How do I get started with Linux?
Hi, I'm a freshman CS major and I currently have a windows 11 laptop, and I feel like exploring linux
15 Replies
Just start with Ubuntu learn some basic terminal commands and try to learn vim which will get you into WM= window manager and you will eventually end up in Arch linux. And yes, I use arch btw
I use gentoo btw
My advice would be to start with catchy OS because the arch wiki is incredible and the AUR makes package management so much simpler
Catchy OS is a much faster version of Arch with a lot of usability tweaks that simplify drivers and configuration issues that frequently mess up newbies
It has yet to break on me ever, and I managed to break Debian (a distro known for stability)
I'd recommend starting with arch instalation with wiki, that will teach you the basics, and then go for what you like the most
Arch as a first linux experience SUPER depends on the person. If OP just wants to get familiar with general Linux knowledge, I'd go with something that has wide support and viability like Ubuntu or its derivatives.
Recommending Arch could be good if they're particularly dedicated and curious enough to push past hiccups(in which case yolo, u may enjoy it OP), or it could turn them off of it entirely for a while. I have a compromise: Install Ubuntu, and then install Arch in a vm when you feel comfortable messing around in terminal. That way if you make any mistakes you can just nuke it without any bare metal changes, ezpz. Saying Arch right out the gate without knowing anything about the person's experience level is honestly kind of hilarious, js.
Besides, arch wiki is also priceless for non-arch distro issues/questions. They don't have to start with a challenge. Especially a freshman CS student. Maybe start with something easier and then ramp it up over time, since OP is probably gonna distro hop like the rest of us anyhow.
If you want to have a safe environment throw a virtual machine on your laptop and install something there, no risk at all, just needs time. You have the freedom of testnig different distributions. In the long run the distribution does not matter much, as you can adjust nearly everything, they are all Linux after all, but as a starter they feel very different. So what about throwing Ubuntu in a VM and install an ide of your choise and do some coding there? Then you have most daily tasks covered to get some experience.
Big agree there
Real nice
Long term Mac user, switched in 2020, never going back!
I want to be able use the computer first, tinker second.
I need to:
- navigate quickly around the OS
- have reliable performance (hardware and software)
- update without troubleshooting
- have access to apps and easily install them
Each distro is different on those points.
After trying a few distros, I rely the most on Mint and I have Arch on a machine for fun.
Some large projects also tend to target a specific distro. eg. Robot Operating System (ROS) targets Ubuntu, so Arch is a no go, but Mint is compatible.
I don't have any downsides to Arch, it ticked all my boxes, the docs are great (great docs for Linux stuff in general).
I found myself thinking that using a Debian-based system had a wider coverage to development, machine learning, server management. Not sure if that's true, but since using Linux daily I can fly through server setups etc. Haven't come across any CentOS servers yet (Fedora base).
Bonus: Steam works great too.
oh that sounds cool, you've answered one of my main concerns "How do I try linux on my machine without breaking it💀 ". Do you have any resources that can help me install a VM? also I mostly use VS code for almost everything except for java in which case I use intellij
I would use Virtualbox (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) when you start it you have a button "New" this then is the configuration of your new machine, how much ram, cpus and such, just select something that fits your machine, also there is a field for cdrom, you can select the iso of the linux you want to test. when confirming that wizard it creates a virtual disk and machine on your laptop and the thing starts inside a window. "hostkey" is the right control key, just mentioning it, as it is not very obvious and it has some special function.
when your iso then starts you see the install-process of linux, everything you do inside the vm-window stays in the vm, so formatting a disk is the vm-disk not your real one 🙂 feels a bit strange in the beginning I know. If you are done, just shut down the machine or close the window, it then asks if you want to press the power button or suspend the machine.
I'm aware that there are other tools aside from virtualbox, I mentioned that one because it's the one we are using at work for several years so I have the most experience with it, if I would now say "use filthy-monkey-vm" I could not answer anything about it, so please no hate if you do not like vbox.
Oh just thought about it, there are ready to use vbox images for many linux distrobutions out there, I 've never used them as I see the installtion progress as part of the switch to the better OS, but for sure it is an alternative for starting out. Where they are? No precise idea, just use a search engine of your choise.
Thanks a lot, this was really helpful, I think I'll go with ubuntu, code a bit for a month and see how it goes
My ball of glass tells me, that you will not go back
Not sure if anyone had mentioned WSL. WIndows now has a built in linux subsystem, its not quite the same, but its like getting a built in Linux VM. Download Ubuntu WSL in the Windows App Store and spin one up. Start learning how to write Bash shell scripts for simple tasks like generating a list using a set of variables. Find a "Bash Cheat Sheet" image and practice moving around and viewing directory and file contents. Follow a tutorial for configuring a simple Apache web server, you will learn a lot of commands along the way.
Practice viewing and changing permissions of files. Copying and Moving files around. Deleting files. Be VERY careful whenever deleting things in Linux. Unlike windows, if you tell it to do something, it will do it for the most part. If you tell it to eat itself, it will lol. So its really important to learn which commands are destructive and which are not.
And RTFM - Read The F*&king Manual. The standard linux commands are very well documented. The option/flag/switch (I call them extensions in my head) to commands are very important, things like -v for verbose, -f for force, -r for recursive. Some are pretty universal like the aforementioned 3, however, they can be totally different command to command, so its important to read documentation on a command before assuming what an extansion does.
Start thinking of "Commands" that you run as just a script/function/method you are running, that exists as a file somewhere on the server, with a an entry in PATH directing the terminal of where to find said script. Each command usually has an extensive set of additional options you can find out by reading its documentation.
as PewDiePie said in his linux-video "linux gives you a gun and says 'do it'", this is the timestamp https://youtu.be/IY-RoiVLExs?t=183 right when the prime interrupts him