Name: Linux Essentials Course (Self-Paced)
Price: 1549.0 USD
Availability: InStock

This course includes

15 hours of project-based training from experts
Answers from real instructors
Retake for free within 1 year
Verified digital certificate of completion
Learn at an accredited institution
Credits: 1.5 CPEs and 1.5 CEUs

This course is self-paced. For live online or in-person instruction, take Linux Essentials Course.

Linux runs a large share of the servers and cloud infrastructure IT teams work with, yet many professionals never receive formal training in it. This foundational course builds command-line skills from the ground up, with no prior Linux experience required.

Learners practice navigating the filesystem, managing files and permissions, installing software, monitoring processes, writing basic shell scripts, and troubleshooting common issues. The course is scoped to entry-level skills rather than full certification coverage.

Tuition

Full Tuition

$1,549
Due before the class starts

This course includes

15 hours of project-based training from experts
Answers from real instructors
Retake for free within 1 year
Verified digital certificate of completion
Learn at an accredited institution
Credits: 1.5 CPEs and 1.5 CEUs

Learning Experience Highlights

Training from government‑experienced instructors

Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.

Specialized for government & DoD

Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.

The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student

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24/7 access to our premium course videos and projects.
Industry experts are assigned as your course instructor. Message your instructor with any questions.
Participate in GSUSA online discussion forums — share ideas and receive additional support.
Hands-on quizzes and mini projects to test and reinforce concepts.

Earn a Certificate of Completion

Upon completion of this course, you’ll receive an official certificate testifying to your mastery of the curriculum. We’ll send you a link where you can download your certificate, share it online with your friends, post it to your professional network on LinkedIn, and view all your earned certificates. Congratulations on your achievement!

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Linux Essentials Course (Self-Paced) Curriculum

What You'll Learn at a Glance

Navigate a Linux filesystem from the command line and locate files using absolute and relative paths.
Create, copy, move, and delete files and directories using core command-line utilities.
Interpret and change file permissions and ownership to control who can access a file.
Apply the principle of least privilege when setting permissions on a shared system.
Edit text files and use redirection and pipes to connect commands into simple workflows.
Search file contents for specific patterns using command-line search tools.
Install, update, and remove software using a package manager.
View and manage running processes, including stopping one that is misbehaving.
Check basic system resource usage, including memory and disk space.
Write and run a basic shell script that automates a repeated task.
Use variables and simple conditionals inside a shell script.
Check network configuration and test connectivity from the command line.
Read a basic log file to investigate a system problem.
Apply a repeatable troubleshooting process to a common Linux issue.

Course Syllabus

Download Syllabus PDF

Module 1: Introduction to Linux and Open Source

Lessons:
- What Linux Is and Why It Matters
- Open Source Principles and Licensing Basics
- A Look at Linux Distributions
Applied activity: Learners compare two described operating systems, one proprietary and one open source, and identify at least three practical differences a working professional would notice, such as cost, source access, and support model.

Module 2: Getting Around: The Linux Command Line

Lessons:
- Opening a Terminal and Understanding the Shell
- Navigating the Filesystem: pwd, cd, ls
- Getting Help: man, help, and Command Syntax
- Command History and Useful Shortcuts
- Practicing Core Navigation Commands
Applied activity: Learners are given a short, text-described starting directory and a target file location, and write the sequence of commands that would get them there and confirm they arrived.

Module 3: Files, Directories, and the Filesystem Hierarchy

Lessons:
- The Linux Filesystem Hierarchy: What Lives Where
- Files versus Directories versus Links
- Hidden Files and Common Configuration Locations
- Exploring the Filesystem Hands-On
Applied activity: Learners review a short, text-described directory listing and identify the purpose of each top-level directory shown, plus which entries are files, directories, or links.

Module 4: Working with Files: Creating, Copying, Moving, and Deleting

Lessons:
- Creating Files and Directories
- Copying and Moving Files
- Deleting Files Safely
- Wildcards and Working with Multiple Files
Applied activity: Learners are given a short scenario describing a messy project folder and write the commands to reorganize it: create a new subdirectory, move a group of files into it, and remove files that are no longer needed.

Module 5: Users, Groups, and Permissions

Lessons:
- Understanding Users and Groups
- Reading and Interpreting Permission Strings
- Changing Permissions and Ownership
- Why Permissions Matter: A Security Perspective
Applied activity: Learners are given a short scenario with a shared project directory and a list of who should be able to read, edit, or run each file, and set the permissions and ownership to match.

Module 6: Editing Text Files and Redirecting Output

Lessons:
- Using a Command-Line Text Editor
- Viewing and Searching File Contents
- Redirection and Pipes: Connecting Commands
Applied activity: Learners are given a short, described log file and use a search command to find and count how many lines match a given pattern, then redirect the result to a new file.

Module 7: Installing and Managing Software

Lessons:
- How Package Management Works
- Installing, Updating, and Removing Packages
- Finding Software and Checking What Is Installed
Applied activity: Learners are given a short scenario describing a system that needs a specific tool installed and its package list updated, and write the sequence of package management commands to accomplish it.

Module 8: Processes and System Monitoring

Lessons:
- What a Process Is and How Linux Manages Them
- Viewing Running Processes
- Stopping and Managing Processes
- Basic System Resource Monitoring
Applied activity: Learners review a short, text-described process listing and identify which process is consuming excessive resources, then identify the command and steps to stop it safely.

Module 9: Introduction to Shell Scripting and Automation

Lessons:
- Why Automate: From Commands to Scripts
- Writing and Running a Basic Shell Script
- Variables and Simple Conditionals
- Scheduling a Recurring Task
Applied activity: Learners take a short sequence of commands from an earlier module and turn it into a small script that performs the same task in one step, then describe how they would schedule it to run automatically.

Module 10: Linux Networking and Troubleshooting Basics

Lessons:
- Checking Network Configuration
- Testing Connectivity: ping and Friends
- Reading Basic Log Files for Troubleshooting
- Putting It Together: A Simple Troubleshooting Scenario
Applied activity: Learners are given a short, described scenario in which a service is not responding, and walk through checking network configuration, testing connectivity, and reviewing a log excerpt to identify the likely cause.

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