Module 1~8 min
The Terminal and Shell
Much of working with Linux happens through the terminal, typing commands into a shell. This lesson introduces both.
What You'll Learn
- What the terminal is
- What a shell is
- Why the command line is so central to Linux
The Terminal
The terminal is a text-based window where you type commands instead of clicking icons. It gives direct, precise control over the system.
The Shell
The shell is the program that actually interprets the commands you type in the terminal and carries them out. Bash is one of the most common shells used on Linux.
Example
Typing a simple command like `ls` into the terminal sends it to the shell, which interprets it and lists the files in the current directory.
Key Concepts
TerminalShellBash
Key Takeaways
- The terminal is a text-based interface for typing commands
- The shell interprets and executes those commands
- Bash is one of the most commonly used shells on Linux
Knowledge Check
What does the shell do?