We often get accustomed to using Windows-based personal computers in most work and daily life scenarios. However, it might be necessary from time to time, whether for personal or professional reasons, to learn how to use the Linux system in a more advanced or fundamental way.
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| 5 browser-based emulators to learn Linux without installing it |
Linux is considered an open-source system with many distributions to choose from, which have become increasingly important. However, setting up a separate partition on the hard drive to install Linux can be complicated for many people. This also occurs when using virtual machines, where we download ISO images for the distributions we are interested in to perform the installation.
Learn Linux without installing it through 5 online simulators
For this reason, we will explore an excellent solution to experience the Linux system without the need to install it on your computer. We will provide three online simulators that can be used to work with Linux without installing it on your device.
This solution will help us experience all commands and settings in this open-source system without the need to install it on our computer and without fear of any side effects.
Best Linux Emulators Online
-Click on the emulator name to use it-
1- JS Linux
On the other hand, JSLinux is a browser-based emulator that provides us with the experience of the basic version of Linux on the web. This emulator is known for its user-friendly interface, developed using JavaScript. To benefit from this emulator, all we need to do is visit the mentioned link.
It is also helpful to learn more about this emulator, as it allows us to choose our preferred Linux distribution to download. This gives us the opportunity to explore the selected distribution, interact with its interface, and experience its commands.
2- Terminal JS/UIX
Here is a simulator that doesn't even require user registration. All you need to do is log in and start working immediately using the JS/UX Terminal. In this context, we are talking about a Unix-like operating system, providing us with a terminal for training without the need to install anything on the computer.
Please note that this simulator has been developed using the JavaScript programming language, offering us a command interpreter, a virtual device, a process management system, a virtual file system, and more.
3- WebVM
You can now play Debian binaries directly from your web browser using WebVM. WebVM is based on the CheerpX execution engine and includes a Xterm.js user interface as the basic module, as well as a Debian disk image with some pre-installed packages.
This tool allows you to access disk images available on a content delivery network, such as Cloudflare, without server-side components. This policy allows multiple users to be accessed simultaneously without technical bottlenecks.
4- CoCalc
CoCalc provides a real-time Linux environment that is collaborative and fully synchronized in the browser, allowing you to maintain the software without the need for installation. It enables multiple users to use the same device simultaneously. CoCalc also allows you to easily edit and run Shell script files without any issues.
CoCalc offers a sidebar chat for discussing commands with others, and automatic backups ensure file safety. You can effortlessly copy and paste content between the online platform and your local computer.
CoCalc features an editor for notebooks that supports easy editing of script files through a terminal station. It includes various common applications such as Git, Emacs, GitHub, VIM, and supports programming environments like R shell, IPython, and SageMath. CoCalc supports powerful programming languages and compilers, including Python, Java, C, C++, and more.
This Linux environment is ideal for learning or teaching Linux, as CoCalc servers allow remote operation without concerns about complexities, setup issues, or installations. Additionally, you can always rely on snapshots of your files to restore them in case of any problems or errors, ensuring that nothing is lost.
5- Webminal
Here we provide an emulator that serves as the main Linux terminal, enabling us to implement and train Linux commands comprehensively. Besides, it allows us to create special scripts and even learn and practice programming languages such as Java, Rust, and Python.
All we have to do is register in the web app for free and get a personal account. It also gives us access to additional functions, such as file sharing, and offers us 100 MB of free storage. In this way, all of this will allow us to experience using the open source operating system more realistically without having to install anything on the Windows PC, for example.
These simulators should be helpful in completing the task. I have tried it personally and found it very useful.
