How to Get Into Linux: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

• To get into Linux, focus on learning key concepts such as the system user space and Linux applications.

• Basic commands like pwd, ls, cd, and cp can help you get into a directory in Linux and perform tasks such as printing the current directory or creating a new one.

• To use Linux, explore various distributions, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, each with its own advantages.

Linux is commonly used in IoT devices, vehicles, servers, and supercomputers. Gaining familiarity with basic commands can help you perform your desired tasks more effectively. Explore how to use the Linux operating system and discover ways to start gaining relevant experience.

If you’re ready to begin, enroll in the IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate. This beginner-level program offers an opportunity to work with Python and Linux shell scripts to automate tasks and develop skills in unit testing, application deployment, continuous integration, and more.

What is Linux?

Linux is an open-source computer operating system (OS) like MacOS or Windows, created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. While the home user base of Linux is smaller than Windows or MacOS, devices that use Linux are everywhere: smartphones, IoT devices like thermostats, cars, servers, supercomputers, and even much of the internet are powered by Linux. The Linux-based OS uses the Linux kernel, which is the component that manages hardware resources, software package management, performance, and security, among other tools that make up the OS.

How to get into Linux

Linux is a powerful operating system that you can use for free. It gives you control to use it for whatever you want and modify it as you see fit. Linux gives you complete freedom and has an active community to help users get the most out of their computers. To get into Linux, learn about some key components:

• Kernel: The kernel is the most basic component of the OS and manages hardware processes, memory, and files.

• System user space: The user space is where you perform administrative tasks like installing software, managing the desktop environments, and using the command line to manage daemons, which are background processes in Linux.

• Applications: Linux applications, including programming languages, tools, and other software, function similarly to other OSs. Many versions of Linux have a central database where applications can be downloaded.

When getting into Linux, you’ll want to learn more about distributions, how to install the environment, and some basic commands to help you start.

Choose the proper Linux distribution.

Linux has many different flavors to it, known as distributions. Each distribution orients itself to different users; some are made for beginners, and some are advanced for users with in-depth computer skills. Some recommended beginner distributions, also known as “distros,” include:

• Ubuntu: Secure, lots of support, and easy to use

• Linux Mint: Has similarities to Windows, good for former Windows users

• Fedora: Innovative and powerful for cloud computing and advanced users

• Debian: Stable, secure, and advanced distro that others like Ubuntu are based on

Is 32GB RAM overkill for Linux?

No, 32GB of RAM isn’t overkill for Linux. Rather, it’s an effective amount for developing large-scale projects and is advantageous over 8 or 16GB alternatives, particularly if you’re using Linux for gaming. For basic computing tasks, 8GB of RAM is typically adequate, 16GB will help improve performance when multitasking, and 32GB can help things run even more smoothly.

Set up a Linux environment.

One of the best ways to start using Linux is to create a bootable USB drive that boots your computer into a Linux distribution without disturbing your current OS. This allows you to fully access a Linux desktop environment on any computer you boot from the USB drive without ruining any of the data on the computer you are using. Follow the steps below to start using Linux:

1. Find a Linux distro you want to use and download the ISO file from the distribution website.

2. Next, get a thumb USB drive and make it a bootable drive using software like Etcher. This software allows you to drop the ISO file into its software, and then it burns the file onto the USB. (Ensure you back up all files on that USB first because making it bootable will erase everything.)

3. Once you stick in the USB that now has your desired Linux distro, you can use it as a way to be in a “live” Linux distribution off the USB. Now you have to restart your computer and go into your basic input/output system (BIOS) to change the boot order of the USB stick. The BIOS looks different for everyone, so be sure to follow a tutorial that matches your machine. Linux.com offers many such tutorials.

Now you’re in a live version of a Linux distro. From here, you can experiment with this distribution or install Linux fully.

Learn basic Linux commands.

Many people associate Linux with using the command-line interface (CLI) over the graphical user interface (GUI). Using the CLI in Linux gives you full control over the computer, unlike the GUI, which only allows you to perform simple tasks. You can learn the basic Linux commands from many online resources that offer cheat sheets. Some basic commands you will want to know right away include:

• pwd: Prints the working directory and shows the current directory

• ls: Lists the content in a directory

• cd: Change to view a different directory

• mkdir: Creates a new directory

• rm: Removes a file

• cp: Copies files or directories to a different directory

• mv: Moves or renames files or directories

• cat: Displays the contents of a file in the terminal

Explore Linux system administration.

Linux's open-source CLI-based nature means that you must perform many system administration tasks in Linux. System administration tasks in Linux include:

• File management: Fast and efficient file management in Linux comes down to using the CLI instead of a GUI.

• Software installation: Depending on your Linux distro, you may have some open-source software already installed. However, to install a new package, you can use the command in any Ubuntu/Debian distro: sudo apt install [package]. This installs any software that works on Linux.

• User permissions: You can easily manage user permissions in Linux by adding new users, sudo adduser [username], switching users, and modifying who can access certain files and who owns them.

• Security: To secure your computer, server, or network, you can create an SSH pair, enable firewalls, and disable root logins to start taking basic security measures. Many different ways exist to configure security in Linux, which many people see as the most secure OS for things like servers.

If you work in an enterprise environment or a business using Linux for its systems, a Linux system administrator is the one who installs, configures, manages, updates, and maintains the Linux OS in that environment.

Gain practical experience

One of the best ways to gain practical experience in Linux is to use it. You can start learning Linux by doing projects that build skills. Some projects from the Coursera Project Network include:

• Linux: File Management for DevOps

• Linux: Processes & System Resource Management for DevOps

Some other project ideas to get you started in learning Linux include:

• Building a network-attached storage (NAS) device to create your own storage server

• Building your own web server using Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP (LAMP) stack

• Configuring your own firewall to allow only certain network traffic

• Creating a resource monitoring system to monitor and see all network activity

Engage with the Linux community.

Due to its open-source nature, Linux has a large community that shares resources, tips, and more. The Linux community is global, which means many projects have developed over the years with smaller communities fostering them and helping other users with troubleshooting and advice. Some Linux users create servers that allow you to log in to a Linux shell to practice scripting, web development, and interacting in a Linux environment.

Advance your skills with certifications.

You can advance and prove your Linux skills to employers by earning certifications. Some popular Linux certifications include:

• CompTIA Linux+

• Red Hat Certified System Administrator

• Linux Professional Institute LPIC-1

• ​​Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS)

With more and more servers and cloud environments using Linux, it’s important to demonstrate your skills to employers as you look for a job as a Linux system administrator or a network administrator.

Read more: Linux Skills (+ How to Add Them to Your Resume)

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