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There is no doubt that Linux is one of the most popular operating systems to run server-side applications. I have seen almost all Java applications running on Linux barring a couple of them which runs on Windows as a service.

If you take out standalone apps like IDEs or tools, most of the real-world Java applications run on Linux like payment gateways, trading systems, and other financial applications.

That's why it's very important for any programmer, IT professional, or a developer to learn and understand Linux, both the operating system, as well as command line.

Linux is one of the most important skills because it serves you for a long time. It not only makes you productive and teaches a lot of automation by encouraging you to write shell scripts, but also it is essential for many IT jobs like support engineers, testers, developers, business analyst, system admins, and even project/product managers

It is also one of the essential tools for programmers without knowing Linux is difficult to find out what's going on in an application that runs on Linux. It also separates a good programmer from an average one. A good programmer is often good at Linux commands as well.

If you want to learn Linux or UNIX, both operating system and command line then you have come to the right place. In this article, I'll share some of the free Linux courses you can take online to learn Linux at your own pace and at your own time.

These courses are free but it doesn't mean they are of inferior quality. They provide a nice overview of many essential Linux concepts, including the Linux command line and essential commands like find, grep, sed, curl, and chmod.

Of course, they are not as comprehensive as some of the paid courses down there but still, you can use them to start your Linux journey. Btw, if you don't mind spending few bucks on something worth learning the Learn Linux in 5 Days and Level Up Your Career is the best one to start with.

Top 10 Free and Best Linux Courses for Beginners on Udemy

If you have been here before then you might be familiar with my 3 point formula to learn new technology.

In general, whenever I have to learn a new programming language, a framework or a library I do three things, first join an online course, second, buy a good book and third, create a toy project to start with.

These 3 things have helped me to learn many useful tools, technologies, frameworks, and libraries and I also suggest you follow these.

In the past, I have shared some Linux command line books and today I'll share some of the free online training courses to learn Linux.

You can first take these courses and then read those books to learn and master Linux concepts. Once you have a good idea, you can start a project like writing a shell script or something to take your knowledge to the next level.

This article contains courses to learn both Linux OS as well as Linux command line, which is more important. Anyone who wants to learn Linux can use these free courses but it's more suited for developers, QA, System admins, and programmers.

1. The Linux Command Line Bootcamp: Beginner To Power User

This is a good introductory course on Linux which will tell you what is Linux, its history, and what does different Linux Distributions mean like CentOS, RedHat, Fedora, Ubuntu, etc. Basically all the knowledge you need to learn the Linux commands.

You will also learn how to set up your test lab to run the Linux commands using VirtualBox and CentOS.

Once you have got your setup, the course will then teach you basic Linux commands like how to create and move files and directories, how to archive and compress files, how to combine two or more commands using pipes, and how to redirect output to a file.

In short, a good introduction to Linux for beginners who are hearing Linux first time. After attending this best Linux course you will have enough passion to learn more about Linux and find out more about your favorite Linux distribution.

Here is the link to join the course: The Linux Command Line Bootcamp: Beginner To Power User

2. Learn The Linux Command Line: Basic Commands [Free]

This is an awesome free course to learn the Linux command line. As I have said before, the command line is an incredibly useful tool for developers and programmers.

If you want to get into Ruby on Rails, Django, Devops, Unix customization and so much more, learning the command line will help you immensely.

In this course, you will learn most of the essential Linux commands related to file management, process management, system management, etc.

The command line course is mainly for Linux users but Mac users can also benefit though not everything is applicable to them.

Here is the link to join the course: Learn the Linux Command Line: Basic Commands

For beginners, the command line may seem difficult and complex and it may be hard to sit down and learn on your own and that's where this course steps up. It will teach you how to use the command line and skip the boring, unnecessary stuff that you may never use.

3. Complete Linux Training Course to Get Your Dream IT Job [Udemy]

This is one of the best online  Linux courses for beginners as it does not just cover the Linux commands and essential concepts about Linux operating systems. If you would like to learn Linux starting from the beginning to advanced on how to use command lines and the different Linux distributions in a short amount of time, then this Udemy course is the right for you.

You will start with a history of Linux and Linux, alongside how to install it on your machine. Next, you will begin with the filesystem of Linux and most used command lines, the superuser/Root, Linux directories, and more.

You will learn in this course:

• Installing the Linux system on your machine.
• The different Linux operating systems.
• How to use Linux command lines.

Later, you will explore how to change the files and directories permissions, share files, customize the command prompts, and install applications on your Linux system.

4. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Technical Overview [Free]

This is a free Linux course from Red Hat itself. In this official Red Hat training course, Steve Bonneville, a technical curriculum architect for Red Hat Training, will teach you the basics of Linux and demonstrate basic practical techniques of Linux use and system administration tasks for IT professionals.

Here is the link to join the course: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Technical Overview

As Linux is used to host server-side applications, in the cloud as well as on containers which host applications on data center it has become one of the must-know technology for IT professionals and the same is interested in this course.

After finishing this free Linux course, you will have a good understanding of the Linux operating system. Short lectures and demonstrations will cover distribution, shell, kernel, userspace, file hierarchy, permissions, and more.

5. Open Source Software Development, Linux and Git Specialization [Coursera]

This is the best Coursera course to learn Linux online, and it is suitable for beginners and experienced developers. Let's say that you are a beginner in the open-source world and want to learn how to create open-source projects that work in Linux and learn how to use Linux operating systems as a professional. You need to see this specialization on Coursera.

