders, while chown means “change owner”. With chmod, certain users will have permission to read, write or execute directories and files.

Pros and Cons of Linux

Linux is a great operating system, offering many benefits. But it does come with disadvantages, too. Let’s look at its pros and cons.

Linux is highly secure and works really fast, two of its main advantages. Since it’s open source, many Linux developers worldwide lookout for potential vulnerabilities and threats to the operating system. When it comes to speed, Linux will not disappoint. Linux does not require the installation of anti-virus programs, so a big part of its memory remains unused, resulting in a faster speed.

So, what are the cons? One of its disadvantages is that it could take a while to learn. Linux can be tricky, especially if you are not used to it. The user experience is different with Linux, so it takes time to familiarise the system. In addition, several applications that use Apple OS or Windows do not function in Linux. If you need access to certain apps for work, you must first double-check if they will work with Linux.

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What is Linux?

Linux is a family of open-source operating systems which powers servers across the globe

Linux is the family of operating systems which powers business for most of the top companies around the world. And the majority of applications in the cloud (54% of them 1 ) are running on Linux virtual machines. But what exactly is Linux, and what are the key things you should know?

Linux is a valuable skill to have on your resume. With knowledge of Linux, you could become a systems administrator, a better developer, or move into DevOps and SRE roles.

In this article we’ll take a look at Linux from a high level, and see what you should know.

Distributions are different flavours of the Linux operating system

What is Linux?

What is it: Linux is the name of a family of operating systems which all share something in common: they’re all based on the same kernel. The kernel itself is called the Linux kernel and was created by Linux Torvalds.

So there isn’t a single “Linux” operating system. Many operating systems include the Linux kernel. Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Debian are all examples of operating systems which include the Linux kernel.

Linux-based operating systems are usually called Linux distributions.

What does the kernel do?

The kernel is the part of an operating system that has full privileges to the computer and its resources, like disk and memory. The kernel has a couple of important jobs:

• to provide a safe and secure way for programs to access resources
• to fairly share resources among programs that need them. 2

Why use the same kernel? Why not just write your own?

It takes a lot of time and hard work to write a secure kernel.

So instead of writing their own kernels, Linux distributions simply include the Linux kernel, since it has a license that allows it to be distributed freely.

Torvalds wrote the first Linux kernel himself, but since then there have been contributions to the Linux kernel from hundreds of other developers all over the world.

How does a Linux distribution get made?

Start with an idea. A community group, a company, or even an individual developer, decides to create a Linux distribution.

Bring in the Linux kernel. A distribution always begins with the Linux kernel.

Add tools and programs. To turn it into a complete operating system, programs, libraries and tools are added.

Components of Linux

A Linux distribution is a bit like a kit car. It’s a collection of tools and components that fit together into a complete product.

Linux kernel. The kernel is loaded when the system boots up. It talks to hardware devices, manages memory, and provides an environment for applications to run. 3

init program. Init is a type of component in Linux which is responsible for starting and supervising essential services. 4 The init program can vary depending on the distribution, but the most common ones are systemd and System V.

Essential tools and utilities. Any operating system needs tools, so that you can do basic stuff, like copying files. In most Linux distributions, these tools are taken from packages provided by the GNU project. GNU created a big set of tools that are included with most Linux systems. For example, the coreutils package provides most of the commands which people associate with Linux – like cp (copy files) and cat (print a file). For more info: type info coreutils .

The shell. When you log on to Linux, you’ll probably see a shell prompt ( $ ). The shell is the “command-line interpreter”. You can use the shell to run commands, chain them together, run scripts and more. There are many shells; bash is a well-known one and provided by the GNU project. The shell is extremely powerful, and is one of the reasons why tasks in Linux can be automated so reliably.

the display server like X or the newer Wayland, which provides the backend capabilities needed to display things on screen;

Other programs. A distribution typically includes a bunch of other programs and libraries. These might be general tools, like programming languages, or tools for specific purposes, if the distro is aimed at a specific audience.

The components of a Linux OS can be swapped or replaced, as you wish. For example, you can swap your shell from bash to something else, or choose a different desktop environment.

FAQs

Find answers quickly with these top newbie Linux questions:

How do I learn Linux?

A lot of people learn Linux from books, courses or YouTube.

But the best way to learn Linux is to get daily practice. The best way to do that is work in a job where you’ll be using Linux every day. If you’re a programmer, you could try changing your desktop to Linux, so that you are forced to learn it.

How do I get certified in Linux?

Wrapping up

Linux is a complicated topic, but it’s made easier once you understand some of the technical terms, and how the different components in Linux work together.

Linux is a family of operating systems which powers business applications on servers, in data centers and in the cloud. It’s widely used because it’s reliable and highly performant, which makes it excellent for business and ecommerce applications.

Linux is an excellent skill to have on your resume. It can help you get jobs in system administration, DevOps, Site Reliability Engineering and many more. We hope this article has helped you begin your Linux learning journey!

Ward, Brian. How Linux Works, 3rd Edition. No Starch Press, 2021. ↩

By Tom Donohue, Editor | Twitter | LinkedIn

Tom is the founder of Tutorial Works. He’s an engineer and open source advocate. He uses the blog as a vehicle for sharing tutorials, writing about technology and talking about himself in the third person. His very first computer was an Acorn Electron.

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