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Sites Offering Free Linux Courses Online

See our list of the top free online Linux courses. Learn what courses are available and what topics they cover to find the course that's right for you.

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Online Linux Course General Information and Requirements

Free online Linux courses, whether affiliated with universities or not, are generally intended for self-study and aren't offered for academic credit. Some material is offered through schools' OpenCourseWare (OCW) projects. Most Linux course materials include PDF, video and screenshots. Though content is usually directed toward first time users of Linux systems, the IBM and the University of California at Davis' offerings cater to intermediate users. Students may need to have access to their own computers running Linux in order to complete some lessons.

Free Online Linux Course List

Back to Basics: Linux Fundamentals at Novell

This free tutorial is geared towards individuals interested in learning Linux fundamentals through self-directed study. This course focuses on functions such as restarting and shutting down the Open Enterprise Server, logging in and out and managing the Linux desktop. Students can access a cheat sheet with the most common command terms used in Linux.

Building Dynamic Websites at Harvard University

This online OCW course covers the knowledge needed to build a website. Consisting of various video lectures, this tutorial instructs individuals on how to build a website using Linux, as well as various other frameworks. Students learn how to set up domains, design databases, program with Java and build web pages using CSS (cascading style sheets) and XHTML (extensible hypertext markup language). There are sample projects in PDF format.

Computational Physics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

The focus of this course is to teach students how to do physics calculations using a computer as a calculator. They also learn Java programming in a Linux environment. Through external website links, this online course teaches students about using algorithms and working within the Linux operating system.

The Embedded Linux Quick Start Guide through YouTube

The free tutorial, which lasts less than an hour, provides learners with an introduction to the Linux environment. Narrated by Chris Simmonds at a 2010 Embedded Linux Conference Europe, this video is the first in a 3-part series on Linux. Students learn the four basic elements of Linux: toolchain, boot loader, kernel and user space.

Introduction to Linux at the University of South Carolina

A simple introductory tutorial of slides in PDF format, this course material shares basic information about what Linux is, the different versions - or distributions - available, and how to use it. Files, folders, pages, commands and writing script are some of the topics and tools this course covers.

The Linux Effect: 20th Anniversary at The Open University

Offered as an online podcast training, the Linux Effect offers information on the Linux operating system and how it's advanced through the years. Students learn the origin of Linux, how Linux is used in our daily lives and the connection between Linux and cloud computing. Students need a PDF viewer, such as Adobe Reader, to complete this course.

LPI Exam 201 Prep: Linux Kernel at IBM

In this free tutorial series, users prepare for the Linux Professional Institute Intermediate Level Administration (LPIC-2) Exam 201. The first tutorial guides students through the components, compiling, patching and customizing of a Linux kernel. Other topics in the series include system maintenance, web services, hardware and troubleshooting.

Programming Technique II: Introduction to Linux at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

This free OCW course provides students with an understanding of the Linux operating system, as well as how it interacts with computer hardware and various computer programs. It also introduces basic commands used in Linux programming and how to set up files and directories.

UNIX and Linux Tutorial Center at the University of California at Davis

These materials aim to equip novice and intermediate students with a large variety of UNIX and Linux information. PDF files cover beginner to intermediate levels, including the definition and application of shells, as well as how to create, view and modify files and directories. Tutorials include text editors and C programming. The site also has useful links to other software tutorials for related programs such as Java and Perl.

UNIX / Linux Tutorial for Beginners at the University of Surrey

This school offers eight free tutorials on fundamental definitions and exercises for UNIX and Linux systems. Useful tasks students may learn include using directories, copying and moving files, killing a process, stripping needless code, getting help, file system security and redirection. Each tutorial provides a helpful summary of commands and their meanings.

Earn Real Credit from Free Courses

While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.

Option #1: CLEP Exams

The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.

Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam

Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.

Learn how Education Portal Academy will pay you to earn credit!

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25 Popular Schools

The schools in the listing below are not free but are popular choices among our users. Tuition and costs will vary across programs and locations. Be sure to always request tuition information before starting a program.