- [Instructor] I've been discussing web development
and hosting in greater amounts of detail.
Most web servers use Linux as an operating system
and we're going to be using Linux in this course, as well.
With that said, before you start using any tool
having context about what it is
and why it's being recommended
will deepen your understanding about the system
that you're using.
Blindly repeating accents without being able
to question or justify why, isn't learning.
Therefore, let's explore what Linux is
and why it's a good option for development.
Let's step back, and answer a different question first.
What is an operating system?
In the purest sense, it's software needed to run
programs on a computer.
Common examples of operating systems include
Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS.
An operating system manages the computer's hardware
as an intermediary, meaning programs only need to know
how to talk to the operating system
not how to work with the CPU, or other peripherals.
Additionally, an OS provides common services
such as user interactions through a graphical user interface
or a command line.
They also have the ability to manage programs
by performing tasks such as installing,
running, stopping services, and so forth.
With that context, Linux is a free and open-source
operating system.
That does not necessarily refer to
the price of the software.
To quote the free software foundation
think of free, as in free speech.
Not as in free beer.
More on that in a moment.
Linux is modeled on Unix
which is a family multitasking, multiuser operating system
that has been around since the 70s.
Linux is available on pretty much any computer
hardware platform.
Young and old, off the shelf to hand built.
In fact, Linux is the leading server operating system
in the world.
And that's no small feat.
I mentioned free and open-source software
just a moment ago
as that's a core value that has led to
the development and spread of Linux.
Free and open-source software is a movement
by the GNU project.
Yes, I'm pronouncing that correctly.
Free is an interesting term,
in this context, it means the freedom to copy,
edit, and distribute both the source
and the program itself.
This empowers users to change the software
to fit their needs.
The ultimate in flexibility.
Open-source explicitly refers to the source code
that is available to read, and modify.
The advantage of open-source software
is that it takes a collaborative process
of a group of people to develop and maintain software.
Sounds good in concept, but why does it matter?
Well, collaboration results in a much better product
than the efforts of an individual
or a group with only one perspective.
Also, the free aspect can minimize or eliminate
the direct financial costs through the use
of core software.
As someone who works almost exclusively with
open-source technologies, I can tell you that
the true cost of free and open-source software is time.
What's your time worth?
Free and open-source software also offers
a wide variety of quality software for you to use
that is peer created, reviewed,
and designed to be built upon.
This allows you to focus on developing
your own core product, rather than reinventing the wheel.
Finally, this freedom also has fostered
a large community support base
both online, and offline.
There are books, wikis, forums,
chats, meetups and conferences
all of which are for sharing knowledge.
In short, Linux is an excellent and viable option
for a server operating system
and can be used freely for both commercial
and non-commercial work.
All right, so how do I get started with using Linux?
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