Linux Learning Roadmap for Android Developers

Stage 1: Introduction to Linux (Fundamentals, ~4–6 weeks)

• Concepts: Learn what Linux is and choose a beginner-friendly distro (e.g. Ubuntu or Fedora) 1 2 .
Install Linux in a virtual machine (VirtualBox/VMware) or on a spare partition 3 .
• Core Skills: Master basic shell commands: ls , cd , mkdir , rm , cp , mv , file viewers ( cat ,
less ), and simple text editors ( nano , vi ) 4 5 . Understand the Linux file system hierarchy
(root / , /home , /etc , /var , etc.) 6 and file permissions (users/groups, chmod , chown )
7 . Learn to navigate directories, inspect files ( ls -l ), and change permissions for files and
directories.
• Quick Wins: Practice by creating/deleting directories, moving files, and exploring /etc
configuration files. Use man pages and online guides to explore commands.
• Resources: Free Courses/Tutorials: Linux Foundation’s “Introduction to Linux” (LFS101 on edX) 8 ,
Linux Journey (interactive website), free YouTube Linux basics courses (e.g. “Intro to Linux”). Books:
The Linux Command Line (Shotts), Linux Pocket Guide. Online: GeeksforGeeks “30 Days of Linux” (step-
by-step guide) 9 , linuxcommand.org, linux.org beginner tutorials.

Figure: Linux learning roadmap covering core topics like basic commands, file system, shell scripting, and system
management 10 11 . This visual outline can guide beginners through essential Linux skills.

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Stage 2: Intermediate CLI & Shell Scripting (Automation, ~4–6
weeks)
• Shell & Environment: Deepen your shell skills. Learn about environment variables and shell
configuration ( .bashrc , $PATH ). Practice pipes ( | ), redirection ( > , < ), and grep for text
search.
• Scripting: Write Bash scripts to automate tasks. Learn control structures (loops, conditionals) and
functions 10 . Start simple (backup scripts, file cleanup) and use chmod +x to make scripts
executable.
• Tools: Use text-processing tools ( grep , sed , awk , find ) to filter and manipulate data. Explore
a Unix text editor (vim or emacs) in more depth.
• Cron Jobs: Learn to schedule tasks with cron and crontab . Automate routine jobs (e.g. backups,
updates).
• Resources: Tutorials: “Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide” (free PDF), tutorialspoint’s Bash tutorial.
YouTube: Bash scripting crash courses. Practice: Build a small project (e.g. a log parser or backup
script).

Stage 3: System Administration Basics (Users, Services,

Networking; ~4–6 weeks)
• Users and Groups: Master user/group management commands ( useradd , groupadd ,
usermod ) and file ACLs. Use sudo safely and configure /etc/sudoers . Employ passwd to
manage passwords and chown / chmod for user permissions 12 .
• Services/Systemd: Learn Systemd ( systemctl ) to manage services (start/stop/enable daemons)
13 . Study runlevels/targets and how to check logs ( journalctl or /var/log ).
• Disk and Filesystems: Manage disks and partitions ( fdisk , parted ), mount/unmount
filesystems, and use df / du to check space 14 . Understand /etc/fstab . Practice mounting
USB drives or network shares.
• Networking: Get comfortable with network commands: configure IP addresses ( ifconfig / ip ),
test connectivity ( ping , curl ), and inspect sockets ( netstat , ss ). Configure DNS /etc/
resolv.conf and learn firewall basics ( ufw , iptables ) 15 .
• Logs & Monitoring: View system logs ( /var/log/syslog , /var/log/auth.log ) with tail /
less . Use top / htop and ps to monitor processes. Learn basic troubleshooting (check logs
for errors).
• Resources: Courses: Linux Foundation “Linux System Administration” (LFS211), IBM Developer
LPIC-1 tutorials 16 . Books: UNIX & Linux System Administration Handbook. Online: DigitalOcean
tutorials on users, networking, systemd.

Stage 4: Development Environment Setup (Android Focus, ~2–4

weeks)
• System Requirements: Ensure a 64-bit Linux PC (Ubuntu or Debian recommended) with
virtualization support (VT-x/AMD-V). Allocate ≥8 GB RAM (16 GB+ for emulators) 17 . Install required
libraries (e.g. for Ubuntu: libc6:i386 , libstdc++6:i386 , etc.) 18 .

