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Software Engineering
Platform Linux
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Shell
Initial Setup

Initial Setup

Want to start using the Linux command-line? This initial setup guide gets you into a working shell environment in minutes. By the end, you’ll have accessed a terminal and executed your first commands.

This tutorial provides 0-5% coverage - just enough to get your shell environment working. For deeper learning, continue to Quick Start (5-30% coverage).

Prerequisites

Before starting with the shell, you need:

  • A Linux system (native installation, WSL2, virtual machine, or live USB)
  • OR a macOS system (Unix-based with similar shell)
  • OR Windows with WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
  • Basic computer literacy (opening applications, using keyboard)
  • Willingness to type commands instead of clicking icons

No prior programming or command-line experience required - this guide starts from zero.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

  1. Access a terminal emulator on your operating system
  2. Verify which shell you’re using (Bash, Zsh, Fish)
  3. Execute basic commands to navigate and inspect your system
  4. Understand the command prompt and command structure
  5. Configure basic shell settings for better usability

Platform-Specific Terminal Access

Choose your operating system and follow the steps to access a terminal.

Linux Native Installation

Step 1: Find Your Terminal Emulator

Most Linux distributions include a terminal emulator by default. Look for:

  • GNOME Desktop (Ubuntu, Fedora): Press Ctrl+Alt+T or search for “Terminal” in Activities
  • KDE Plasma (Kubuntu, openSUSE): Press Ctrl+Alt+T or find “Konsole” in application menu
  • XFCE (Xubuntu): Search for “Terminal Emulator” or “Xfce Terminal”
  • Cinnamon (Linux Mint): Search for “Terminal” in menu
  • i3/Other Tiling WMs: Usually Mod+Enter (check your WM config)

Step 2: Launch Terminal

Click the terminal icon or use the keyboard shortcut. A window appears with text similar to:

username@hostname:~$

This is your command prompt - the shell is ready for commands.

Step 3: Verify You Have Access

Type this command and press Enter:

echo "Hello, Shell!"

Expected output:

Hello, Shell!

If you see this output, your terminal is working correctly.

Common Terminal Emulators on Linux:

  • GNOME Terminal - Default on Ubuntu, simple and functional
  • Konsole - KDE’s feature-rich terminal with tabs and profiles
  • Alacritty - GPU-accelerated, minimal, cross-platform
  • Kitty - GPU-accelerated with image support
  • Terminator - Multiple terminal panes in one window
  • st (simple terminal) - Suckless minimal terminal

macOS Terminal Access

Step 1: Open Terminal Application

macOS includes Terminal.app by default. Access it via:

Method 1: Spotlight Search

  1. Press Cmd+Space to open Spotlight
  2. Type “Terminal”
  3. Press Enter to launch

Method 2: Applications Folder

  1. Open Finder
  2. Navigate to Applications → Utilities
  3. Double-click “Terminal”

Step 2: Verify Terminal Works

After opening Terminal, you’ll see a prompt like:

username@MacBook-Pro ~ %

Test with:

echo "Hello, Shell!"

Expected output:

Hello, Shell!

Alternative: iTerm2 (Recommended)

iTerm2 is a popular Terminal replacement with advanced features:

  1. Download from https://iterm2.com/
  2. Install the downloaded .zip file
  3. Launch iTerm2 from Applications

iTerm2 provides split panes, search, better color support, and extensive customization.

Windows with WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

Step 1: Check if WSL2 is Installed

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

wsl --list --verbose

If you see a Linux distribution listed with version 2, WSL2 is installed. If not, continue to Step 2.

Step 2: Install WSL2 (if needed)

In PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

This installs:

  • WSL2 feature
  • Ubuntu Linux distribution (default)
  • Linux kernel

Restart your computer after installation completes.

Step 3: Launch WSL Terminal

Method 1: Windows Terminal (Recommended)

  1. Install Windows Terminal from Microsoft Store (if not already installed)
  2. Launch Windows Terminal
  3. Click the dropdown arrow next to the + tab button
  4. Select your Linux distribution (e.g., “Ubuntu”)

Method 2: Direct Launch

  1. Press Windows key
  2. Type “Ubuntu” (or your installed distribution name)
  3. Press Enter

Step 4: First Launch Setup

On first launch, you’ll be prompted to:

  1. Create a username (lowercase, no spaces)
  2. Set a password (you won’t see characters as you type - this is normal)
  3. Confirm password

Example:

Enter new UNIX username: alice
New password: [type password - nothing appears]
Retype new password: [type same password]

After setup, you’ll see:

alice@DESKTOP-ABC123:~$

Step 5: Verify WSL Works

echo "Hello, WSL!"

Expected output:

Hello, WSL!

Troubleshooting WSL:

  • If wsl --install fails, ensure you’re running PowerShell as Administrator
  • If WSL1 is installed instead of WSL2, upgrade: wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2
  • If Ubuntu doesn’t start, try wsl --update in PowerShell

Shell Verification

After accessing your terminal, verify which shell you’re using.

