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Systèmes & Linux · Courses

Linux administration: from discovery to expertise

Complete free Linux system administration course: Bash shell, files, users and permissions, packages, systemd services, storage and LVM, networking and SSH, performance, security, scripting, backup and troubleshooting.

12 chapters20 lessonsEN
At your pace, through practice.

By the end of this course you will be able to

  • Explain the architecture of a Linux system, its boot process and its directory tree
  • Work efficiently on the command line: files, redirections, pipes, search and text processing
  • Manage users, groups, sudo, permissions and ACLs
  • Install packages, write and manage systemd services, read logs and schedule jobs
  • Administer disks, file systems and LVM, configure networking, firewall and SSH
  • Diagnose performance problems and harden a server
  • Write robust Bash scripts, back up, monitor and troubleshoot a production server

🎯 Level : Beginner👥 Who it is for : Developers, aspiring system administrators, DevOps, SRE and cloud engineers, and anyone who has to manage Linux servers

LEARNING PATH

Course curriculum

0Course overview1 lesson
  1. Assessment quizQuiz · ⏱ 10 min
1Introduction: Linux and its architecture2 lessons

Distributions, kernel, boot and directory tree.

  1. Linux and Unix: distributions and essential commandsArticle · ⏱ 39 min
  2. Architecture of a Linux systemArticle · ⏱ 7 min
2The shell and files2 lessons

Command line, redirections, pipes and text processing.

  1. The Bash shell and filesArticle · ⏱ 11 min
  2. Lab: Analyse logs on the command lineHands-on lab · ⏱ 40 min · Level 1/5
3Users, groups and permissions2 lessons

Accounts, sudo, permissions, ACLs.

  1. Users, groups, sudo and permissionsArticle · ⏱ 9 min
  2. Lab: Accounts, team folder, sudo and ACLsHands-on lab · ⏱ 45 min · Level 2/5
4Packages, services and logs2 lessons

apt and dnf, systemd, journalctl, cron and timers.

  1. Packages, systemd services and logsArticle · ⏱ 14 min
  2. Lab: Create and manage a systemd serviceHands-on lab · ⏱ 45 min · Level 2/5
5Storage2 lessons

Disks, file systems, fstab and LVM.

  1. Disks, file systems and LVMArticle · ⏱ 10 min
  2. Lab: LVM, fstab and online extensionHands-on lab · ⏱ 50 min · Level 3/5
6Networking and SSH2 lessons

Configuration, troubleshooting, firewall and remote access.

  1. Networking, firewall and SSHArticle · ⏱ 13 min
  2. Lab: Network troubleshooting, key-based SSH and firewallHands-on lab · ⏱ 45 min · Level 2/5
7Processes and performance1 lesson

Processes, memory, load and the USE method.

  1. Processes, memory and performanceArticle · ⏱ 9 min
8Security and hardening1 lesson

SSH, fail2ban, SELinux, AppArmor, auditing.

  1. Security and hardeningArticle · ⏱ 11 min
9Bash scripting and automation2 lessons

Write robust scripts and schedule them.

  1. Robust Bash scriptsArticle · ⏱ 11 min
  2. Lab: A robust, scheduled backup scriptHands-on lab · ⏱ 50 min · Level 3/5
10Operations: backup, monitoring and troubleshooting2 lessons

Keep a server running in production.

  1. Backup, monitoring and troubleshootingArticle · ⏱ 8 min
  2. Final lab: Prepare a server for production and resolve an incidentHands-on lab · ⏱ 1 h 30 · Level 4/5
11Best practices1 lesson

Recommended practices to run Linux in production.

  1. Linux best practicesArticle · ⏱ 6 min

LEARN BY DOING

Use cases & applications

Put a server into production

Install, harden, monitor and back up a web or database server.

Resolve an incident

Full disk, failed service, slow server: diagnose methodically in minutes.

Automate operations

Replace manual actions with robust Bash scripts and systemd timers.

Prepare for DevOps, containers and Kubernetes

Gain the system foundations needed before Docker, Ansible and Kubernetes.

What next?

DevOps: From Discovery to ExpertiseAnsible: from discovery to expertiseDocker: From Discovery to Expertise

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Linux for DevOps or cloud work?

Yes: the vast majority of servers, containers and Kubernetes nodes run Linux. Reading logs and managing services, permissions and networking is the foundation of every operations role.

Which distribution should I use?

Labs use Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Red Hat equivalents (dnf, firewalld, SELinux) are given in the lessons: the concepts are the same.

Do I need a server for the labs?

A local virtual machine is enough (Multipass, Vagrant, VirtualBox) or a small cloud instance. Use a disposable machine: some labs change the firewall, SSH and disks.

Does this course prepare for certifications?

It covers most of the LFCS (Linux Foundation) and RHCSA (Red Hat) objectives: users, storage, services, networking, security and scripting. The exams are hands-on, so redo the labs without the solution.

What is the difference between Linux and Unix?

Unix is a system born in 1969 from which commercial systems derive (AIX, Solaris, macOS). Linux is a free kernel created in 1991 that follows Unix principles; the first chapter covers the differences.