Here’s the great news! Linux commands are virtually identical from one Linux distribution (a.k.a.version, distro) to another.

So, when you learn a Linux command in one Linux distribution, you have learned that command for ALL Linux distributions.

Linux Tips: The Linux commands we’re talking about here are the very popular GNU / Linux commands that are common to every Linux distribution. These are the essential Linux commands required for Linux system administration, like the cd, ls, cp, rm, pwd and mkdir commands.

3 Reasons for Learning How to Use Linux Commands in Multiple Linux Distributions

1. Your Company May Change to a Different Linux Distribution

Linux distributions change in popularity constantly.

If you work in a company that is currently using just one Linux distribution, the company may change to a different distribution.

By learning Linux commands, you are learning how to use Linux in all Linux distributions at once!

Linux Tips: Except for a very few differences in the way that a very few commands work, the GNU / Linux commands are identical from one Linux distribution to another.

2. You May Start Working at a Company that is Using Multiple Linux Distributions

If you change jobs, you may be working at a company that uses multiple Linux distributions.

For example, a company may use one Linux distribution for one purpose, such as a web server, and use a different Linux distribution for another purpose, such as a firewall.

Linux Tips: When you get Linux training that focuses on Linux commands, you learn to work with all Linux distributions, regardless of what the Linux distribution is being used for.

3. You Don’t Know What Linux Distribution You’ll Be Using When You Get Hired After School

If you are currently getting Linux training at a college, university or technical school, you don’t know what Linux distribution you’ll be using when you finish. So why not focus on learning Linux commands and then you will be able to use any Linux distribution?

Written by Clyde Boom

When you are a new Linux user needing to get Linux training, it is often confusing to decide what to focus on.

Should you learn how to use Linux for just one Linux distribution (a.k.a. version, distro)? Should you focus on learning Linux GUI utilities - or should you learn Linux commands for doing Linux system administration?

3 Methods of Linux System Administration and Why Using Linux Commands is the Best Method

1. Using Linux GUI utilities for Linux System Administration

Many Linux distributions have “point-and-click” GUI (graphical user interface) utilities that allow you to do common and popular Linux tasks, like manage the Linux file system, create Linux users, and manage Linux user and group permissions.

However, these Linux GUI utilities are usually specific to a single Linux distribution.

So, learning how to use a Linux GUI in one Linux distro is basically useless if you have to use a different distro later, or if you’re working in an environment with multiple Linux distributions.

Linux Tips: To run a Linux GUI utility, you need to have a Linux desktop installed and sometimes a desktop isn’t installed on a Linux server because it isn’t needed. In addition to this, the Linux system administration pros only use Linux commands because Linux GUI utilities are too slow to run and time-consuming to use.

2. Doing Linux System Administration Tasks with Linux Commands that are Specific to a Linux Distribution

The major (popular) Linux distributions all have several commands that are specific to that single distribution. In other words, for each popular Linux distribution, there are several Linux commands that are specific that just that distribution.

For example, a Linux distribution will likely have a command that is used to manage Linux partitions (disk space) and this command is specific to that distribution.

Learning how to use Linux commands that are only available on a single Linux distribution is a huge waste of time - if there is an equivalent GNU / Linux command - and there almost always is.

For example, the Linux fdisk command is a GNU / Linux command that is used to manage the partitions on a Linux system and this command exists on all Linux distributions.

So, rather than learn a command that is specific to a single Linux distribution, learn the GNU / Linux commands because these commands are common to all Linux distributions.

3. Using Linux Commands that are Common to All Linux Distributions - The GNU/Linux Commands

The GNU / Linux commands are the most popular Linux commands - and they are common to all Linux distributions.

Linux Tips: Linux distributions (a.k.a. versions, distros) are rising and falling in popularity all the time. If you just learn how to use Linux by running the GUI utilities in one distro, and then you stop using that distro, then you have to learn all the GUI utilities of the next distro. If you learn how to use Linux commands, then you learn how to use Linux for all distros!

Written by Clyde Boom