Check Your Current Shell 

echo $SHELL

Common outputs:

  • /bin/bash - Bash (Bourne Again Shell)
  • /bin/zsh - Zsh (Z Shell)
  • /usr/bin/fish - Fish (Friendly Interactive Shell)
  • /bin/sh - Bourne Shell (minimal, POSIX-compliant)

Verify Shell Version

For Bash:

bash --version

Output example:

GNU bash, version 5.1.16(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)

For Zsh:

zsh --version

Output example:

zsh 5.8.1 (x86_64-ubuntu-linux-gnu)

For Fish:

fish --version

Output example:

fish, version 3.6.1

Understanding Default Shells

Linux distributions:

  • Ubuntu/Debian: Bash by default
  • Fedora: Bash by default
  • Arch Linux: Bash by default
  • macOS (Catalina and later): Zsh by default
  • macOS (Mojave and earlier): Bash by default

Most tutorials and scripts target Bash for maximum compatibility. This guide focuses on Bash but mentions Zsh/Fish differences where relevant.

First Commands and Command Structure

Let’s execute some basic commands to understand command-line structure.

Command Prompt Anatomy

Your prompt contains information:

username@hostname:current-directory$

Example breakdown:

alice@ubuntu-desktop:~$
  • alice - Your username
  • ubuntu-desktop - Computer hostname
  • ~ - Current directory (~ means home directory)
  • $ - Regular user prompt (# means root/admin user)

Basic Command Structure

Commands follow this pattern:

command [options] [arguments]
  • command - The program to run
  • options - Flags that modify behavior (usually start with - or –)
  • arguments - Inputs to the command (files, directories, text)

Your First Commands

1. Print Working Directory (where am I?)

pwd

Output example:

/home/alice

This shows your current location in the file system.

2. List Directory Contents (what’s here?)

ls

Output example:

Desktop  Documents  Downloads  Music  Pictures  Videos

Shows files and directories in current location.

3. List with Details

ls -l

Output example:

drwxr-xr-x 2 alice alice 4096 Jan 29 10:00 Desktop
drwxr-xr-x 2 alice alice 4096 Jan 29 10:00 Documents
drwxr-xr-x 2 alice alice 4096 Jan 29 10:00 Downloads

Shows permissions, ownership, size, and modification date.

4. List Including Hidden Files

ls -la

Output includes files starting with . (hidden files like .bashrc).

5. Check Command History

history

Shows recently executed commands.

6. Clear Screen

clear

Or press Ctrl+L - clears terminal display (history remains).

Command Execution Examples

Display Text:

echo "This is my first command!"

Output:

This is my first command!

Show Current Date and Time:

date

Output example:

Wed Jan 29 14:30:22 WIB 2025

Show Logged-in Users:

whoami

Output:

alice

Display System Information:

uname -a

Output example:

Linux ubuntu-desktop 5.15.0-91-generic #101-Ubuntu SMP x86_64 GNU/Linux

Understanding Navigation

File system navigation is fundamental to shell usage.

Directory Structure

Linux and macOS use hierarchical directory structure:

/                   # Root directory (top of file system)
├── home/          # User home directories
│   └── alice/     # Your home directory
│       ├── Documents/
│       ├── Downloads/
│       └── Desktop/
├── etc/           # System configuration files
├── usr/           # User programs and libraries
├── var/           # Variable data (logs, temp files)
└── tmp/           # Temporary files

Special Directory Symbols

  • / - Root directory (top of entire file system)
  • ~ - Your home directory (shortcut for /home/username)
  • . - Current directory
  • .. - Parent directory (one level up)
  • - - Previous directory (where you were before)

Change Directory Command

Go to home directory:

cd ~

Or just:

cd

Go to specific directory:

cd Documents

Go up one level:

cd ..

Go to root directory:

cd /

Go back to previous directory:

cd -

Navigation Practice Sequence

Try this sequence to practice navigation:

pwd

cd ~

ls

cd Documents

pwd

cd ..

pwd

Basic Shell Configuration

Configure your shell for better usability.

View Shell Configuration Files

Bash uses these configuration files:

  • ~/.bashrc - Configuration for interactive shells
  • ~/.bash_profile - Configuration for login shells
  • ~/.profile - Generic shell configuration

Zsh uses:

  • ~/.zshrc - Main Zsh configuration

Fish uses:

  • ~/.config/fish/config.fish - Fish configuration

Check if Configuration Files Exist 

ls -la ~ | grep bash

Output shows .bashrc and other bash-related files.

View Current Configuration 

cat ~/.bashrc

This displays your Bash configuration. Don’t worry if you don’t understand it yet - we’ll cover this in later tutorials.

Simple Customization: Add Color to ls

Edit your .bashrc (for Bash) or .zshrc (for Zsh):

nano ~/.bashrc

Add this line at the end:

alias ls='ls --color=auto'

Save and exit:

  • Press Ctrl+O to save
  • Press Enter to confirm filename
  • Press Ctrl+X to exit

Reload configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Now ls shows colored output (directories in blue, executables in green, etc.).

Understanding Command Aliases

Aliases create shortcuts for longer commands.

View current aliases:

alias

Create temporary alias (lasts until you close terminal):

alias ll='ls -la'

Now typing ll executes ls -la.

Make alias permanent: Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc.

