10 Best Websites and Courses to Learn Linux Online Free

The beauty of Linux lies in the open-source community. Everyone tries to help in one way or the other. So, there is never a lack when it comes to quality information about learning to use it.

Asides from learning the use of basic programs, you can also learn more advanced topics that can help you land system administration and other challenging IT job roles.

Keep in mind that 100% of the world’s 500 fastest supercomputers run Linux code and the majority of web servers and cloud services are also powered by it. Then there are the billions of Android phones out there, which also run on Linux.

Following are some of the best websites around the web to learn about the world’s most important open source project – Linux. You can learn Linux online free by accessing these free options.

Websites and Courses To Learn Linux

	Name	Type
1.	Introduction To Linux	Course
2.	Udemy	Courses
3.	Online Linux Books	Books
4.	Linux Essentials	Course
5.	The Ultimate Linux Newbie Guide	Online Book
6.	Dr. Matloff’s Unix Tutorial	Tutorials
7.	Linux Survival	Interactive
8.	Geek University Linux Course	Website
9.	Bash Beginner Series	Book
10.	The Arch Linux Wiki	Wiki

1. Introduction To Linux

EdX’s Introduction To Linux is a self-paced course from the Linux Foundation. This makes it one of the most important courses on the subject because the Linux Foundation is the home of Linux on the net.

The edX platform is also one of the top online learning platforms in the world. Founded by Harvard and MIT, it is a non-profit organization you can always trust for quality education.

You will need about 14 weeks to complete this course, giving about 5 – 7 hours of effort per week. It teaches you everything you need to know about working with Linux, including the use of graphical and command-line programs.

To its credit, over 1 million students have taken this course by its sixth year in September 2020, many of whom have advanced to notable achievements in the world of IT and Linux.

So, if you want a solid foundation in the Linux world, then this course is worth a try. It is free, but for a cost, you can get a verified certificate upon completion.

2. Udemy

Udemy is another top address for online courses. It offers education on a wide range of topics, serving the needs of millions of students from around the world.

You’ll find many Linux courses on Udemy, starting from short video tutorials that last only a few minutes, to longer, more in-depth courses, such as the Linux Fundamentals For IT professionals course with its 8-hour duration.

Browsing around Udemy can be helpful, as you might stumble upon a course that specifically addresses your needs. So give it a try.

3. Online Linux Books

You will find an extensive list of Linux books and tutorials on this website, and they touch on all possible topics from beginner to advanced.

There are detailed guides for most of the popular Linux distributions, ranging from Ubuntu to SUSE, as well as more advanced tutorials for different areas of the system, such as security, productivity, programming, databases, and others.

You will also get a search feature to look for specific topics of your choice. The only thing you won’t find here, however, is a video tutorial, but if you love the written word, then it is a great site.

4. Linux Essentials

This Linux Essentials course is a beginner-level offering from Cisco. It is 8 hours long, although it is self-paced and available in many languages, including English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

It touches on system installation and configuration, as well as the basics of the command line. Then it helps you to determine if Linux is for you.

If you are completely new to Linux and would love a course that starts you from scratch, then this is a good choice.

5. The Ultimate Linux Newbie Guide

This online book is exactly what its name suggests. It starts from the very basics and touches on every point and question you might have as a beginner.

Chapter one, for instance, answers the question “What is Linux?”. Then it moves on with the benefits of using the system, and a third chapter helps you choose the right distribution.

It also goes on about installation and everyday use, as well as more advanced topics like SysAdmin, the Command-Line, files, and directories, as well as integrating web services with your system and other everyday topics.

6. Dr. Matloff’s Unix Tutorial

Linux is based on the Unix system. So, learning Dr. Matloff’s many Unix tutorials will also give you a deeper understanding of Linux and how to find your way around.

He takes you through the shell, explaining concepts and processes in a way that lays the truth bare. Many of his tutorials are also downloadable and include code examples for easier learning.

Please be warned that his website is not the most user-friendly and neither is his approach to teaching. But if you like to get straight to the point and would also appreciate a more advanced approach to learning Linux, then you have to check him out.

7. Linux Survival

This is a fun and easy to follow Linux tutorial aimed at beginners. It features an old-school theme, including graphics that remind of the early computing days.

The website is properly designed, however, and the lessons are arranged in modules. Plus, there are quizzes to make sure you are getting carried along.

Topics include directory and file manipulations, print jobs, piping, disk management, and many others.

8. Geek University Linux Course

A great resource for the more serious Linux student, Geek University offers you one of the most comprehensive Linux courses on the web.

There is everything from the differences between the different distributions, to more serious topics that center around the shell, and even goes into programming practices.

If you are a geek or want to become one, then Geek University may be worth a visit.

9. Bash Beginner Series

This is an online book that focuses on Bash programming. Bash stands for the Bourne Again Shell and it is one of the most popular Linux shell environments.

Learning to program Bash is important if you want to do serious work on Linux, as it has its version of many tools, which take slightly different options from other shell environments.

10. The Arch Linux Wiki

Yes, this is just a wiki. And yes again, it focuses on the Arch Linux distribution. But when you have studied all the Linux books and courses out there, you might want to challenge yourself to a bare-bones Linux system.

Arch Linux is designed for expert users and those who wish to become experts. So, by reading the Arch Wiki, you will learn much more about Linux and its architecture than you will probably learn from any course.

But that is only when you want to become a Linux expert.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of this top 10 Linux courses list and you have seen the different methods you can use to learn, from books to video courses, and interactive tutorials.

Each of the links above takes a slightly different approach to teach the subject. So, you just have to find what works best for you.