Linux

Learn Basic Linux Using Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Setting Up a Practice Server

Sudeep Shrestha

03 Sep 2025 • 5 min read

Linux is one of the most powerful and widely used operating systems in the world. Whether you’re looking to start a career in IT, manage your own home lab, or simply understand how servers work, learning Linux is an essential skill. In this guide, we’ll walk through setting up Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as a server and practicing basic Linux command-line skills.

Why Ubuntu 24.04 LTS?

Ubuntu is one of the most beginner-friendly Linux distributions. The LTS (Long-Term Support) version is stable, well-documented, and supported for five years, making it an ideal choice for learners. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is the latest release, offering up-to-date features while still being reliable and its free to use for everyone.

Setting Up Your Practice Server

You don’t need expensive hardware to learn Linux. Here are a few ways to set up your Ubuntu server:

1. Virtual Machine (Recommended for Beginners)

Install Hypervisor like Virtual-box or Proxmox on your computer.
Download Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Server ISO from the official website.
Create a new VM, allocate at least 2GB RAM and 20GB disk space, then boot from the ISO and install Ubuntu.

2. Bare Metal (Dedicated Machine)

If you have an old PC or laptop, you can install Ubuntu Server directly on it. or Raspberry pi (SBC) can be affordable option to learn linux. Which i started my linux journey playing with it on some small projects.

3. Cloud Instance (Optional)

Platforms like AWS, DigitalOcean, Oracle Cloud or Linode let you spin up an Ubuntu server quickly. Great for remote practice, but may cost a small fee. Usually most Cloud Providers provides Free Tier which is enough compute resource to learn linux.

First Steps After Installation

Once your server is ready, connect your server via SSH or direct connect using keyboard, log in with your username and password. You’ll be greeted by the command line. Don’t worry—it may look intimidating at first, but it’s where all the learning begins.

Basic Linux Commands to Learn

Here are essential commands every beginner should practice:

pwd # Print working directory ls # List files ls -l # List with details cd /path # Change directory

2. File Operations

touch file.txt # Create a new empty file nano file.txt # Edit file in nano editor cat file.txt # View file content cp file.txt backup/ # Copy file mv file.txt docs/ # Move file rm file.txt # Delete file

3. Directories

mkdir myfolder # Create directory rmdir myfolder # Remove empty directory rm -r myfolder # Remove directory with files

4. System Information

uname -a # Show system information hostnamectl # Show hostname & OS details df -h # Disk usage free -h # Memory usage uptime # How long the server has been running

5. User Management

whoami # Show current user id # Show user ID sudo adduser testuser # Create new user sudo passwd testuser # Set password

6. Package Management (APT)

sudo apt update # Update package list sudo apt upgrade # Upgrade installed packages sudo apt install htop # Install a package sudo apt remove htop # Remove a package

7. Process Management

ps aux # Show running processes top # Monitor system processes htop # Better process viewer (if installed) kill PID # Kill a process by ID

8. Networking

ip a # Show network interfaces ping google.com # Test network connection curl ifconfig.me # Show public IP address

Understanding File Permissions in Linux

In Linux, everything is a file — your documents, programs, even devices like hard drives. To keep things secure, Linux uses a permission system to define who can read, write, or execute each file.

Every file and folder in Linux has permissions that control who can read (r), write (w), or execute (x) it.

Check permissions with:

ls -l

Example:

-rw-r--r-- 1 sudeep sudeep 1200 Aug 23 notes.txt

Breakdown:

First - → file type (- = file, d = directory)
rw- → Owner (read + write)
r-- → Group (read only)
r-- → Others (read only)

Changing Permissions

Use chmod:

chmod 755 script.sh # Owner: rwx, Group: r-x, Others: r-x chmod u+x file.sh # Add execute for user (owner)

Changing Ownership

Use chown:

sudo chown student:student file.txt

Practice Ideas for Beginners

Create and organize directories for projects, documents, and backups.
Write a text file using nano and read it with cat.
Install and run basic tools like htop and ncdu.
Create a new user and switch accounts.
Explore logs under /var/log/.
Use sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade to keep your server updated.

Next Steps

Once you’re comfortable with basic commands, you can move on to:

Setting up a web server (Apache or NGINX).
Hosting a personal website.
Managing services with systemctl.
Learning about permissions & ownership (chmod, chown).

Conclusion

Learning Linux with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is one of the best investments in your IT journey. By setting up your own practice server and experimenting with commands, you’ll gain hands-on experience that builds confidence. Start small, practice daily, and soon the Linux command line will feel like second nature.

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