Linux Basics: The Command Line Interface - 6
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Linux Basics: The Command Line Interface - 6
This course is part of C Programming with Linux Specialization
Instructors: Rémi SHARROCK
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What you'll learn
Use basic commands to control the Linux Operating System
Navigate and manipulate the Linux Filesystem using the command line interface
Manage the memory and processes running on Linux.
Compile and execute a C program in Linux
Skills you'll gain
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There are 5 modules in this course
This course will introduce you to Linux, a powerful operating system used by most professional developers!
Why add Linux to your C programming skills? Most people use Linux without knowing it! Whether you use a smartphone, search the web, or use an ATM, each time Linux is involved somewhere in the background. It is the most used operating system for embedded devices and high-performance servers. It is also the most common operating system used by developers to create software applications. In this course, you will learn the history of Linux and how its open source community was able to create today’s most advanced operating system. You will navigate the file system, use fundamental Linux commands and master the Linux command line interface. These are essential skills for every developer. You will also be able to produce software written in C using the industry-standard tools on Linux. We are excited to introduce you to Linux and guide you along your path to becoming a skilled user of this powerful operating system! At the end of this short course, you will reach the sixth milestone of the C Programming with Linux Specialization, unlocking the door to a career in computer engineering. Your job Outlook: - Programmers, developers, engineers, managers, and related industries within scientific computing and data science; - Embedded systems such as transportation, utility networks, and aerospace; - Robotics industry and manufacturing; - IoT (Internet of Things) used in smart homes, automation, and wearables. - IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology, ranks C as one of the top programming languages of 2017 in demand by employers. (Source: IEEE Spectrum) This course has received financial support from the Patrick & Lina Drahi Foundation.
Let's get coding!
What's included
2 videos9 readings1 assignment3 discussion prompts
2 videos•Total 4 minutes
- Let's get started•2 minutes
- Learn how to use WebLinux•3 minutes
9 readings•Total 59 minutes
- Course syllabus•10 minutes
- Two universities teamed up to offer a new specialization in C Programming with Linux•2 minutes
- The course team•5 minutes
- Collaborative MOOC•1 minute
- Earn a Specialization from Dartmouth and IMT•1 minute
- Get the most out of this course•10 minutes
- Pre-course survey•10 minutes
- Access to WebLinux•10 minutes
- Learn how to post code on the Coursera forum•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
- Are you ready to start?•5 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 17 minutes
- Introduce yourself•5 minutes
- Learn how to post your code•10 minutes
- Technical, general, organisational and other questions•2 minutes
By the end of Week 1, you will be able to describe the background, key dates, and important people of the creation of Linux projects, UNIX, and C. You will also be able to run commonly used pre-installed programs on Linux via the command line interface.
What's included
7 videos1 assignment4 app items
7 videos•Total 47 minutes
- Operating systems genesis: definition, services (files, memory, processes), key dates•4 minutes
- UNIX genesis: MAC projet @ MIT, MULTICS, Thompson & Ritchie•6 minutes
- Linux genesis and history: GNU, Stallman, GPL, Linus Torvals, Linux•4 minutes
- Command line interface, prompt, command options and files data, command cal as example•3 minutes
- First commands: echo 'hello world', date, cal, history, whoami, hostname, uptime, clear, command not found, man, command options•14 minutes
- Interactive commands: top, htop, nano, vim, how to get back to the prompt•11 minutes
- Play with commands: hello, worm, firework, rain, hanoi•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
- Self-assess your learning in the History of Linux and the command line•5 minutes
4 app items•Total 40 minutes
- Activity: OS, UNIX, history and genesis•10 minutes
- Activity: Linux Genesis•10 minutes
- Activity: the command line interface•10 minutes
- Activity: GNU, Linux, Command line, prompt•10 minutes
By the end of Week 2, You will be able to navigate through the Linux Filesystem with the command line interface. You will also be comfortable working with files and in directories using the following skills: creating, deleting, copying, renaming, and moving.
What's included
10 videos1 assignment6 app items
10 videos•Total 101 minutes
- Filesystem•6 minutes
- pwd, cd, ls, absolute path, relative path (1)•15 minutes
- pwd, cd, ls, absolute path, relative path (2)•7 minutes
- Touch, rm, names with spaces•9 minutes
- cat less•20 minutes
- mkdir, rm -r•9 minutes
- Unblock yourself in the command line•7 minutes
- mv: rename and move•10 minutes
- cp, cp -r•4 minutes
- Find locate•14 minutes
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
- Self-assess your learning in The Linux file system •5 minutes
6 app items•Total 70 minutes
- Activities: discovering the filesystem•20 minutes
- Activity: cat less more•10 minutes
- Activity: remove a file and a folder using absolute paths•10 minutes
- Activity: getting unstuck from the command line•10 minutes
- Activity: linux and the files•10 minutes
- Activity: find and locate•10 minutes
By the end of Week 3, you will be able to inspect the memory consumption of processes using the Linux common line interface (CLI), as well as build interactive programs for the CLI in the C programming language. You will also be able to evaluate the average CPU consumption, distinguish between compilation and interpretation of programs, and run/compile a program written in C on Linux.
What's included
10 videos1 reading1 assignment3 app items
10 videos•Total 52 minutes
- Compiler vs interpreter•4 minutes
- Compile a C program automatically on Weblinux•7 minutes
- Compile a C program using GCC•7 minutes
- Memory representation, RAM, cells, word, byte, bit, memory address•4 minutes
- Manage the memory with the command line: free, top, htop•6 minutes
- Memory consumption of a program using htop, virtual memory•9 minutes
- Reboot Weblinux if needed•2 minutes
- Interactive programs in C using scanf, fflush•6 minutes
- Use scanf and file redirection to simulate an input•4 minutes
- Don’t use scanf, use fgets getline or readline•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 1 minute
- Memory representation, RAM, cells, word, byte, bit, memory address•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
- Self-assess your learning in C program compilation with gcc•5 minutes
3 app items•Total 30 minutes
- Activity: compilation•10 minutes
- Activity: Memory with linux•10 minutes
- Activity: Interactive programs•10 minutes
What's included
1 video2 readings
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Let's continue coding•1 minute
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Congratulations•10 minutes
- End of course survey•10 minutes
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Reviewed on Jan 3, 2023
Awesome course and wonderful instructors.Big salute! thanks!
Reviewed on Mar 9, 2026
Excellent videos. I loved the step-by-step learning and the direction the course took me.
Reviewed on May 1, 2023
Excellent course with good explanation and challenging applications.
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