Introduction to Linux
- Free to audit
- Paid certificate
- Beginner
- 14 weeks
Introduction to Linux (LFS101x) is the Linux Foundation's entry-level Linux course on edX. It is designed for people who use computers daily but have little or no Linux experience, and it works across the major distribution families rather than a single distro. The page lists what you will come away with: a working knowledge of Linux, the ability to navigate the major distributions, an understanding of system configuration and the graphical interface, basic command-line operations, and a sense of the common applications Linux is used for. There are no formal prerequisites beyond everyday computer familiarity.
edX lists the course at introductory level, self-paced, at fourteen weeks of five to seven hours a week. You can audit it free of charge, which gives access to the course material for a limited time (edX says audit access expires after the estimated course length), but graded assignments and the certificate are excluded. The verified track, which adds graded work and a certificate, is priced at 209 US dollars on the page.
What you’ll learn
- Navigate the major Linux distribution families and their desktop environments
- Understand basic system configuration and the Linux graphical interface
- Carry out everyday tasks from the command line
- Describe the common applications and uses of Linux
Who it’s for
Anyone who wants to start using Linux, including people preparing for IT or system administration roles; existing Linux users will find much of it familiar.
Syllabus
20 sections as listed on edx.org.
- Welcome!
- 1. The Linux Foundation
- 2. Linux Philosophy and Concepts
- 3. Linux Basics and System Startup
- 4. Graphical Interface
- 5. System Configuration from the Graphical Interface
- 6. Common Applications
- 7. Command Line Operations
- 8. Finding Linux Documentation
- 9. Processes
- 10. File Operations
- 11. Text Editors
- 12. User Environment
- 13. Manipulating Text
- 14. Network Operations
- 15. The Bash Shell and bash Scripting
- 16. More on Bash Shell Scripting
- 17. Printing
- 18. Local Security Principles
- Final Exam
Instructor
- Jerry Cooperstein Senior Content Manager
Course details
- Skills covered
- Linux
- Command-Line Interface
- Linux Distribution
- Supercomputing
- Mainframe Computing
- Graphical User Interface
- Android (Operating System)
- Includes
- 20 modules
- Prerequisites
- None. However, the course does assume familiarity with computers and common software, such as would be had from daily computer use.
- Subtitles
- 1 language
On edx.org
Rated 4.4 out of 5 by 189 learners; 673,775 enrolled, as shown on the course page on 20 Oct 2026. These are edx.org’s own figures, not ours.
Source: edX (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change
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