Course content
- Module 1: Introduction to SSH 15m
- Module 2: Setting Up Your Environment 30m
- Module 3: SSH for Remote Access 30m
- Module 4: Linux Command Basics 1h
- Module 5: Editing Text Files in Linux Terminal 30m
- Module 6: SSH Key Based Authentication 30m
- Module 7: Securing SSH 45m
- Module 8: Copy Files Over SSH Using SCP 15m
- Module 9: Advanced Tips to Handle Extended Operations and Shaky Connections 15m
SSH is a must-know tool for sysadmins and developers. Your production or test server usually lives somewhere remote, and SSH is how you reach it. You connect from your local machine, run commands on the remote server, and manage it as if you were sitting right in front of it.
This is an absolute beginner's course. It doesn't assume you know SSH, the terminal, or a single Linux command. You start from zero and build up to setting up keys and securing your SSH access properly.
⏳ Time to complete: Approx. 4 hours
📋 Prerequisite: None
📹 Type: Primarily video course
What will you learn?
In this crash course on Linux commands, you'll learn the following:
- What is SSH and why you should use it
- How to set up a lab environment with VirtualBox
- How to use SSH between two systems
- Basic Linux commands
- Basic text editing in the terminal
- How to configure key based authentication
- Best practices to secure SSH
- How to copy files between remote systems with SCP
- How to maintain continuous SSH connection using screen or nohup commands
Who this course is for
This course is for Linux beginners, aspiring sysadmins, network admins, and software developers, or anyone who just wants to get comfortable with SSH. If you've never opened a terminal, you're exactly the reader this is written for.
If you have used SSH before, you can still use it to brush up on the basics you may have forgotten.
Prerequisite
There's no real requirement here. You should know how to use a computer, and that's about it.
The course presumes you're an absolute beginner to SSH and Linux commands. Everything else is covered as you go.
How to use this course?
You can simply watch the videos to see things in action.
That said, I highly recommend you follow the steps on your own system as you go. That's the best way to make it stick.
Each lesson also comes with text, so when you want to revise, you can quickly read through it instead of replaying the video. The chapters stay visible in the left sidebar, and the sub-sections of each chapter sit in the right sidebar. You'll also find next and previous navigation at the bottom of every chapter.
Got a doubt? You can use the comment section under each chapter. Let's start learning SSH.
FAQ
What is SSH, in plain terms?
SSH (Secure Shell) is a way to securely connect to another computer over the network and control it from the command line. Admins use it to manage remote Linux servers without needing physical access. Everything you send over an SSH connection is encrypted.
Do I need any Linux experience to take this course?
No. The course starts from zero and assumes no prior knowledge of SSH, the terminal, or Linux commands. If you've used SSH before, you can still use it to refresh the basics.
Is SSH still worth learning?
Yes. SSH is still the standard way to access and manage remote Linux servers, and that hasn't changed. If you work with servers, cloud instances, or self-hosted apps, you'll use it constantly.
What do I need to follow along?
A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux is enough to start. In the course, you'll set up a small lab with VirtualBox so you can practice SSH between two systems safely.
How long does the course take?
About 4 hours across 9 short modules. It's self-paced, so you can go through it in one sitting or spread it out over a few days.
Is this course free?
The course is part of Linux Handbook Pro, so it needs a Pro membership. Plenty of our tutorials on the blog are free, but the structured video courses like this one are a Pro benefit.
About the author
Ted LeRoy
An Enterprise Security Architect, Ted is best-selling online instructor. He has over 20 years experience in Linux administration, web server and email administration, and network and firewall administration with Cisco, Juniper, and pfSense devices.