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 • Android Studio & SDK: Download Android Studio for Linux. Unpack the .tar.gz and run
studio.sh to launch the IDE 19 . Follow the Setup Wizard to install the Android SDK, NDK, and
emulator images.
• Android Tools: Install Java (OpenJDK 11+), Git, and Android Platform Tools ( adb , fastboot ).
Configure ADB on Linux (add udev rules). Test by running an Android Virtual Device (AVD) in Android
Studio.
• SDK & Emulators: Familiarize with sdkmanager (command-line SDK installer) and the AVD
Manager. Practice creating emulators (x86 images for speed).
• Resources: Documentation: Android’s official Linux install guide 19 , Android Developers site (Setup
Android Studio). Tutorials: YouTube “Install Android Studio on Ubuntu” (most recent), dev.to and
StackOverflow guides. Practice: Build and run a sample “Hello World” app on an emulator and/or
device.

Stage 5: Git & Version Control (Basics, ~1–2 weeks)

• Git Fundamentals: Install Git and configure your name/email. Learn common commands: clone ,
add , commit , push , pull , branch , merge . Use Git locally and with a remote (GitHub/
GitLab).
• Workflows: Understand basic workflows (feature branching, pull/merge requests). Use
.gitignore . Familiarize with diff and resolve simple merge conflicts.
• Why Git: Git is the version control system for modern development—“the most widely used VCS in
the world” 20 . It tracks changes efficiently and enables collaboration.
• Resources: Guides: Pro Git (free book), Atlassian Git tutorials, Git documentation. Practice: Host
projects on GitHub/GitLab and use issues/pull requests.

Stage 6: Shell Scripting & Automation (Advanced, ~4 weeks)

• Advanced Bash: Write more complex bash scripts with functions, getopt (for arguments), and error
checking. Use traps and signaling.
• Text Processing: Master grep , sed , awk , and regular expressions for log analysis or data
extraction. Combine tools in pipelines.
• Cron and Timers: Automate recurring tasks with cron or systemd timers (e.g. daily reports,
backups). Learn to debug cron jobs.
• Configuration Mgmt (Optional): Explore basic usage of tools like Ansible or simple Makefiles for
repetitive setup tasks.
• Resources: Tutorials: “Bash Scripting Tutorial” (tutorialspoint), freeCodeCamp scripting videos.
Books: Classic Shell Scripting. Practice: Automate your development workflow (e.g. script app build
and deployment steps).

Stage 7: Advanced Linux Topics (Kernel, Filesystems, Performance;

~3–6 months)
• Kernel Compilation: Learn to download and compile the Linux kernel. Customize configurations
( make menuconfig ) and build modules. This is advanced: it “requires time, patience and good
experience with the command line” 21 . Try compiling a newer mainline kernel or enabling a custom
driver.

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 • Linux Kernel Architecture: Study how the kernel handles processes, memory, interrupts, and
drivers. Familiarize with /proc and /sys interfaces. Learn about loadable kernel modules
( insmod , modprobe ).
• File Systems: Dive into modern Linux filesystems (ext4, XFS, Btrfs) and concepts like journaling, LVM,
RAID. Practice creating and mounting filesystems, and using swap. Explore performance tuning (I/O
schedulers, hdparm , fio ).
• Device Drivers: If interested in low-level, read Linux Device Drivers (LDD, free online) or Linux Kernel
Development. Try modifying or writing a simple character driver.
• System Performance: Use profiling tools ( top , iostat , vmstat , perf ) to monitor CPU,
memory, and I/O. Learn to tune parameters via /proc/sys or sysctl .
• Containers & Virtualization (Bonus): Explore cgroups and namespaces by running Docker or LXC
containers. It reinforces Linux internals (CGroups, network namespaces).
• Resources: Books/Courses: Linux Kernel Development (Love), Linux From Scratch (hands-on building).
Online: Kernel Newbies, kernel documentation, forums. Labs: Try rebuilding your OS with Linux
From Scratch or Yocto for deeper insight.

Stage 8: Embedded Linux & Android Internals (Android OS

Architecture, ~6–12 months)
• Embedded Linux Overview: Learn how Linux is customized for embedded devices. Tools like
Buildroot and Yocto let you build a minimal Linux system 22 . For example, use Buildroot to create
an embedded image for an ARM board.
• Android Stack: Study the Android software stack layers. Android is a “Linux-based software stack” 23
built on the Linux kernel (for drivers and security) 24 . The figure below illustrates how system apps
and the Java framework run atop native libraries, the HAL, and the kernel.

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Figure: Android platform architecture. The Linux kernel (bottom) provides core services and drivers; above it, the
Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) and native libraries interface with hardware; on top sits the Java/Kotlin
framework and system apps 24 25 .

