Week-Wise Learn Linux Command Line Plan (Alternate)
Week 1: Introduction to Linux and the Command Line
Topics:
- Overview of the Linux Operating System
- History and philosophy of Linux
- Understanding open-source software
- Introduction to Debian Linux
- Features of Debian
- How Debian differs from other distributions
- The Role of the Command Line Interface (CLI)
- GUI vs. CLI
- Advantages of using the command line
- Getting Started with the Terminal
- Accessing the terminal in Debian
- Basic terminal navigation
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the history and fundamental concepts of Linux.
- Recognize the benefits of using the command line over the graphical interface.
- Access and navigate the terminal in Debian Linux.
Activities:
- Read about the history of Linux and open-source philosophy.
- Practice opening the terminal and familiarize yourself with the interface.
- Explore basic keyboard shortcuts and terminal navigation.
Notes:
- Structured, week-wise plans have been shown to be effective in learning the Linux command line basics.
- Starting with fundamental concepts helps build a solid foundation for advanced topics.
Week 2: Understanding the Shell and Basic Commands
Topics:
- What is a Shell?
- Types of shells (bash, zsh, etc.)
- The default shell in Debian
- Command Syntax and Structure
- Commands, options, and arguments
- Understanding case sensitivity and special characters
- Using the Shell Efficiently
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Command history and auto-completion
Learning Objectives:
- Grasp the role of the shell in the Linux operating system.
- Learn the structure and syntax of Linux commands.
- Utilize shell features to improve efficiency.
Activities:
- Use basic commands like
ls,pwd,whoami,date, andcal. - Practice navigating command history with the
historycommand. - Experiment with auto-completion by typing partial commands and pressing the
Tabkey.
Notes:
- Focusing on essential commands in the early stages helps build confidence.
- Consistent practice is key to retaining command-line skills.
Week 3: Navigating the File System
Topics:
- Understanding the Linux File System Hierarchy
- Overview of directories like
/home,/etc,/var, etc. - Absolute vs. relative paths
- Basic File System Commands
pwd– Print working directoryls– List directory contentscd– Change directories- Hidden Files and Directories
- Understanding dot files
- Viewing hidden items with
ls -a
Learning Objectives:
- Comprehend the structure of the Linux file system.
- Navigate through directories using basic commands.
- Recognize and access hidden files and directories.
Activities:
- Explore the directory structure starting from the root (
/) directory. - Practice moving between directories using absolute and relative paths.
- List all files, including hidden files, in various directories.
Notes:
- Understanding the file system is foundational for effective command-line use.
Week 4: Managing Files and Directories
Topics:
- Creating and Removing Directories
mkdir– Create directoriesrmdir– Remove empty directories- File Operations
touch– Create empty filescp– Copy files and directoriesmv– Move or rename files and directoriesrm– Remove files- Displaying File Contents
cat,less,more,head,tail- Editing Files with Text Editors
- Introduction to
nanoandvim(basic usage)
Learning Objectives:
- Perform basic file and directory operations.
- View and manage file contents.
- Edit files using command-line text editors.
Activities:
- Create, copy, move, and delete files and directories in your home directory.
- Use
catandlessto view file contents. - Practice editing text files using
nano.
Notes:
- Practical application of file management commands reinforces learning.
- Using text editors is essential for configuration and scripting tasks.
Week 5: Working with File Permissions and Ownership
Topics:
- Understanding File Permissions
- Read, write, and execute permissions
- Permission notation (symbolic and octal)
- Viewing and Modifying Permissions
- Using
ls -lto view permissions - Changing permissions with
chmod - File Ownership
- User and group ownership
- Changing ownership with
chownandchgrp
Learning Objectives:
- Interpret file permission settings.
- Modify permissions to control access to files and directories.
- Manage file and directory ownership.
Activities:
- Use
ls -lto display permissions of files and directories. - Change permissions using symbolic (
chmod u+x filename) and octal notation (chmod 755 filename). - Experiment with changing ownership (requires
sudoprivileges).
Notes:
- Proper permission management is crucial for system security.
- Real-world practice helps in understanding the impact of permission changes.
Week 6: Redirection, Pipes, and Advanced File Operations
Topics:
- Redirection
- Standard input, output, and error
- Redirecting output with
>and>> - Redirecting input with
< - Pipes
- Using
|to combine commands - Practical examples of piping
- Using Wildcards
*,?,[]patterns- Copying, moving, and removing multiple files
- Linking Files
- Hard links and symbolic links
- Creating links with
ln
Learning Objectives:
- Redirect command input and output effectively.
- Combine commands using pipes for streamlined operations.
- Utilize wildcards for batch file operations.
Activities:
- Practice redirecting output to files and reading input from files.
