Introduction to Linux
Table of Content
• Introduction to Operating Systems
• Understanding Linux, Components, Features & Architecture
• Linux Distributions
• Linux Editors
• Linux vs. Windows
• Linux vs. macOS
• Common Linux Commands
• Why Linux?
• Merits and Demerits of Linux
• Conclusion
Fun Fact
90% of Hollywood's special
effects are made on Linux.
What is an operating system ?
An operating system is the most important
software that runs on a computer. It manages
the computer's memory and processes, as
well as all of its software and hardware. It
also allows you to communicate with the
computer without knowing how to speak the
computer's language.
What is Linux?
• Linux is a Unix clone written from scratch by
Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-
knit team of hackers across the Net.
• Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer
operating system originally developed in
1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell
Labs.
• Linux and Unix strive to be POSIX compliant.
• 64% of the world’s servers run some variant
of Unix or Linux. The Android phone and the
Kindle run Linux.
Components of Linux
System
Kernel - Kernel is the core part of Linux. It is responsible for all major
activities of this operating system.
System Library - System libraries are special functions or programs
using which application programs or system utilities accesses Kernel's
features
System Utility - System Utility programs are responsible to do
specialized, individual level tasks.
Basic Features of
Linux
• Portable - Portability means software can works on different types
of hardware in same way.
• Open Source - Linux source code is freely available and it is
community based development project.
• Multiprogramming - Linux is a multiprogramming system means
multiple applications can run at same time.
• Security - Linux provides user security using authentication
features like password protection/ controlled access to specific
files/ encryption of data.
Architecture of Linux
Operating System
Did you know?
Linus Torvalds had wanted to call his
invention "Freax" i.e., Free, Freak + x as an
allusion to Unix.
In this project his partner Mr. A.L.Torvalds
did not think it's a good name, So they
finally decided named their project name
as "Linux".
The architecture of Linux
contains some layers :
• Hardware layer - Hardware consists of all
peripheral devices (RAM/ HOD/ CPU etc).
• Kernel - It is the core component of Operating
System, interacts directly with hardware,
provides low level services to upper layer
components.
• Shell - It takes commands from the user and
executes kernel's functions.
• Utilities - Utility programs that provide the user
most of the functionalities of an operating
systems.
The Kernal
• It interacts with the actual hardware in machine language.
• It is the monarch who has overall control of everything.
• It has various functions such as file management , data transfer between
file system and hardware, memory management, scheduling of various
programs in the memory, interrupts issues.
User-Interface of
Linux
• The user interface is either a command line interface (CLI), a graphical user
interface (GUI), or through controls are associated with hardware.
• CLI shells are text based user interfaces, which use text for both input and output.
• On desktop systems, the most popular user interfaces are the GUI shells.
• Most popular user interfaces are based on the X Window System, often simply
called "X".
CLI View of Linux
Distributions
of Linux
Editors of Linux
There are some editors in Linux:
• Vi/Vm editor
• Gedit editor
• Nano editor
• GNU Emacs editor
• Kate/Kwrite editor
• Lime Text editor and many more.
Linux v/s Windows
• Linux is freely available or online downloads, for
windows companies have pay for their license.
• Windows need up to date time to time, its updating
process is slower than Linux.
• Linux supports backward compatibility unlike to the
windows.
• Most of the software made on the windows are need
to be licensed but in Linux all of them are freely
available.
Linux v/s IOS
Hardware Requirement:
• IOS has restrictive hardware requirement, while
Linux does not.
Customizability:
• IOS keep restrictions in the arrangement of
your data or display whereas Linux can make
it simpler as you want.
Security:
• In the terms of security both of them are
highly secw·ed, they did not give direct
permission to their system administrator.
Commands of
Linux
There are some commands in Linux
which give direct accessories to the files
by using terminal.
Some of them are:
• Is- (List Command)
• mv- (Move Command)
• mkdir- (Make Directories)
• rmdir- (Remove Directory)
Commo
n
Comma
nds of
Linux
Why Linux?
• Costless
• Stable
• Reliable
• Extremely powerful
• Highly Secure
Merits and Demerits
of Linux
• It can be easily accessible to the old computers.
• It cannot be made for gaming purpose.
• It is not easy to understand for those who are new to Linux.
• It is mostly used by the programmers.
• It is used for both commercial and personal but for home
purpose, for this Windows is mostly preferred.
Conclusion
"When is it best to use Linux and when should some other
operating system be preferred?“
It all depends on the user.
Linux is only for the programmer-based environment not for
the non-programmer because it is difficult to understand.
