7 Websites That Offer Free Online Linux Courses

Free online Linux courses that are either affiliated or not, generally offer self-study material and do not provide academic credits. Some of the material that we bring to you today is offered through schools' OpenCourseWare (OCW) projects and can be found in PDF, video and screenshots formats. Though content is usually directed towards 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.

1. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5.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.

6. 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.

7. 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.