Ep 11: 3 free ways to get Linux

Episode 11 of 448 · Tip

In one sentence: you don’t need a new computer to learn Linux; pick one of these three free options and use it all through the course.

Option 1: Windows → WSL

Windows Subsystem for Linux runs a real Ubuntu inside Windows. In PowerShell (as administrator):

wsl --install

Restart when asked, then open Ubuntu from the Start menu and create a username and password.

Option 2: Mac → Multipass

Multipass (by Canonical, the makers of Ubuntu) creates small Ubuntu virtual machines. After installing it:

multipass launch --name loopnotes
multipass shell loopnotes

Option 3: Any computer → a small cloud server

Most cloud providers have a free tier or free credits for new accounts. Create the smallest Ubuntu server, then connect to it with SSH (we cover SSH in the networking module).

Check the official install guides if a step differs on your machine: WSL · Multipass.