Linux
A highly customizable, open-source operating system kernel that serves as the foundational infrastructure for the vast majority of web servers and cloud environments globally.
What it is
Linux is the backbone of the internet and modern DevOps. Unlike Windows or macOS, it is entirely open-source and exists in various distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, Alpine). Because Docker containers and cloud VMs almost universally run on Linux, mastering its command-line interface is a mandatory skill for deploying and managing backend software.
When you would use it
You interact with Linux constantly via the terminal when deploying servers, managing cloud infrastructure, or writing scripts to automate backend environments.
Common operations
- Hosting web applications and databases on cloud virtual machines.
- Running lightweight, isolated application instances inside Docker containers.