Important Linux terms
Names and abbreviations you should know
Here's a list of important terms you should know when working with Linux:
- Arch: A popular Linux distribution known for its rolling release model.
- Block device: The building block of storage.
- Command line interface or CLI: A text-based interface for interacting with the operating system.
- Container: A lightweight, isolated environment for running applications and their dependencies.
- Cron: A time-based job scheduler in Linux-like operating systems.
- Daemon: A background process that runs on a Linux system.
- Debian: A popular Linux distribution.
- Device: A physical or virtual component that is accessible to the system.
- DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, a service that assigns IP addresses to devices on a network.
- Directory: A container for files and other directories.
- Distro: Short for distribution, a version of Linux with its own set of packages and tools.
- DNS: Domain Name System, a service that translates domain names to IP addresses.
- ext4: A popular file system for Linux.
- FAT: A popular file system for USB sticks.
- Fedora: A popular Linux distribution sponsored by Red Hat.
- File: A collection of data stored on a Linux system.
- FTP: File Transfer Protocol, a standard for transferring files over a network.
- Gentoo: A popular Linux distribution known for its flexibility and customization options.
- gid: The identifier for a group.
- Group: A collection of users that can be assigned permissions as a single unit.
- Grub: A boot loader for Linux systems.
- GUI: Graphical User Interface
- Hypervisor: A software that allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical host.
- ICMP: Ping to test if a server replies.
- IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol, a standard for accessing email on a mail server.
- IOWait: A metric for measuring performance.
- IRQ: A hardware signal to the CPU.
- Kerberos: A network authentication protocol that uses secret-key cryptography.
- Kernel: The core of the operating system that manages system resources and communicates with hardware.
- LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, a standard for storing and retrieving directory information.
- Load average: A measure for system performance.
- Logging: Recording of events that have occurred on a Linux system.
- LVM: Logical Volume Manager, a system for managing and organizing disk storage.
- Man Page: Documentation for commands and functionalities.
- Mounting: Making data on a device accessible.
- NFS: Network File System, a protocol for sharing files over a network.
- NTFS: Microsoft's file system for Linux.
- NTP: Network Time Protocol, a service that synchronizes the clocks of networked devices.
- Operating system: A software layer between hardware and applications.
- Package: A collection of software that can be installed and managed as a single unit.
- Partition: A section of a storage device that is set aside for a specific use or file system.
- Permission: The level of access a user or group has to a file or directory.
- PID: The identifier of a running process.
- Pipe: A feature that allows the output of one command to be used as the input for another command.
- POP3: Post Office Protocol version 3, a standard for retrieving email from a mail server.
- Process: A program that is currently running on a Linux system.
- RAID: Redundant Array of Independent Disks, a system for providing data redundancy and increased performance.
- RDP: A protocol for remotely accessing Windows servers.
- Repository: A collection of packages that can be installed on a Linux system.
- Root: The superuser account on a Linux system.
- SCP: Secure Copy Protocol, a command-line utility for securely transferring files over SSH.
- SELinux: A security enhancement to the Linux kernel that provides a mechanism for supporting access control policies.
- Service: A program that runs in the background and provides a specific function.
- SFTP: Secure File Transfer Protocol, a secure variant of FTP that uses SSH for encryption.
- Shell: A command-line interface that allows users to interact with the operating system.
- Slackware: A popular Linux distribution known for its simplicity and stability.
- SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a standard for sending email.
- SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol, a standard for monitoring network devices.
- SSH: A protocol for securely connecting to remote servers.
- SSH-key: A key pair for securely logging in to a remote server over SSH.
- Superuser: The root account on a Linux system.
- Symlink: A special type of file that points to another file or directory.
- Syslog: A standard for logging system events.
- TCP: A widely used communication protocol.
- Terminal: A program that provides a command-line interface.
- Ubuntu: A popular Linux distribution based on Debian.
- UDP: A widely used communication protocol.
- uid: The identifier of a user.
- User: A regular account on a Linux system.
- UUID: An identifier that is almost unique.
- VFAT: A file system for USB drives.
- Virtual machine: A simulation of a computer system, created using virtualization software.
- Virtualization: The process of creating a virtual environment on a physical machine, allowing multiple operating systems to run on the same hardware.
- VNC: A protocol for remotely accessing graphical desktop environments.
- XFS: A file system for linux.
- ZFS: Another file system for linux.