INTRODUCTION TO

LINUX

Overview of LINUX system

Two parts Kernel and Shell

Kernel

Core part of the operating system and communicates directly

with the hardware.

User programs access the kernel through a set of functions

called system calls.

Shell

It is a command interpreter.

Acts as an interface between user and kernel.

Kernel-Shell Relationship

Characteristics

Multiuser and Multiprocess

File and Process

Data, directory, process, hard disk etc (almost everything) are

expressed as a file.

Process is a running program identified by a unique id (PID)

Directory Structure

Files are put in a directory.

All directories are in a hierarchical structure (tree structure).

User can include or remove any directories on the tree.

Top directory is /, which is called slash or root.

Users have their own directory (home directory).

Directory Structure

Linux Overview

Normal User and Super user

In linux, administrator, is a special user which has all the rights.

This special user is called root or superuser.

Case Sensitive

Myfile.doc and MYFile are different.

Basic Commands

One command consists of 3 parts

Command name
Options
Arguments

Example:
[Ubuntu@ubuntu`]$ command-name optionA option arg1 arg2

A space is necessary between command name, options and arguments.

cd ..
ls l
mv file1 file2

Relative and Absolute Path

Path means a position in the directory tree.

To express a path, you can use relative path or absolute path.

In relative path expression, the path is not defined uniquely, it depends

on your current path.

In absolute path expression, the path is defined uniquely, it does not

depend on the current path.

Relative and Absolute Path

Absolute path starts with /

Eg: cd /home/user1/home/a.out

There are two special characters in the current path

. For current directory

.. For parent directory

Redirect and Append

Output of a command is displayed on screen.

Using > you can redirect the output from screen to a file.

Using >> you can append the output to the bottom of the file.

Pipe

Some commands require input from a file or other commands.

Using |, you can use output from other command as input to the
command.

Basic Commands

man <command> shows all information about the command.

<command> --help shows the available options for that command.

Eg: ls -- help

mkdir creates a directory

Eg: man ls

Eg: mkdir dir1

rmdir removes a directory

Eg: rmdir dir1

Basic Commands

cd change directory

To change to a particular directory: cd <directory name>

Eg: cd dir1

cd .. Moves you one directory up.

Basic Commands

echo writes a message to your screen.

pwd print name of current working directory.

Eg: pwd

who to know the users who are currently working.

Eg: echo hello

Eg: who

date shows date and time

Eg: date

Basic Commands
cal to see the calendar of any specific month

Usage: cal month year

cp to copy file or directory

Eg: cal 7 2012 displays julys calendar of 2012

Eg: cp file1 file2

ls obtains a list of all commands in the current directory

Eg: ls

Thank

You