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Christopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsWhat is ubuntu? What is SQL? Why would I use Linux? What is "from source"? Why doesn't this course explain the whys?
So I'm going through this course about the console (which I thought would be about the web dev tools console) and it turns out it's about Linux.
I've taken about 25 pages of notes because I am just not familiar with any of this.
My biggest problem is , why am I not being told why I'm learning this? What is all this? When do I use this? Why would I use this? What is SQL? Am I supposed to remember any of this?
I mean I get what's going on kind of, I've never seen Linux before so I guess I just don't get why I'm learning this. Is this used in web development?
2 Answers
William Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 PointsLinux an operating system, much like MacOS or Windows; but Linux has many different distributions, Ubuntu is arguably the most popular one among them all.
This console foundations course teaches you how to use the Command Line Interface, Linux OS doesn't lack the Graphical User Interface, but oftentimes we perform a lot of tasks via the Termianl (console) by typing lines upon lines of commands. That's linux' way of doing things
The knowledge of command line is an essential skill for today's web developer. Most of the web servers are running some flavors of Linux, and to interact w/ it, you need some console skills; Additionally, a lot of today's most popular web fraemworks/libraries/toolsets were written as console application in mind, having a basic familiarity with console goes a long way.
Kevin Korte
28,149 PointsAlso, SQL is stuctured query language, many databases are a sql based platform. MySQL being a popular one. And NoSQL, is what it sounds like, it's not sql, it actually has no structures, hints the name.
You should practice by installing Linux in a virtual box on your machine. It'll get you familiar with both, really fast. The computer I have to work on is Windows 10, but I actually write all of my code on Ubuntu running inside a virtual box on Windows.
Lots of tutorials out there, find a recent one and give it a go.
Christopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsThank you I will do that.
Kevin Korte
28,149 PointsHave fun, I'd try to link you the tutorial I used, but it's probably way too old to be much use now. I did it, and I had no idea what I was doing, took me about 4 hours. The nice part about a virtual box is if you completely screw up the OS, just delete the box and start over, no harm to your actual computer software.
Christopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsChristopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsThanks for the answer, but I still don't understand the "when". When would I use this? Nothing before has used this. Am I only learning it because when I enter a job, they're going to be using this?
William Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 PointsWilliam Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 Pointsthe knowledge of this course will come in handy when you need to config/manage a Linux web server, or when using a piece of web tool that's written as command line app.
can't speak for the rest of the world, but in the area where I live (San Francisco bay area), the knowledge of command line is pretty much a must-have for every web developer job position
Christopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsChristopher Lebbano
15,338 PointsThanks again. Is there anything online you would recommend to learn more about ubuntu? Or maybe a book. Maybe something that ties what I've learned here with the console? Basically I still don't get how the two use each other (javascript and the command line)