Linux Zero to Hero#

A comprehensive, self-paced Linux course focused on Ubuntu 24 LTS and Debian 12.

Target audience: Computer users familiar with Windows or macOS who want to become confident Linux power users.

What you will learn: Terminal proficiency, filesystem mastery, shell scripting, package management, networking fundamentals, system troubleshooting, security basics, and how to build a complete power-user environment.

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How to Use This Course#

1. Set up a practice environment — Lesson 00.03 walks you through installing Linux in a virtual machine. All labs assume you have a working Ubuntu 24 LTS or Debian 12 system.
2. Follow the modules in order — Each lesson builds on previous ones. Prerequisite concepts are explained inline when needed.
3. Do the labs — Reading theory is not enough. Every lesson has hands-on exercises. Type the commands yourself.
4. Answer the review questions — They test both understanding and practical skill. Answers are in collapsible sections.

Lesson Format#

Every lesson follows the same structure:

• Concepts — Theory, explanations, and examples
• Lab — Hands-on exercises to run on your system
• Review — Questions with hidden answers

Where Ubuntu and Debian differ, you will see clearly marked callouts.

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Table of Contents#

Module 00 — Introduction to Linux#

• 01 — What Is Linux
• 02 — Ubuntu and Debian
• 03 — Installing Linux

Module 01 — First Steps#

• 01 — The Desktop Environment
• 02 — The Terminal
• 03 — Navigating the Filesystem
• 04 — File Operations

Module 02 — The Filesystem#

• 01 — Filesystem Hierarchy
• 02 — Paths, Links, and Inodes
• 03 — File Permissions
• 04 — Special Permissions

Module 03 — Users and Groups#

• 01 — Users, Root, and Sudo
• 02 — Managing Users and Groups

Module 04 — Package Management#

• 01 — APT and dpkg
• 02 — Repositories, PPAs, and Backports
• 03 — Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage
• 04 — Building from Source

Module 05 — Text Editors#

• 01 — nano
• 02 — vim

Module 06 — I/O, Pipes, and Text Processing#

• 01 — Streams, Redirection, and Pipes
• 02 — grep
• 03 — sed and awk
• 04 — Sorting, Cutting, and Counting

Module 07 — Processes and Services#

• 01 — Processes and Job Control
• 02 — Signals
• 03 — systemd and Services
• 04 — Logs and journalctl

Module 08 — Shell Scripting#

• 01 — Your First Script
• 02 — Variables and Quoting
• 03 — Conditionals
• 04 — Loops
• 05 — Functions and Error Handling
• 06 — Practical Scripts

Module 09 — Networking#

• 01 — Networking Concepts
• 02 — Network Configuration
• 03 — Network Diagnostics
• 04 — Firewalls

Module 10 — Storage and Disks#

• 01 — Block Devices and Partitions
• 02 — Filesystems and Mounting
• 03 — LVM and Swap

Module 11 — SSH and Remote Access#

• 01 — SSH Fundamentals
• 02 — Keys, Config, and Tunnels

Module 12 — Advanced Productivity#

• 01 — tmux
• 02 — Shell Customization
• 03 — find, locate, and xargs
• 04 — Scheduling with cron and at

Module 13 — System Internals#

• 01 — The Boot Process
• 02 — The Kernel
• 03 — Performance Troubleshooting

Module 14 — Security#

• 01 — Firewall Deep Dive
• 02 — AppArmor
• 03 — SSH Hardening and fail2ban
• 04 — Automatic Updates and Auditing

Module 15 — Capstone#

• 01 — Building Your Power-User Environment