Linux File System Fundamentals (Unit 1)

Free and Open Source (FOSS)

Software license granting rights to use modify and distribute software free of charge

Distro

Short for distribution: a Linux operating system packaged with specific components

Kernel

The heart of an operating system that manages system resources

Command Line Interface (CLI)

A text-based interface that accepts input in the form of commands

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

An environment for passing commands using a graphical mouse-driven interface

Shell

A program that takes keyboard commands and gives them to the OS to perform

Environment Variables

Variables that store information about the shell session and working environment

Linux FHS

Set of guidelines for directory placement based on file contents

/

Root Directory. Top-level directory of the system and starting point for all paths

Absolute Path

Reference to a filesystem location starting from root irrespective of current directory

Relative Path

Reference to a filesystem location relative to the current working directory

Stream

Communication channel between a program and its launching environment

/boot

Directory containing files for starting and booting the operating system

/bin

Directory housing critical binary executable commands

/etc

Directory containing host-specific system configuration files

/home

Default storage directory for personal user files

/usr

Directory containing libraries and binaries for installed software applications

/dev

Directory providing access interfaces to physical system devices