WK2 Linux architecture Flashcards
The components of Linux
The components of Linux include the user, applications, the shell, the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, the kernel, and the hardware
Linux User
The user is the person interacting with the computer. In Linux, you’re the first element to the architecture of the operating system. You’re initiating the tasks or commands that the OS is going to execute. Linux is a multi-user system. This means that more than one user can use the system’s resources at the same time.
Linux Applications
The second element of the architecture is the applications within a system. An application is a program that performs a specific task, such as a word processor or a calculator. You might hear the word “applications” and “programs” used interchangeably. As an example, one popular Linux application that we’ll learn more about later is Nano. Nano is a text editor. This simple application helps you keep notes on the screen. Linux applications are commonly distributed through package managers. We’ll learn more about this process later.
Linux Shell
The next component in the architecture of Linux is the shell. This is an important element because it is how you will communicate with the system. The shell is a command line interpreter. It processes commands and outputs the results. This might sound familiar. Previously, we learned about the two types of user interfaces: the GUI and the CLI. You can think of the shell as a CLI.
Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
Another element of the architecture of Linux is the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, or FHS. It’s the component of the Linux OS that organizes data. An easy way for you to think about the FHS is to think about it as a filing cabinet of data. The FHS is how data is stored in a system. It’s a way to organize data so that it can be found when the data is accessed by the system.
Linux Kernel
The kernel is a component of the Linux OS that manages processes and memory. The kernel communicates with the hardware to execute the commands sent by the shell. The kernel uses drivers to enable applications to execute tasks. The Linux kernel helps ensure that the system allocates resources more efficiently and makes the system work faster.
Linux Hardware
Finally, the last component of the architecture is the hardware. Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer. You can compare this to software applications which can be downloaded into a system. The hardware in your computer are things like the CPU, mouse, and keyboard.