• Android Init & Boot: Learn the Android boot sequence: bootloader → Linux kernel → init
process. Study init.rc and its stages (early-init, init, fs, post-fs, etc.) 26 . Tools like adb reboot
bootloader and fastboot are used early on (see next stage).
• HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer): Understand HAL modules, which let Android talk to device
hardware via standard interfaces 25 . Learn AIDL/Binder if exploring HAL implementation.
• SELinux: Android uses SELinux for mandatory access control on all processes 27 . Study Android’s
default SELinux policy (in enforcing mode) and how domains confine services (init, system_server).
• AOSP & Build System: Dive into the Android Open Source Project. Install the repo tool to manage
source code (see next stage). Learn how AOSP is organized (platform, frameworks, vendor trees) and
how to apply patches or build the system images (system.img, boot.img).
• Resources: Documentation: Android Open Source Project docs (source.android.com). Books:
Android Internals (Jonathan Levin), Embedded Android (Vergien). Communities: Android Builders
(XDA), Linaro forums. Videos: Google I/O talks on Android System.

Stage 9: Android Internals Tools & Workflows (AOSP Build, ~2–3

months)
• Repo Tool: Use Google’s repo to fetch AOSP source. The repo tool “uses manifest files to
aggregate Git projects into the Android superproject” 28 . Practice repo init , repo sync , and
managing multiple branches.
• Building AOSP: Learn the build commands: source the environment ( . build/envsetup.sh ),
select a target ( lunch aosp_<device>-userdebug ), then make -j$(nproc) . Understand the
build output (recovery.img, boot.img, system.img).
• Fastboot & Recovery: Use fastboot to flash builds onto devices (e.g. fastboot flashall -
w ). Fastboot interacts with the bootloader to install images 29 . Learn adb reboot recovery to
enter recovery mode for cache/data wipes . Practice unlocking bootloaders and using custom
30

recoveries (TWRP).
• Android Tools: Use adb for debugging (logcat, shell access). Learn adb push/pull , port
forwarding, and app debugging. Practice with real devices or emulators.
• Testing & Debugging: Explore tools like strace on Android, am and pm shell commands, and
dumpsys . Learn to read system logs ( logcat ) for internals troubleshooting.
• Resources: Docs: AOSP Building documentation, Google’s Android Platform Source guides. Tutorials:
Kodeco (Ray Wenderlich) “Building AOSP” guide, Android Authority or XDA tutorials on fastboot/adb.
Community: StackOverflow (AOSP tag), Android source mailing lists.

Overall Timeline: Begin with the basics and allow 6–12 months of steady learning to reach advanced
topics. Many beginners report 1–3 months to get comfortable with core Linux concepts 31 . Emphasize
practice: regularly use Linux for development, and apply skills by working on real projects (e.g. set up a
Linux home server, build and flash Android).

Final Tips: Practice constantly (the Linux community suggests “learning is an ongoing journey”) 32 . Engage
with community forums (Stack Overflow, Reddit r/linux) and combine studying with hands-on experiments.

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Use these resources and milestones as a curriculum: each stage builds on the last, leading you from
beginner-friendly tasks to powerful Android/Linux system expertise.

Sources: Core Linux and Android concepts cited from up-to-date guides and official documentation 33 20

25 27 .

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 31 33 Linux Roadmap for Beginner - UnixArena

https://www.unixarena.com/2025/01/linux-roadmap-for-beginner.html/

8 Introduction to Linux (LFS101) - Linux Foundation - Education

https://training.linuxfoundation.org/training/introduction-to-linux/

9 16 30 Days of Linux : A Complete Guide For Beginners | GeeksforGeeks

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/30-days-of-linux/

17 18 19 Install Android Studio | Android Developers

https://developer.android.com/studio/install

20 What is Git? Our beginner’s guide to version control - The GitHub Blog
https://github.blog/developer-skills/programming-languages-and-frameworks/what-is-git-our-beginners-guide-to-version-
control/

21 A Guide to Compiling the Linux Kernel All By Yourself

https://itsfoss.com/compile-linux-kernel/

22 Introduction to Embedded Linux Part 1 - Buildroot | DigiKey

https://www.digikey.com/en/videos/d/digi-key-electronics/introduction-to-embedded-linux-part-1-buildroot-digi-key-electronics

23 24 Platform architecture | Android Developers

https://developer.android.com/guide/platform

25 Hardware abstraction layer (HAL) overview | Android Open Source Project

https://source.android.com/docs/core/architecture/hal

26 Android Init Stages

https://sx.ix5.org/info/android-init-stages/

27 Security-Enhanced Linux in Android | Android Open Source Project

https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/selinux

28 Try Android development | Android Open Source Project

https://source.android.com/docs/setup/start

29 30 Flash with Fastboot | Android Open Source Project

https://source.android.com/docs/setup/test/running

32 Roadmap to Learn Linux. Getting Started: | by Bharath Sodad | Medium

https://medium.com/@bharath.sodad/roadmap-to-learn-linux-bad2d97c1561