Top 10 Linux articles, top 5 tutorials

In reverse order by popularity, here are the Linux articles and tutorials that developerWorks readers found most interesting.

1. Bash by example, Part 2

   Once again, "Bash by example, Part 2" comes in number 1! Learn to leverage your existing UNIX® expertise with knowledge of bash programming fundamentals like conditional (if-then) statements, looping constructs, and shell arithmetics. Remember—bash is already here so don't get left behind. (See more in the Bash series.)

2. Scripting the Vim editor, Part 1: Variables, values, and expressions

   Got enough pep? Need more vigor in your life? Then you obviously want to be using Vim, the most popular modern variant of vi. This article demonstrates how to use Vimscript to recraft and extend the already powerful Vim editor by introducing the basic components—values, variables, expressions, functions, commands—the list is endless. (Disclaimer: The list is not really endless.)

3. Bash by example, Part 1

   And what good is half a party? That's why this bash needs a beginning. In this article, meet bash and its environment variables and string handling; attend a mini-seminar on the if statement. (See more in the Bash series.)

4. Common threads: Awk by example, Part 1

   First in a three-part series, learn how awk handles multiple logical fields, how to pass external scripts to awk, how to use regular expressions with code blocks, how to wrangle numeric and string variables, and what to do with those lovely, C-like conditional/if statements. (See more in the Awk series.)

5. Inside the Linux boot process

   You start with the initial bootstrap and end up at the beginning of your first user-space application. And along the way you'll encounter other Linux boot process topics like boot loaders, kernel decompression, and the initial RAM disk. Come see why the flow of booting a Linux system is remarkably similar whether you're booting a standard x86 desktop or a deeply embedded PowerPC® target.

6. Visualize your data with gnuplot

   This article just will not go away—guess a picture is worth a thousand lines of code! Learn to make your charts (graphs, plots) beautiful with Gnuplot 4.0, a freely distributed plotting tool.

7. Anatomy of Linux process management

   In this jewel from the "Anatomy of ..." series, join our expert as he reviews the life cycle of Linux processes and explores the kernel internals to differentiate the Linux versions of user process creation, memory management, scheduling, and death from the UNIX versions of these mechanisms. (See more in the Anatomy of... series.)

8. Boot Linux faster

   If you agree that booting faster is booting better, you'll want to improve the boot speed of your Linux system without compromising its usability. In this article, discover a technique that involves understanding system services and their dependencies and having them start up in parallel, rather than sequentially, whenever possible.

9. Reduce your Linux memory footprint

   These five tweaks—to the environment, apps, services/settings, optimization methods, and your expectations—are the basis for a boatload of advice on how to reduce your memory requirements. (We even show you how to accurately measure the amount of memory your system is using.)

10. Migrating to ext4

    In this article on the best little file system in the world, learn when to adopt ext4, how to adapt traditional file system maintenance tools to it, and how to get the best performance out of the latest, most popular Linux file system.

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1. LPI exam 101 prep, Topic 101: Hardware and architecture

   Learn to configure your system hardware with Linux. By the end of this tutorial, you will know how Linux configures the hardware found on a modern PC and where to look if you have problems. (See more LPI exam prep tutorials.)

2. LPI exam 101 prep, Topic 102: Linux installation and package management

   Learn how Linux uses disk partitions, how Linux boots, and how to install and manage software packages. (See more LPI exam prep tutorials.)

3. LPI exam 101 prep, Topic 103: GNU and UNIX commands

   Get an introduction to common GNU and UNIX commands. By the end of this tutorial, you will know how to use commands in the bash shell, including how to use text processing commands and filters, how to search files and directories, and how to manage processes. (See more LPI exam prep tutorials.)

4. Build an embedded Linux distro from scratch

   Learn to build a custom Linux distribution for use in an embedded environment. Plumb the depths of cross-compiling, the boot loader, file systems, the root file system, disk images, and the boot process, all with commentary to help you tie general information about these components to the decisions you'll make as you build the system and create the distribution.

5. Hardening the Linux server

   GNU/Linux servers are primary targets for attack (as are all servers), but by taking the right precautions, you can harden your server from intrusions. This tutorial demonstrates how to secure SSH sessions, configure firewall rules, and set up intrusion detection. Written by an IT security specialist. (See both Hardening tutorials.)

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