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Jason Cannon
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Linux for Beginners: An Introduction to the Linux Operating System and Command Line Kindle Edition

by Jason Cannon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,402 ratings

If you want to learn how to use Linux, but don't know where to start read on.


Knowing where to start when learning a new skill can be a challenge, especially when the topic seems so vast. There can be so much information available that you can't even decide where to start. Or worse, you start down the path of learning and quickly discover too many concepts, commands, and nuances that aren't explained. This kind of experience is frustrating and leaves you with more questions than answers.


Linux for Beginners doesn't make any assumptions about your background or knowledge of Linux. You need no prior knowledge to benefit from this book. You will be guided step by step using a logical and systematic approach. As new concepts, commands, or jargon are encountered they are explained in plain language, making it easy for anyone to understand.


Here is what you will learn by reading Linux for Beginners:



    • How to get access to a Linux server if you don't already.

    • What a Linux distribution is and which one to choose.

    • What software is needed to connect to Linux from Mac and Windows computers. Screenshots included.

    • What SSH is and how to use it, including creating and using SSH keys.

    • The file system layout of Linux systems and where to find programs, configurations, and documentation.

    • The basic Linux commands you'll use most often.

    • Creating, renaming, moving, and deleting directories.

    • Listing, reading, creating, editing, copying, and deleting files.

    • Exactly how permissions work and how to decipher the most cryptic Linux permissions with ease.

    • How to use the nano, vi, and emacs editors.

    • Two methods to search for files and directories.

    • How to compare the contents of files.

    • What pipes are, why they are useful, and how to use them.

    • How to compress files to save space and make transferring data easy.

    • How and why to redirect input and output from applications.

    • How to customize your shell prompt.

    • How to be efficient at the command line by using aliases, tab completion, and your shell history.

    • How to schedule and automate jobs using cron.

    • How to switch users and run processes as others.

    • Where to go for even more in-depth coverage on each topic.


    Scroll up, click the Buy Now With 1 Click button and get started learning Linux today!

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    Previous slide of product details
    1. Print length
      204 pages
    2. Language
      English
    3. Publication date
      December 26, 2013
    4. File size
      2.6 MB
    5. Page Flip
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    6. Word Wise
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    1. An environment variable is a storage location that has a name and a value.
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    2. If you want to know exactly where a command is located you can use the which command.
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    3. Configuring your cloud server to not accept account passwords and to only accept SSH keys eliminates this threat.
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    Editorial Reviews

    About the Author

    As the founder of the Linux Training Academy and an instructor of several courses, Jason has had the good fortune of helping thousands of people hone their Linux skills.
    He started his career as a Unix and Linux System Engineer in 1999.  Since that time he has utilized his Linux skills at companies such as Xerox, UPS, Hewlett-Packard, and Amazon.com. Additionally, he has acted as a technical consultant and independent contractor for small businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies.

    Jason has professional experience with CentOS, RedHat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and Ubuntu. He has used several Linux distributions on personal projects including Debian, Slackware, CrunchBang, and others. In addition to Linux, Jason has experience supporting proprietary Unix operating systems including AIX, HP-UX, and Solaris.

    He enjoys teaching others how to use and exploit the power of the Linux operating system. Jason is the author of Command Line Kung Fu and Linux for Beginners. He is also the founder of the Linux Training Academy where he blogs and teaches online video training courses.

    Product details

    • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HNC1AXY
    • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 26, 2013
    • Language ‏ : ‎ English
    • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
    • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
    • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
    • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
    • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
    • Print length ‏ : ‎ 204 pages
    • Customer Reviews:
      4.5 out of 5 stars 1,402 ratings

    About the author

    Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
    Jason Cannon

    Jason Cannon

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    "Linux doesn't have to be hard or complicated!"

    Jason Cannon started his career as a Unix and Linux System Engineer in 1999. Since that time he has utilized his Linux skills at companies such as Xerox, UPS, Hewlett-Packard, and Amazon.com. Additionally, he has acted as a technical consultant and independent contractor for small businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies.

    Jason has professional experience with CentOS, RedHat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and Ubuntu. He has used several Linux distributions on personal projects including Debian, Slackware, CrunchBang, and others. In addition to Linux, Jason has experience supporting proprietary Unix operating systems including AIX, HP-UX, and Solaris.

    He enjoys teaching others how to use and exploit the power of the Linux operating system. Jason is the author of Command Line Kung Fu and Linux for Beginners. He is also the founder of the Linux Training Academy where he blogs and teaches online video training courses.

    Learn more by scrolling down the page and check out his books on the Linux operating system.

    Customer reviews

    4.5 out of 5 stars
    1,402 global ratings

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    Customers say

    Customers find this Linux book to be a wonderful reference for beginners, well-written for novices, and easy to understand. Moreover, the book provides good basic information, with one customer noting it includes dozens of links to articles for further reading. Additionally, customers appreciate its value for money, with one mentioning it offers great content at this price point.

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    69 customers mention "Book for beginners"63 positive6 negative

    Customers find this book excellent for beginners, serving as a wonderful reference guide that demonstrates fundamental concepts at an introductory level.

