Free preview lesson · Linux Administration Essentials · Module 1: Getting around the system
The shell and the filesystem
Almost every Linux administration task starts in the shell. Knowing how to move around the filesystem quickly is the foundation for everything else.
Where you are
The pwd command prints your current directory. Linux uses a single tree starting at /, with standard locations: /etc for configuration, /var/log for logs, /home for users' files and /usr for installed software.
Moving and looking
Use cd to change directory and ls -la to list files with permissions, owners and hidden files. Absolute paths start at /; relative paths start from where you are. cd .. moves up one level and cd ~ returns you home.
Reading files safely
less lets you scroll through a file without changing it, head and tail show the start or end, and tail -f follows a log as it grows. Reading before editing is a habit that prevents many mistakes.
Common pitfall
Running commands as root by default. Use a normal account and sudo only when a task genuinely needs elevated privileges.
Action step
On a practice virtual machine, find and read the main system log and one configuration file in /etc without modifying anything.
This is one lesson from Linux Administration Essentials.
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