Useful Shell Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts improve shell efficiency.

Navigation Shortcuts

  • Ctrl+A - Move cursor to beginning of line
  • Ctrl+E - Move cursor to end of line
  • Ctrl+U - Delete from cursor to beginning of line
  • Ctrl+K - Delete from cursor to end of line
  • Ctrl+W - Delete word before cursor
  • Ctrl+L - Clear screen (same as clear command)

History Shortcuts

  • Up Arrow - Previous command in history
  • Down Arrow - Next command in history
  • Ctrl+R - Search command history (type to search, Enter to execute)
  • !! - Repeat last command
  • !$ - Last argument of previous command

Command Execution Shortcuts

  • Tab - Auto-complete commands and file names
  • Ctrl+C - Cancel current command (interrupt)
  • Ctrl+D - Exit shell (or send EOF)
  • Ctrl+Z - Suspend current command (move to background)

Practice These Shortcuts

Try this exercise:

  1. Type a long command: echo "This is a very long message for practice"
  2. Press Ctrl+A - cursor jumps to start
  3. Press Ctrl+E - cursor jumps to end
  4. Press Ctrl+U - entire line deleted
  5. Press Up Arrow - previous command returns
  6. Press Enter - execute command again

Verify Your Setup Works

Let’s confirm everything is functioning correctly.

Test 1: Shell Access

Open a new terminal window. You should see a command prompt.

Test 2: Basic Commands 

pwd && ls && whoami

Should print: current directory, directory contents, and your username.

Test 3: Navigation 

cd ~ && pwd && cd Documents && pwd && cd ..

Should navigate to home, then Documents, then back.

Test 4: History 

history | tail -5

Shows your last 5 commands.

Test 5: Tab Completion

Type ec and press Tab. It should complete to echo (or show options if multiple commands start with “ec”).

All tests passed? Your shell setup is complete!

Summary

What you’ve accomplished:

  • Accessed a terminal emulator on your operating system
  • Verified which shell you’re using (Bash, Zsh, or Fish)
  • Executed basic commands to navigate and inspect your system
  • Understood command prompt structure and command syntax
  • Learned essential keyboard shortcuts for efficiency
  • Configured basic shell settings with aliases

Key commands learned:

  • pwd - Print working directory (current location)
  • ls - List directory contents
  • cd - Change directory
  • echo - Print text to output
  • whoami - Display current username
  • date - Show current date and time
  • clear - Clear terminal screen
  • history - Show command history
  • alias - Create command shortcuts

Skills gained:

  • Platform-specific terminal access
  • Shell identification and version checking
  • Basic command execution and syntax understanding
  • File system navigation concepts
  • Configuration file awareness

Next Steps

Ready to learn essential shell commands?

  • Quick Start (5-30% coverage) - Touch all core shell concepts in a fast-paced tour

Want comprehensive command mastery?

  • Beginner Tutorial (0-60% coverage) - Deep dive into shell fundamentals with extensive practice

Prefer code-first learning?

Want to understand shell philosophy?

  • Overview - Why command-line interfaces matter and when to use them

Troubleshooting Common Issues

“Command not found” errors

Problem: Shell doesn’t recognize commands.

Solution:

  • Verify correct spelling: ls not 1s (lowercase L, not number 1)
  • Check if command is installed: which ls shows path if installed
  • Some commands need installation: sudo apt install <package> (Ubuntu/Debian)

Terminal doesn’t open (Linux)

Problem: Terminal emulator won’t launch.

Solution:

  • Try alternative keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+F2 opens TTY terminal
  • Install terminal emulator: sudo apt install gnome-terminal (if using GNOME)
  • Check if desktop environment is running properly

WSL2 Ubuntu fails to start (Windows)

Problem: WSL distribution won’t launch.

Solution:

  • Update WSL: wsl --update in PowerShell (as Administrator)
  • Restart WSL service: wsl --shutdown then relaunch Ubuntu
  • Check WSL version: wsl --list --verbose (should show version 2)
  • Reinstall distribution: wsl --unregister Ubuntu then wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Permission denied errors

Problem: Can’t execute commands or access files.

Solution:

  • Don’t use sudo unless necessary (avoid sudo for normal file operations)
  • Check file permissions: ls -l filename
  • For system operations requiring root, use sudo: sudo apt update
  • Never run sudo rm or sudo chmod without understanding consequences

Colors don’t appear in terminal

Problem: ls output is monochrome.

Solution:

  • Add alias to ~/.bashrc: alias ls='ls --color=auto'
  • Reload config: source ~/.bashrc
  • Check terminal supports colors: Most modern terminals do
  • Try different terminal emulator if problem persists

Shortcuts don’t work

Problem: Ctrl+A, Ctrl+E, etc. don’t work as expected.

Solution:

  • Verify you’re in Bash/Zsh (Fish uses different shortcuts)
  • Check terminal emulator hasn’t reassigned shortcuts
  • Some shortcuts conflict with desktop environment keybindings
  • Try in different terminal emulator (Alacritty, Kitty, iTerm2)

Further Resources

Official Documentation:

Interactive Learning:

Books and Guides:

Community:

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