    "...first thing I really liked about Linux For Beginners is that it really is for beginners...." Read more

    "...n't finished it yet, but so far this book is a good introduction to the command line environment...." Read more

    "...This book is perfect for beginners, but like the first few pages suggest, you may want to familiarize yourself VM Environments and a cheat sheet for..." Read more

    "This book is good for learning some of the fundamentals. over quite bit in a short book. No book on the funfe.entals is going to .iss things...." Read more

    64 customers mention "Ease of understanding"60 positive4 negative

    Customers find the book easy to understand and well-written for beginners, with one customer noting it includes examples to illustrate instructions.

    "...The AUTHOR of THIS book takes the comprehensive approach of accumulating all that information in one single location along with simple explanations..." Read more

    "...The examples given are very simple, clear and consistent throughout the book. The language is clear and easy to understand...." Read more

    "...Jason Cannon and I cannot recommend it enough for the basic but well written and detailed work, steps, and information, although slightly outdated..." Read more

    "...Very easy techniques of Web based command line access along-with choosing an SSH client, connecting via Telnet, Deep dive introduction, generating..." Read more

    43 customers mention "Value for money"43 positive0 negative

    Customers find the book provides good value for money, with one mentioning it serves well for everyday use.

    "This is a pretty good book but let me say the title "for beginners" and the book's motto, "Linux for Beginners doesn't make any assumptions about..." Read more

    "...But all in all I decent book" Read more

    "...This works ok for everyday use but falls short for some tasks...." Read more

    "Jason is an amazing writer with his great command of teaching beginners the basics of programming systems with this one being an exceptional find...." Read more

    29 customers mention "Information quality"24 positive5 negative

    Customers find the book informative, with one customer noting it includes dozens of links to articles for further reading.

    "...At the end of every section / chapter the author gives links to Deep Dives...." Read more

    "...out and looking to experiment a little, this was the perfect amount of information to get me where I can actually use Linux without feeling..." Read more

    "...The examples given are very simple, clear and consistent throughout the book. The language is clear and easy to understand...." Read more

    "...enough for the basic but well written and detailed work, steps, and information, although slightly outdated with some of the websites it includes,..." Read more

    25 customers mention "Introduction to linux"25 positive0 negative

    Customers find this book to be an excellent introduction to Linux, with one customer noting it provides enough knowledge to use the system entirely on their own.

    "...to the end of this book you actually end up with enough knowledge to use Linux entirely on your own...." Read more

    "Jason's book is a great introduction to Linux, giving you just what you need to get started at the command line without overwhelming you with..." Read more

    "...reference book when you are starting out, or to read to understand this alternative operating system." Read more

    "...also I attained the understanding as well as the ability to begin using the Linux operating system...." Read more

    Top reviews from the United States

    • Danish Khattak
      5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute Best Beginner book on Linux
      Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020
      Verified Purchase
      To all those people that are complaining about this not being a beginner book. Let me give you my perspective.

      I have been through many Linux books and video courses, even those of certification exam guides. I always ended up more confused that I started. This was due to the author's own different and varying interpretation of absolutely critical linux basics that anyone remotely serious about linux must understand.

      The AUTHOR of THIS book takes the comprehensive approach of accumulating all that information in one single location along with simple explanations so you have all pieces of the puzzle. He does not skip over material other author's might deem unimportant or irrelevant. This is what I feel, scares most beginners. But I guarantee you, if you stick to this book, it will help you build such a strong foundation, that you will leapfrog past many seasoned linux users in a very short time.

      At the end of every section / chapter the author gives links to Deep Dives. Basically, to help you develop a good habit of adding depth to your Linux knowledge.

      This book helped me developed an understanding of key ingredients about the *NIX platform. From here on out, the more I learn and explore, light bulbs go off in my mind and pieces are starting to fall in place.
      23 people found this helpful
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    • Rivera
      5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Beginners Like Me
      Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2015
      Verified Purchase
      The first thing I really liked about Linux For Beginners is that it really is for beginners. I have looked at some information on this platform before and it always started with something I didn’t know and had to look up so I was on the same page with the writer. This book assumes that you have absolutely nothing in the way of Linux knowledge and it actually starts by walking you through the process of getting an account. So you’re really starting at the beginning.

