The Linux Foundation and edX are making a self-paced open source course on container technology available to students around the world.
edX is a provider of massively open online courses (MOOCs), most of which are free, with the option to pay to receive a certification. Originally founded by Harvard and MIT, edX now works with dozens of educational and nonprofit organizations to make college-level online courses available to people around the world.
One such organization is the Linux Foundation, which offers more than 50 courses on Linux and other open-source software topics on the edX website.
What is the Linux Foundation?
The Linux Foundation is a non-profit technology consortium that promotes the use of the open-source operating system Linux. It originally started in 2000 as the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) and later became the Linux Foundation when OSDL merged with the Free Standards Group (FSG).
The Linux Foundation works to promote the growth and commercial adoption of the Linux operating system. It also facilitates collaboration on open source software projects and promotes diversity and inclusion in the Linux community. As part of its mission, the Linux Foundation offers a variety of training and resources to help both amateurs and experts learn more about Linux.
TO SEE: 40+ Open Source and Linux Terms You Need to Know (Tech Republic Premium)
How are edX and the Linux Foundation connected?
The Linux Foundation partners with edX to be Linux courses on the edX website. Because edX is largely free, it fits well with the Linux Foundation’s mission to promote open source software and make it accessible to as many people as possible.
All told, the Linux Foundation offers more than 50 courses on the edX website, ranging from beginner to advanced. The topics are not just limited to Linux and cover multiple other topics including DevOps and FinOps and open source software platforms such as Kubernetes, Jenkins, GraphQl and more. The foundation also offers seven professional Linux certifications that bundle related Linux Foundation courses into a focused teaching experience.
Best Linux Basics on edX
It’s impossible to cover all 50+ Linux Foundation courses hosted on edX, but we wanted to highlight a few here to give you an idea of the depth and diversity of the course offerings currently available. For this list, we’ll focus specifically on the Linux classes, but there are many other excellent courses offered by the Linux Foundation that are also worth exploring.
Introduction to Linux
If you’re brand new to the world of Linux, you can’t go wrong with this one Introduction to Linux course, with over 1 million enrollments; there also is a Spanish version also available. The self-paced class is designed to be spread over 14 weeks, with approximately five to seven hours of class and homework per week.
Topics covered include navigating the major Linux distributions, Linux system configurations and graphical interface, basic command-line operations, and common Linux applications. By the end, participants should have a good working knowledge of Linux and be ready to move on to more advanced classes.
Linux Software Development Tools
Take this course at your own pace Linux Software Development Tools is designed to take place one to two hours per week for 14 weeks. While this course is still classified as an introductory level, the instructions state that to get the best out of it, you should ideally have experience as a developer on any operating system, but not necessarily Linux. Experience working on the command line is not necessary, but would be helpful.
In this course, participants will learn how to use essential command-line tools for everyday tasks and how to create scripts and perform complex tasks in an automated manner. They will also discuss how Linux works with different types of file systems, compiling programs in Linux, and using different types of shared and static libraries. Finally, they will build packages of software in Linux in both RPM and Debian systems so that it can be distributed to other Linux distribution developers.
Open Source Software Development: Linux for Developers
Take this course at your own pace Open Source Software Development: Linux for Developers is designed to take place one to two hours per week for 14 weeks. While this course is still classified as an introductory level, the instructions say that to get the best out of it, you should ideally have experience as a developer on any operating system, not necessarily Linux. Experience working on the command line is not necessary, but would also be helpful. You will also need a computer with a current Linux distribution installed, either a physical computer or a Linux virtual machine.
Participants leave the course with a solid understanding of Linux systems and utilities. They should be able to work comfortably at the command line and discuss the key concepts involved in developing open source software. The course also covers open-source software licensing issues and covers known best practices for long-term project sustainability.
Linux training on Udemy, LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare
Don’t have an edX account and want to learn more about Linux in a different way? Check out our Linux course overviews with lessons on Udemy, Learn LinkedIn and Skill sharing and start your Linux education today – from the comfort of your home.
