135.  Fundamentals of Linux

Rev. 3.1.1

 

This comprehensive hands-on course provides the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use Linux. In this course, you will learn how to use Linux user commands, develop shell scripts, and use Linux desktops.

 

The course provides an orientation to the UNIX background for Linux. It discusses the fundamentals of the file system, including commands for working with files and directories. It introduces important Linux editors. General utilities are covered, and the text handling utilities are surveyed. File system security is covered, and the file management utilities are covered. The communications and networking utilities are covered. The shell is introduced, including the writing of shell scripts. The Linux process architecture is introduced, and basic commands for controlling processes are covered. The course concludes with coverage of X Windows and the Gnome and KDE desktops. Important Open Source applications are introduced, including Web browsers, OpenOffice and GIMP.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

·         Gain a basic user-level understanding of the Linux operating system

·         Learn Linux user commands.

·         Learn how to develop Shell scripts in Linux.

·         Gain familiarity with modern Linux desktops and Open Source applications

 

Course Duration:  4 days

 

Prerequisites:  None

 

Audience:  End-users and programmers who are new to the Linux environment and who do not have previous UNIX experience.

 

1.      Course Introduction

Course Objectives

Course Overview

Suggested References

 

2.      Getting Started

What is UNIX?

A Brief History of UNIX

Linux

The Toolkit Philosophy

Linux Distributions

Free Software and Open Source Movements

Logging In

Logging Out

Try a Few More Commands

Changing Your Password

Online Documentation - man Pages

Online Documentation - info Pages

 

3.      The File System – Files

What is a File?

The ls Command

The cat Command

The more and less Commands

The head and tail Commands

Copy, Rename, and Delete: cp, mv, rm

File Names

Working with MS-DOS Disks; mtools

 

4.      The File System – Directories

Hierarchical file system

Pathnames

The pwd command

The cd command

The mkdir command

The rmdir command

The cp command (again)

Two useful directory names

 

5.      Text Editors

Linux Text Editors

The pico Editor

The Nedit Editor

The Emacs Text Editor

The vi Text Editor Family

 

6.      Editing with vi

What is vi?

Getting Started - vi Buffering

Command Mode and Insert Mode

Getting Started

Moving the Cursor Around

Inserting Text

Deleting a Character or Line

Undo Last Command

Opening a New Line

Save Your Work or Abort the Session

Review of vi Commands

 

7.      Personal Utilities

The date Utility

The bc Utility

The cal Utility

The id Utility

The uname Utility

The finger Utility

The script Utility

The clear Utility

The at and crontab Utilities        

 

8.      Text Handling Utilities

The grep Utility

The tr Utility

The cut Utility

The sort Utility

The wc Utility

The diff Utility

The lpr Utility

 

9.      File System Security

File Permissions

The chmod Utility

Directory Permissions

The umask Command

The chown, chgrp, and su Commands

 

10. File System Management Utilities

The find Utility

The df Utility

The du Utility

Compressing Files

The ln Utility

The ulimit Utility

The tar Utility

 

11. Communication Utilities

The write and talk Utilities

The mesg Utility

Mail Overview

The mail Utility

Other Email Options

IRC: Internet Relay Chat

 

12. Networking Utilities

Remote Login with telnet

Remote File Transfer With ftp

Secure Login With ssh

Secure File Transfer With scp

Text-Based Web Access with lynx

Web Access with wget and curl

Samba Server Overview

The smbclient Utility

NFS File Sharing Overview

 

13. Using the Shell

What is a Shell?

The Command Line

Standard Input, Standard Output and Error

Using Default Standard In and Output

I/O Redirection

I/O Redirection - Examples

I/O Redirection - Warning

Appending Output of a File

Pipes

The tee Utility

 

14. Filename Generation

Filename Generation

The ? Special Character

The * Special Character

The [] Special Characters

The ! Special Character

 

15. Processes

What is a Process?

Process Structure

The ps Utility

Options to the ps Utility

Background Commands (&)

Killing Background Processes

Redirecting the Standard Error

 

16. Shell Programming Concepts

What is a Shell?

Which Shell?

What is a Shell Script?

Why Use Shell Scripts?

 

17. Flow Control

The Exit Status of Commands

Command Line Examples

The test Command

The if-then-else Construct

The elif Construct

A Loop Example

 

18. Variables

User Created Variables

The read Command

The Shell Environment

The export Command

Subshells

Command Substitution

Quoting Mechanisms

Assigning Variables - Summary

 

19. Special Variables

Command-Line Arguments

$# - Number of Arguments

The shift Command

$* - All Arguments

$$ - PID of Shell

 

20. More Flow Control

The for Loop

The while Loop

The case Construct

 

21. X Windows and Desktops

The X Window System

Using X

Window Managers and Desktops

The Gnome Desktop

The KDE Desktop

Applications: The GIMP

Applications: OpenOffice

Applications: Web Browsers

 

Appendix A. More Editing with vi

 

Scrolling the Buffer

Cursor Motion Commands

Delete Operator - d

Change Operator - c

Yank Operator - y

Put Commands - p,P

Searching for a Pattern - /,n,N,?

The Join Command

The File Command - :f

Edit File Command - :e

Cut and Paste Between Files

Read File Command - :r

Set Options Command

 

Appendix B. Bash Shell Features

 

Viewing Your Command History

Editing and Re-executing Commands

Aliases

 

System Requirements

 

·         Software: A Linux distribution comparable to Red Hat 7.0 or later.

·         Hardware: Linux workstation such as a PC running Linux or a terminal to access a Linux server.