      I really liked that throughout the book were screenshots and specific codes so I could follow along and make sure that I was where I should be. Plus by going from the beginning to the end of this book you actually end up with enough knowledge to use Linux entirely on your own. If you need advanced knowledge for any reason you may have to continue with some other systems (which there’s more information included in this book about where to get it) but for me, someone who’s just starting out and looking to experiment a little, this was the perfect amount of information to get me where I can actually use Linux without feeling overwhelmed by too much intense information.
      One person found this helpful
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    • Kevin E
      4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to the command line environment
      Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2014
      Verified Purchase
      I haven't finished it yet, but so far this book is a good introduction to the command line environment. The examples given are very simple, clear and consistent throughout the book. The language is clear and easy to understand. My only criticism is that the book seems to be geared toward network administrators needing to learn Linux, but then again it's probably a small minority of people like me that just want to learn it because I ultimately want to free myself from the confines of proprietary operating systems...
      7 people found this helpful
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    • Jason R. Harr
      5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and to the point!
      Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2022
      Verified Purchase
      This is the first book I've personally read from Jason Cannon and I cannot recommend it enough for the basic but well written and detailed work, steps, and information, although slightly outdated with some of the websites it includes, but a quick Google search will lead you to the right direction. This book is perfect for beginners, but like the first few pages suggest, you may want to familiarize yourself VM Environments and a cheat sheet for basic commands so you have that in front of you, but this book does contain those. As for me, it's easier to write it out as it can be associated to memory better, but that is just a personal preference.
      2 people found this helpful
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    • ROLLSROYCE
      5.0 out of 5 stars WINDOWS 10 ATROCIOUS
      Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
      Verified Purchase
      HAVE HAD AND STILL HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH WINDOWS 10, SO I WANT TO SEE IF SWITCHING OS WILL HELP OR HURT
      Helpful
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    • mark
      3.0 out of 5 stars not really "for beginners."
      Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2023
      Verified Purchase
      This is a pretty good book but let me say the title "for beginners" and the book's motto, "Linux for Beginners doesn't make any assumptions about your background or knowledge of Linux. You need no prior knowledge to benefit from this book" couldn't be further from the truth. This book assumes you know what a Linux server is, what an SSH is, what a Virtual Machine is, what a Linux Image is, what a client is, what keys are...and on and on. Here's the deal, if you aren't a VERY computer savvy IT professional and know all of the jargon to begin with, this book is NOT for you The author is typical of many software and IT geeks today is that they've never socialized with anyone over the age of 50 and just assume that such people don't exist or don't matter. But then , maybe we don't?
      Helpful
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    • Mike
      5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, all is well explained in an organized manner!
      Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2015
      Verified Purchase
      There are so many great ideas and huge burst of knowledge related to Linux directory structure, Shell and basic Linux commands , have been shared through step by step proper guidance. Very easy techniques of Web based command line access along-with choosing an SSH client, connecting via Telnet, Deep dive introduction, generating SSH keys on Windows/Mac and then listing files and directory permissions detail, all is well explained in an organized manner. The best thing about this book is that writer has discussed and defined each and everything that is required for the complete expertise of Linux.
      I am impressed with many chapters especially about “Switching Users and Running Commands as Others” and “Scheduling Repeated jobs with Cron”. This is a true essence of the hard work of the author to gather such valuable/technical information for the support/help to vast majority of Linux users/professionals through this overwhelming book.
      Highly recommended to everybody!
      2 people found this helpful
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    • DeadGirlRising
      4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for learnig
      Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019
      Verified Purchase
      This book is good for learning some of the fundamentals. over quite bit in a short book. No book on the funfe.entals is going to .iss things. But all in all I decent book
      Helpful
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    Top reviews from other countries

    Translate all reviews to English
    • Piyu
      5.0 out of 5 stars The Title Is Self Explanatory
      Reviewed in India on September 26, 2023
      Verified Purchase
      If you're a Linux newbie, this book is a must for you. Like every other outing of Jason Cannon, this book is a fantastic read. With lucid approach and not delving you in the jargons, the book introduces the reader to the concepts of Linux. A must have for new Linux users.
      Report
    • David
      5.0 out of 5 stars ausführlich und einfach verständlich
      Reviewed in Germany on June 27, 2020
      Verified Purchase
      Da die Basics im Buch “Das Linux Terminal” von Josef Moser immer nur kurz angeschnitten werden habe ich mir zusätzlich dieses Buch gekauft in dem die Themen umfangreicher beschrieben werden. Mein Englisch hat zwar noch deutlich Luft nach oben, durch die einfache, gut verständliche Schreibweise des Buches wurde das aber nur selten zum Problem. Alle für den Anfang wichtigen Themengebiete werden ausführlich beschrieben.
      Report
    • Ross
      5.0 out of 5 stars A good primer on Linux
      Reviewed in Canada on May 6, 2021
      Verified Purchase
      I have next to no experience with Linux and needed to run some software that was linux based. I found this book to be useful and it helped answer much quicker than I would have had I just stuck with googling answers.
      Report
    • DKDCNMP
      5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for beginners.
      Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2014
      Verified Purchase
      As an old unix user, dating back to the late eighties I am always keen to keep my skills honed, and to make sure I pick up on the full capabilities of the OS. Although I have been mainly using Solaris over the last 10 years I have recently started using Ubuntu at home. This book was a great reminder of some features, as well as an introduction to several new commands or command arguments that I had previously been unaware of. This has helped improve my skills, as well as saving me time trying reading the man pages.

      This is a well rounded book for beginner and those of us slightly longer in the tooth, and a valuable read for anyone starting out with a new distro.
      Report
    • Alberto
      5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for Beginners
      Reviewed in Brazil on November 12, 2021
      Verified Purchase
      That book is complementary book for those who want to learn Linux.

      A good price for a good informations. Easy to read and to put in pratice.
      Report

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