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Terminal From Zero

This course is part of Rust for Data Engineering Specialization

Instructors: Noah Gift

Included with

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5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Set up a free Linux environment in your browser using GitHub Codespaces, Google Cloud Shell, or Azure Cloud Shell — no local install required
Use the shell fluently — bash, zsh, history recall, tab completion, the which command, variables, and the PATH variable — like a daily user
Navigate and manipulate the Linux filesystem with cd, pwd, ls, globbing wildcards, and cp for both files and directories

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Rust for Data Engineering Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

Become fluent at the Linux terminal — the working environment every Linux user lives in. This hands-on, practical course takes you from zero to a real command-line workflow without installing anything locally. Over five weeks you set up a free Linux environment in GitHub Codespaces or a cloud shell, learn the bash, zsh, and sh shells, and master the file-and-directory commands every Linux user types daily.

Instructor Alfredo Deza brings over a decade of working with Linux day in and day out — installing servers, building infrastructure, and shipping software on Linux every step of the way. The course focuses on the doing rather than the configuration: every lesson is a recorded screen session you can follow along with, using Linux that is readily available rather than fighting an install. By the end you navigate the filesystem with cd, pwd, ls, and globs; resolve binaries with which and PATH; recall commands with history and tab completion; and copy files and directories with cp. The same skills the rest of the rust-de specialization assumes you already have.

Module details

This module gets you ready to use the terminal with confidence. You will set up a working command-line environment, learn the difference between local terminals and cloud-based shells, meet your instructor, and pick up the practical habits that make every later lesson easier. By the end, you will have a tested setup, a clear mental model for what a terminal is, and the comfort needed to start running real commands.

What's included

7 videos14 readings

7 videosTotal 24 minutes

Meet Your Instructor2 minutes
How This Course Is Structured2 minutes
Linux and Distributions4 minutes
Codespaces5 minutes
Windows Subsystem for Linux2 minutes
Virtual Machines3 minutes
What Is a Terminal6 minutes

14 readingsTotal 140 minutes

Key Terms: Meet Your Instructor10 minutes
Reflection: Meet Your Instructor10 minutes
Key Terms: How This Course Is Structured10 minutes
Reflection: How This Course Is Structured10 minutes
Key Terms: Linux and Distributions10 minutes
Reflection: Linux and Distributions10 minutes
Key Terms: Codespaces10 minutes
Reflection: Codespaces10 minutes
Key Terms: Windows Subsystem for Linux10 minutes
Reflection: Windows Subsystem for Linux10 minutes
Key Terms: Virtual Machines10 minutes
Reflection: Virtual Machines10 minutes
Key Terms: What Is a Terminal10 minutes
Reflection: What Is a Terminal10 minutes

In this module you will learn how to keep moving when your local terminal is not available. You will explore browser-based shells and Codespaces, see what makes them similar to and different from a local environment, and learn the practical limits to be aware of, such as session timeouts, storage caps, and quotas. By the end you will know when a cloud shell is the right tool, and how to plan around its constraints.

What's included

3 videos6 readings

This module introduces the shell itself and the small set of commands you will use every day. You will learn what a shell does, how to discover information about your system, and how to read built-in help so you can keep learning on your own. By the end you will be able to navigate confidently using the most common commands and feel comfortable working in a real terminal session.

What's included

8 videos15 readings

8 videosTotal 52 minutes

What Is a Shell4 minutes
Basic Commands9 minutes
The History Command4 minutes
Tab Completion7 minutes
The which Command3 minutes
Variables and echo8 minutes
The PATH Variable6 minutes
Command Manuals11 minutes

15 readingsTotal 150 minutes

Key Terms: What Is a Shell10 minutes
Reflection: What Is a Shell10 minutes
Key Terms: Basic Commands10 minutes
Reflection: Basic Commands10 minutes
Key Terms: The History Command10 minutes
Reflection: The History Command10 minutes
Key Terms: Tab Completion10 minutes
Reflection: Tab Completion10 minutes
Key Terms: The which Command10 minutes
Reflection: The which Command10 minutes
Key Terms: Variables and echo10 minutes
Reflection: Variables and echo10 minutes
Key Terms: The PATH Variable10 minutes
Reflection: The PATH Variable10 minutes
Key Terms: Command Manuals10 minutes

In this module you will move from talking about the shell to actually using it on real files and folders. You will change directories, list and copy files, use globbing and wildcards to act on many files at once, and copy whole directories safely. By the end you will be comfortable navigating a project, understanding paths, and using the most common file commands without hesitation.

What's included

5 videos10 readings

5 videosTotal 33 minutes

Changing Directories with cd12 minutes
Listing Files and Directories8 minutes
Using Globbing and Wildcards5 minutes
Copying Directories5 minutes
Copying Files4 minutes

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Key Terms: Changing Directories with cd10 minutes
Reflection: Changing Directories with cd10 minutes
Key Terms: Listing Files and Directories10 minutes
Reflection: Listing Files and Directories10 minutes
Key Terms: Globbing and Wildcards10 minutes
Reflection: Globbing and Wildcards10 minutes
Key Terms: Copying Directories10 minutes
Reflection: Copying Directories10 minutes
Key Terms: Copying Files10 minutes
Reflection: Copying Files10 minutes

The capstone gives you a chance to put everything together. You will work through a critical thinking assessment that asks you to apply what you learned about shells, paths, and file commands to realistic scenarios, and you will spend time in a Linux sandbox where you can practice freely without breaking anything important. By the end you will have proof, to yourself and others, that you can use the terminal to get real work done.