- Use pipes to combine commands like
ls -l | grep "*.txt". - Create symbolic links using
ln -s.
Notes:
- Mastery of redirection and pipes is essential for efficient command-line usage.
Week 7: Searching and Finding Files
Topics:
- Searching Within Files
- Using
grepto search for patterns - Finding Files and Directories
find– Search for files in a directory hierarchylocate– Find files by namewhichandwhereis– Locate executable files- Regular Expressions (Intro)
- Basic regex syntax
- Using regex with
grep
Learning Objectives:
- Search for text within files using
grep. - Locate files and directories using search commands.
- Understand basic regular expressions for pattern matching.
Activities:
- Search for specific text patterns in system log files.
- Use
findto locate files of a certain type or name. - Experiment with basic regular expressions.
Notes:
- Searching skills are vital for system administration and troubleshooting.
Week 8: Working with Archives and Compression
Topics:
- Compressing Files
- Using
gzip,bzip2,xz - Archiving Files
- Creating archives with
tar - Extracting Files from Archives
- Unpacking
tar,zip, and other archives
Learning Objectives:
- Compress and decompress files using various tools.
- Create and extract archives to manage multiple files.
- Understand the differences between compression and archiving.
Activities:
- Compress individual files using
gzip. - Create a tarball of a directory with
tar -cvf. - Extract files from archives using
tar -xvf.
Notes:
- Managing archives is common in backup and file distribution tasks.
Week 9: Package Management in Debian
Topics:
- Understanding Debian Package Management
- Role of packages and repositories
- Using APT (Advanced Package Tool)
- Updating package lists with
sudo apt update - Installing packages with
sudo apt install package_name - Removing packages with
sudo apt remove package_name - Upgrading packages with
sudo apt upgrade - Searching for Packages
- Using
apt search keyword
Learning Objectives:
- Navigate and use Debian’s package management system.
- Install, update, and remove software packages.
- Search for packages and dependencies.
Activities:
- Update your system packages.
- Install new applications like
htoporcurl. - Remove unused packages.
Notes:
- Proficiency with package management is essential for maintaining a Debian system.
Week 10: Process Management and System Monitoring
Topics:
- Understanding Processes and Jobs
- Foreground vs. background processes
- Monitoring System Processes
- Viewing running processes with
psandtop - Using
htopfor interactive process viewing - Managing Processes
- Stopping processes with
killandkillall - Changing process priorities with
niceandrenice
Learning Objectives:
- Monitor and manage active processes.
- Adjust process priorities to optimize system performance.
- Terminate unresponsive or unwanted processes.
Activities:
- Use
psto list processes and understand their status. - Practice starting a process in the background using
&. - Use
killto terminate test processes.
Notes:
- Managing processes helps in maintaining system stability.
Week 11: Networking Basics and Remote Connections
Topics:
- Checking Network Configuration
- Viewing network interfaces with
iporifconfig - Testing Network Connectivity
- Using
ping,traceroute, andnetstat - Accessing Remote Systems
- Using
sshto connect to remote servers - Transferring files with
scpandsftp - Basic Network Troubleshooting
Learning Objectives:
- Understand basic networking commands.
- Connect to and manage remote systems securely.
- Troubleshoot common network issues.
Activities:
- Check your network interface configurations.
- Use
sshto connect to another machine (e.g., a virtual machine). - Transfer files between systems using
scp.
Notes:
- Networking skills are crucial for system administration and remote management.
Week 12: Shell Scripting Introduction and Automation
Topics:
- Writing Simple Shell Scripts
- Script structure and execution
- Making Scripts Executable
- Using
chmod +x script.sh - Basic Scripting Concepts
- Variables, conditional statements, loops
- Scheduling Tasks
- Automating tasks with
cron - Scheduling one-time tasks with
at
Learning Objectives:
- Create and run basic shell scripts.
- Use scripting to automate repetitive tasks.
- Schedule scripts and commands to run at specified times.
Activities:
- Write a script that automates a system update.
- Schedule a script using
crontabto run daily. - Use variables and loops in scripts to process multiple files.
Notes:
- Shell scripting enhances productivity by automating tasks.
Additional Weeks (Optional Advanced Topics)
Week 13: Text Processing Tools
- Commands:
grep,sed,awk,cut,sort,uniq - Learning Objectives:
- Manipulate and analyze text data efficiently.
- Use advanced text processing tools in practical scenarios.
Week 14: Managing Users and Groups
- Commands:
adduser,usermod,groupadd,passwd - Learning Objectives:
- Manage user accounts and groups.
- Understand user permissions and security implications.
Week 15: Disk Usage and File System Management
- Commands:
df,du,mount,umount - Learning Objectives:
- Monitor disk space usage.
- Manage file systems and mount points.vd