Resources – CHPC Student Cluster Competition

The Linux Foundation offers a free and comprehensive “Introduction to Linux” course, this is a fantastic resource, especially if you’re new to Linux or want to refresh your skills. While we don’t teach Linux directly during the competition, prior knowledge gives you a significant advantage. We highly recommend everyone at least browse through the course, but we’ve hand-picked the sections most relevant to the competition to help you prioritize. The course is self-paced, free of charge, and you can refer to it anytime you run into a Linux question or problem.

Getting Started with the Linux Foundation Course

To begin the Introduction to Linux (LFS101) course, follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit the course page [https://training.linuxfoundation.org/training/introduction-to-linux/] and click the “Enroll Today” button.
Step 2: Create a free account with the Linux Foundation, if you don’t already have one. The registration process is quick and straightforward.
Step 3: Check your email for a verification link. Click the link to confirm your account.
Step 4 (if prompted): You may be taken through a checkout process — don’t worry, the course is completely free ($0.00).
Step 5: Once enrolled, access the LFS101 course from your dashboard and begin exploring the material.

Here is a list of each course module below as you’ll see it sequentially, the topics that are written in green are the sections that will be helpful for the competition.

01.Course Introduction

Course Overview, Objectives and Timing
Course Support and Other Resources
Course Formatting
Meet Your Instructor: Jerry Cooperstein
A Note From the Author

02.The Linux Foundation

Introduction
The Linux Foundation
Course Linux Requirements
Knowledge Check
Summary

03.Linux Philosophy and Concepts

Introduction
Linux History
Linux Philosophy
Linux Community
Linux Terminology
Linux Distributions
Knowledge Check
Summary

04.Linux Basics and System Startup

Introduction
The Boot Process
Kernel, init and Services
Linux Filesystem Basics
Linux Distribution Installation
Knowledge Check
Summary

05.Graphical Interface

Introduction
Graphical Desktop
Session Management
Basic Operations
Knowledge Check
Summary

06.System Configuration from the Graphical Interface

Introduction
System, Display, Date and Time Settings
Network Manager
Installing and Updating Software
Knowledge Check
Summary

07.Common Applications

Introduction
Internet Applications
Productivity and Development Applications
Multimedia Applications
Graphics Editors and Utilities
Knowledge Check
Summary

08.Command Line Operations

Introduction
Command-Line Mode Options
Basic Operations
Working with Files
Searching for Files
Installing Software
Knowledge Check
Summary

09.Finding Linux Documentation

Introduction
Documentation Sources
The man pages
GNU Info
The –help Option and help Command
Other Documentation Sources
Knowledge Check
Summary

10.Processes

Introduction
Introduction to Processes and Process Attributes
Process Metrics and Process Control
Listing Processes: ps and top
Starting Processes in the Future
Knowledge
Check Summary

11.File Operations

Introduction
Filesystems
Filesystem Layout
Comparing Files and File Types
Backing Up and Compressing Data
Knowledge Check
Summary

12.Text Editors

Introduction
Basic Editors: nano and gedit
More Advanced Editors: vi and emacs
Knowledge Check
Summary

13.User Environment

Introduction
Accounts, Users and Groups
Environment Variables
Recalling Previous Commands
File Permissions
Knowledge Check
Summary

MANIPULATING TEXT

Introduction
cat and echo
Working with Large and Compressed Files
sed and awk
File Manipulation Utilities
grep and strings
Miscellaneous Text Utilities
Knowledge Check
Summary

NETWORK OPERATIONS

Introduction
Network Addresses and DNS
Networking Configuration and Tools
Browsers, wget and curl
Transferring Files
Knowledge Check
Summary

THE BASH SHELL AND BASIC SCRIPTING

Introduction
Features and Capabilities
Syntax
Constructs
Knowledge Check
Summary

MORE ON BASH SHELL SCRIPTING

Introduction
String Manipulation
The case Statement
Looping Constructs
Script Debugging
Some Additional Useful Techniques
Knowledge Check
Summary

PRINTING

Introduction
Configuration
Printing Operations
Manipulating Postscript and PDF Files
Knowledge Check
Summary

LOCAL SECURITY PRINCIPLES

Introduction
Understanding Linux Security
When Are root Privileges Required?
sudo, Process Isolation, Limiting Hardware Access and Keeping Systems Current Working with Passwords
Securing the Boot Process and Hardware Resources
Knowledge Check
Summary

COURSE COMPLETION – You’re Done!!! Congratulations, great job…

SCC GitHub Repository

All Student Cluster Competition resources—including instructions, tutorials, lecture recordings, and reference material—are centrally maintained in the CHPC SCC GitHub repo. You and your team should monitor it regularly, as content may change right up to the day of the competition. Link to the GitHub [https://github.com/chpc-tech-eval/scc]

Repository Structure

Introduces the competition—its goals, structure, rules, and contact points for help and support.
Tutorials folders (tutorial1, tutorial2 , etc.) which contains step-by-step guides covering key topics such as launching VMs, Linux basics, package management, benchmarking tools (like HPL), and more.
Offers supplementary materials, such as cheat sheets, presentation slides, and reference sheets for quick Linux command lookups.

This is a live repository—expect active edits, additions, and updates as the event approaches. New tutorial modules may appear, scheduling changes may be applied, and additional support materials might be added. Be sure to check it frequently to stay current. Most of the content still refers to 2024, use this as a guideline of what to expect for this year’s selection round.