You will start with the history of the open-source projects and how they benefit the world, then use Linux and command lines. Next, you will discover how to program with the bash scripting and automating tasks, filesystem, and so on.

You will learn in this course:

• Installing and working with Linux.
• Using bash scripting and programming.
• Create open-source projects.

Finally, you will see how to use git to build open-source software, initialize the repository, change them, and more.

Here is the link to join this course - Open Source Software Development, Linux and Git

And, if you find Coursera courses and certificates useful, then I also suggest you join the Coursera Plus, a subscription plan from Coursera which gives you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects. It cost around $399/year, but it's completely worth your money as you get unlimited certificates.

6. Linux Tutorials and Projects (Free)

This is another awesome free course on Linux from someone who has worked more than 25 years in Linux.

The author Jason Cannon has started his IT career in the late 1990s as a Unix and Linux System Engineer and he has shared some of his real-world Linux experience in this course.

Here is the link to join the course: Learn Tutorials and Projects

In this course, you will learn some of the practical tasks in Linux like how to install an SSL Certificate on CentOS Linux and Apache, how to load Balance HTTP and Web Traffic Using Nginx and how to configure MySQL Master-Slave Replication on Ubuntu Linux.

These practical tasks will help you to get going in Linux and give you the confidence to work in real servers.

7. Getting Started with Linux [Pluralsight]

Suppose you want a course that takes you from beginner to advanced level in Linux and shows you practical lessons instead of just theoretical about the history.

In that case, you can see this getting started with a Linux course on Pluralsight.

You will begin by installing and managing the Linux system on your machine to install Software on the open-source operating system. Next, you will be introduced to the Linux server version, where you will install it on the apache server and work with this version of Linux.

Here are things you will learn in this Linux beginner course:

• Installing Linux desktop on your computer.
• How to work with Linux desktop.
• Installing and using a Linux server.

Here is the link to join this course - Getting Started with Linux

Btw, you would need a Pluralsight membership to access this course which costs around $29 per month or $299 for one year. This gives you access to this course and more than 7000+ other courses on the latest technology. Alternatively, you can also take their 10-day-free-trail to access this course for FREE.

8. Learn Linux on a MAC or Windows [Free]

If you want to learn the Linux command line but happened to work on Mac or Windows then this is the perfect course for you.

In this course, you will learn how you can set up an Ubuntu Linux server on VirtualBox to get a taste of the Linux command line on Mac or Windows itself.

Here is the link to join the course: Learn Linux on a Mac

This is the first step towards learning Linux commands, particularly if you do most of your work in Mac or Windows. Although it takes a lot of time to become an expert in the Linux command line, having a lab setup is the best way to try out those commands by yourself.

Also using a VM as a virtual box in Mac or Windows is a safe idea because you can easily delete it and start again if something goes wrong, and more importantly, you can work offline without an Internet connection.

In Today's world, Linux is very widely used in Internet infrastructure powering Web servers, Public Cloud infrastructures like Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Private Clouds running on OpenStack.

So it will be really worth it if you can get some basic experience on the Linux OS before you start working on Cloud servers.

9. Linux Mastery: Master the Linux Command Line in 11.5 Hours  [Udemy]

This is one of the best Linux command line courses for beginners on Udemy. This comprehensive Udemy course is suitable for learning the Linux Command Line from scratch and leveling up your Linux skills to become a more productive developer.

You will learn in this course:

• Using the command line.
• Managing files and permissions.
• Installing and updating the software.
• How to use Bash Scripts and cron scheduling software to automate boring basks!

You will start by learning how to use the command line on Linux hosts, managing files such as creating and editing them. Then learn how to manage users and groups and control file permissions. This course is good to learn from scratch, and no previous experience is required, but if you already have some Linux experience, this course might not be for you.

10. DevOps Bootcamp: Learn Linux & Become a Linux Sysadmin

This is another awesome course to learn Linux for those who want to become a DevOps Engineer or Linux System administrator, both jobs are well paid and highly in-demand.

In this 24-hour long comprehensive Linux course you will learn all the skills you need to go from an absolute beginner in Linux to getting hired as a confident and effective Linux System Administrator.

Here are the key topics covered in this course:

• Linux commands
• The Linux filesystem
• File permissions
• Process management
• User account management
• Software management
• Networking in Linux
• System administration
• Bash Scripting
• Iptables/Netfilter Firewall
• Linux Security
• And more...

Btw, you would need a ZTM membership to watch this course which costs around $39 per month but also provides access to many super engaging and useful courses like this one. You can also use coupon code FRIENDS10 to get a 10% discount on this course or any subscription you choose

That's all about some of the best free and paid courses to Learn Linux online. As I have said before, Linux is a must-have skill for any programmer or IT professional. You can do a lot more if you know Linux.

It also opens a door of opportunities because most of the real-world applications run on a Linux server. And the best part of learning the Linux concept is that it will serve you for a long time. It will not become obsolete as a framework or library will.

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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these free Linux courses then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback then please drop a note.

P.S. --- If you just want to start with one course to learn DevOps, I think the Learn Linux in 5 Days and Level Up Your Career is the best one to start with.

P.S. S. --- If you already know Linux and thinking about how you can improve your productivity and speed then you can also see my article 10 tips to work faster in Linux command line, if you have other tips, you can also share too.