Although we often talk about Linux being simple and we try to make people lose their fear of this operating system, in reality the potential that this OS hides is immense. As we use this operating system, we gain more and more knowledge to gradually master all aspects of the operating system. However, there are times when we can accommodate ourselves and, due to habit or laziness, we adopt bad habits that can make us less productive or stagnate when performing certain tasks in Linux.
There is a lot to discover within a system like Linux. If we only stay on the desktop and applications with a graphical interface, GUI, we will only be scratching the surface of everything that this system can offer us. Therefore, if we are a little advanced users, or we are thinking of increasing our knowledge in Linux , we leave you some essential tips or tricks that we should never overlook.
Forget the desktop: jump to the terminal
Distributions, like Ubuntu , have a very intuitive desktop. Users who come from other systems, such as macOS or Windows, will have no problem getting it. However, if we tie ourselves to the desktop we will be limiting the potential of this system.
The terminal, or command line, is what will allow us to unleash the full potential of this operating system. We can open a terminal with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T , or switch to a full TTY using the shortcut Control + Alt and the keys from F1 to F6.
Once we get a little familiar with the terminal, we can memorize more commands. In this way, we can launch applications from it, edit the system configuration, program … everything we want to do. And we will do it as true experts.
Learn how to install Linux correctly
When we install an operating system like Ubuntu, it installs completely on a partition. However, when installing Ubuntu it is advisable to create several mount points so that a part of the system can be installed in each of them. Thus, for example, we can have a space for the system files, another for the temporary data, our profile folder, the exchange, etc. We can also create an independent partition for the boot so that we can always have it located and repair it in seconds without altering the system.
In addition, if we want to protect our data, it is necessary to activate the encryption functions for the partitions, or mount points, where there is personal data. The rest, the system partitions, by not storing sensitive information, do not have to be encrypted, thus improving the overall performance of Linux.
Control processes and daemons
Like any other operating system, Linux needs to load into memory a series of processes and services, commonly called ” daemons ” or daemons, in order to function normally. Without them, the system and its components would not function. And if we don’t control them, our distro could get out of control and not perform as it should.
Although Ubuntu has its own task manager, since we are advanced users and we are dominating the terminal, we recommend using another alternative such as htop . Thanks to it, we can see everything that is running on the system, know the details of all the daemons and finish everything that we do not want to have on the PC.
Don’t be afraid to root, be root
One of the main security measures for Linux systems is advanced permission control. Thanks to it, we can be sure that no unauthorized user accesses parts of the system where they should not, and that programs cannot make changes to the system that they should not.
But there are times when either we, or other programs, need to access restricted parts of the system. And this is where root comes into play. Root, or root user , is the user who has the most permissions on the system. It is the super-user. It can access all parts of the distro and make changes to even the most critical files.
If we have to make these changes, it is not necessary to depend on programs to help us do so, we can do them ourselves by invoking root using the “sudo” command. What we must do is make sure that this super-user has a strong and secure password , since otherwise we could endanger our PC.
Create your own Linux kernel
Distributions usually bring their own Linux kernels, revised and specially adapted to work on them. But these are not the best. The best way to get the most out of Linux is to compile your own kernels. In doing so, a version of the Kernel is created specially prepared to work on our PC , on our hardware. In addition, so we can always be with the latest version of the kernel, something that, in general, distributions do not usually bring.
Leave Ubuntu and switch to a purer distro, like Arch
Do you feel like a Linux expert? Then it is time to put Ubuntu aside. As a gateway to the Linux ecosystem it is one of the best options, but for advanced users it may not be so much. Once we feel very comfortable with Linux, let’s master the terminal, how to install the system and fear nothing, it is time to install another distro, such as Arch Linux .
Arch is a much smaller, more modular system that almost has to be set up from scratch. Avoiding installing unnecessary programs and services helps us achieve the best possible performance, but you have to dedicate time and, above all, know how to do it. From the Arch installation to the updates and the day to day this distro may seem like a challenge, but in the end we will end up with it.
