Session 1: Connecting to the Terminal — Introducing Linux and PuTTY

Welcome to your very first hands-on session! Over the next 45 to 60 minutes, you will go from knowing nothing about servers to establishing a secure, live text-connection to a real Linux machine.

This guide is written specifically so you can copy and paste commands directly or follow simple clicks. Let's get started!

Prerequisites & Preparations

Before we start, make sure you have:

A laptop (Windows or macOS) open on your desk.
An active internet connection.
Your Login Details (Your workshop leader will provide these over Google Meet. They will look like this):
- Server IP (Host name): 192.168.0.34 (or a public IP provided in the Meet chat)
- Username: student1
- Password: learnlinux123

Core Concepts: What Are We Doing?

What is a Server? A server is just a standard computer without a screen or keyboard, located in a secure datacenter. It is turned on 24 hours a day, waiting to serve files (like websites) to people on the internet.
What is Linux? It is an operating system, just like Windows or macOS. However, Linux runs over 90% of the world's web servers because it is extremely stable, fast, and free. Instead of a mouse and icons, we control it by typing text instructions.
What is SSH (Secure Shell)? Think of SSH as a secure, encrypted digital telephone call between your laptop and the remote server. Nobody can eavesdrop on what you type.
What is a Terminal? The software program on your laptop that lets you type text instructions and displays the server's text responses.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Getting Your Terminal Software Ready

Depending on what laptop you have in front of you, follow either Path A (Windows) or Path B (macOS).

Path A: For Windows Users (Installing PuTTY)

Windows doesn't historically have a simple visual SSH client built-in, so we install PuTTY—the most popular, free, lightweight tool for this.

Open your web browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox) and go to: https://www.putty.org/
Click the large link that says "You can download PuTTY here".
Under the "Package files" section, click the installer suitable for your laptop. For 99% of modern laptops, click:
- 64-bit x86: putty-64bit-0.81-installer.msi (or the latest version shown).
Once the file finishes downloading, click on it in your browser's download bar to open the installer.
Follow the visual wizard:
- Click Next on the Welcome screen.
- Click Next to accept the default installation folder.
- Click Install (If a Windows prompt pops up asking "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?", click Yes).
- Uncheck "View README" and click Finish.
Now, press the Windows Key on your keyboard, type putty, and click on the PuTTY App to open it.

Path B: For macOS Users (Opening Terminal)

MacBooks already have a world-class terminal tool pre-installed. No downloads are necessary.

Click the Spotlight Search icon (the small magnifying glass in the top-right corner of your screen, or press Cmd + Space on your keyboard).
Type terminal into the search box.
Double-click the Terminal application icon (a black square with >_ inside) to open it.

Step 2: Configuring and Launching the Connection

Now we will connect to the remote server using the details provided by your instructor.

If you are on Windows (using PuTTY GUI):

In the Host Name (or IP address) field, type the IP address provided (e.g., 192.168.0.34).
Ensure the Port field is set to 22 (this is the default standard port for SSH).
Ensure the Connection type radio button is selected on SSH.
At the bottom of the window, click the Open button.
Security Warning Pop-up: The first time you connect, a box will appear saying "The server's host key is not registered...". This is a standard security precaution. Click Accept (or Yes) to save this connection profile.

If you are on macOS (using Terminal CLI):

Type the following command in your terminal window and press Enter (replace student1 with your username and 192.168.0.34 with your server IP):
```
ssh student1@192.168.0.34
```
Security Question: The terminal will display: "Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?".
Type yes exactly and press Enter.

Step 3: Logging In Securely

Now, both Windows and Mac screens will ask for your credentials.

Enter Username:
- PuTTY Users: The black window will display login as:. Type your username (e.g., student1) and press Enter.
- Mac Users: You already typed the username in Step 2, so proceed directly to entering the password.
Enter Password:
- The screen will say password: (or student1@192.168.0.34's password:).
- Type your password (e.g., learnlinux123).
- ⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING FOR BEGINNERS: As you type your password, nothing will show up on the screen. No letters, no dots, no asterisks. The cursor will not move. This is an intentional Linux security feature to prevent people looking over your shoulder from guessing your password length.
- Simply type your password confidently and press Enter.

If you make a mistake, the screen will say Permission denied, please try again. Simply press Enter and try typing the password again.

When successful, your prompt will change and look something like this:

student1@linux-sandbox:~$

Congratulations! You are officially logged into a remote Linux server!

Step 4: Your First Linux Commands

Let's run a few simple command text files to ask the server questions. Type each command exactly as shown and press Enter:

Find out who you are logged in as:
```
whoami
```
- What this does: Asks the server to print the active user session name. You should see student1 printed directly below.
Identify the Operating System details:
```
uname -a
```
- What this does: Asks the system to display its OS name and kernel details. You will see Linux and other technical details.
Find out how long this server has been running:
```
uptime
```
- What this does: Displays current time, how long the system has been running, and active user counts.

Verification: Did it work?

Before wrapping up this session, ensure you can see:

A black command-line terminal window on your laptop screen.
Your command prompt displaying student1@... indicating you are inside the remote machine.
The output of the whoami command displaying your username.

To end your session and close the telephone line, type the exit command and press Enter:

exit

What's Next?

Great job! Now that we know how to log into a Linux server, we need to learn how to navigate around, inspect directories, and manage files. In Session 2, we will learn how to move around the server filesystem using simple commands!