DevOps From Scratch: Entry #04

When I first started my Linux journey, I had this image in my head of a dark room, green text scrolling at light speed, and a keyboard-only lifestyle. I thought if I didn't spend every second in a terminal, I wasn't doing it right.

But as I dug into Chapter 5 of my training (just a reminder that I am using the Linux Course from the Linux Foundation (personal preference)), I realized something cool: Linux isn't just a command-line tool. It actually has a very sophisticated graphical side. Learning how the screen you look at actually works—from the login page to the windows you drag around made the whole system feel a lot less intimidating.

Here is what I learned about the visual side of Linux.

1. The Engine Behind the Screen

In many operating systems, the desktop is built directly into the core system. In Linux, the graphical interface is more like an "app" that runs on top of everything else. There are two main engines that make this happen:

• X Window System (X11): This is the old-school veteran. It’s been around for decades. One neat trick it has is the ability to run a program on one computer but show the window on a totally different screen over a network.

• Wayland: This is the new kid on the block. It’s designed to be faster, smoother, and more secure than X11. Most modern versions of Linux are switching to this now.

2. Desktop Environments vs. Window Managers

People often get these confused, but they do different jobs:

Window Manager: This is a small program that handles just the basics—the borders of your windows, the buttons to close or minimize them, and moving them around.

Desktop Environment: This is the whole package. It includes the window manager plus the taskbar, the file folders, the settings menu, and even the wallpaper.

GNOME: Very clean and modern. It’s what you usually see on Ubuntu.

KDE Plasma: If you are moving from Windows, this will feel very familiar. It is super easy to customize.

XFCE: This is great if you have an older laptop because it doesn't use much power or memory.

3. The Login Gatekeeper

That screen where you type your password when you first turn on the computer? That is called a Display Manager. Its only job is to check who you are and then start up your favorite desktop environment.

4. The Magic Escape Hatch (TTY)

This is probably the coolest pro tip I found. If your screen ever freezes and your mouse won't move, you aren't stuck! Linux has hidden text-only screens called Virtual Consoles or TTYs.

You can jump between them using keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + Alt + F3 (through F6): These take you to a purely black-and-white text screen. You can log in here and fix things using commands if the visual part of the computer breaks.

Ctrl + Alt + F2 (or F1): This usually jumps you right back to your normal desktop.

Why Learn This for DevOps?

You might wonder why a DevOps student needs to care about desktop icons. Even though most servers we manage don't have a screen at all, knowing how these layers work is helpful. It helps you set up your own laptop for work and understand how to "forward" a visual app from a server to your own computer when you need to run a specific tool. And also I have a strong believe that it is always good to master the basics (foundations) of anything you want to learn deeply.

P.S for my flash card buddies, I updated Flashy, just to refresh your memory :)