# Linux Simulator — Learn Linux by Doing > Learn Linux by Doing (iPhone/iPad app by Christopher Paton.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linux-simulator/id6762078018 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Christopher Paton](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888321858) - Category: Education, Developer Tools - Price: $9.99 with in-app purchases - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 9 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-04-24 - Data updated: 2026-08-25 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linux-simulator/id6762078018/reviews.md ## What is Linux Simulator? A simulated Linux terminal in your pocket, wrapped in a lovingly built classic beige computer. Type real commands, get real output, and learn the command line properly: no account, no subscription, no internet required. THE SIMULATOR The heart of the app is a simulated shell running entirely on your device. It has a full virtual filesystem (/etc, /var/log, your own home directory), proper pipes and redirection, environment variables, tab completion, and command history. Over 40 real commands work the way they do on a real machine: ls, cd, cat, grep, find, sort, head, tail, wc, cut, tr, cp, mv, rm, mkdir, chmod-style permissions in listings, man pages for every command, and a working nano editor that saves back to the filesystem. Pipe grep through wc. Redirect echo into a file and cat it back. Break things, then type reset. It is completely safe: rm -rf / is a learning experience here, not a disaster. GUIDED LESSONS IN THE TERMINAL Five hands-on lessons run inside the real terminal, watching what you type and nudging you at each step, from your first pwd to pipes and redirection. Mistype a command and the simulator tells you what it thinks you meant. Commands we do not simulate, like sudo and apt, point you to the chapter that explains them. A COMPLETE COURSE 63 topics across four domains: the command line, system administration, programming tools, and modern Linux (containers, cloud, systemd). Each topic has an animated walkthrough you can replay, adaptive practice questions, and typing challenges where you enter real commands on a keyboard built for Linux (with a dedicated symbol row for | > ~ $ and friends). LEARNING THAT ADAPTS 630 practice questions tune themselves to your level: start easy, advance as you improve. Questions you miss come back at growing intervals using spaced repetition, so they stick. A recommended path guides you topic by topic, but nothing is ever locked: this is your machine. MAKE IT A HABIT Daily goals, streaks, XP, levels from Newbie to Root, and achievements to collect. A progress dashboard on a little phosphor status display shows exactly where you stand. PAY ONCE, OWN EVERYTHING No subscription. No in-app purchases. No ads. No account. No data collected. Every topic, question, challenge, and lesson is included offline. From the maker of textbookoflinux.com. Try the simulator for free in your browser, then take the full machine with you. ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $9.99. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Annual subscription | $19.99 | per year | | Monthly subscription | $2.99 | per month | ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.0 — 2026-08-10 Linux Simulator 2.0 is a complete reimagining: - A simulated Linux terminal with a virtual filesystem, pipes, redirection, tab completion, and over 40 working commands - Five guided lessons that run inside the terminal and respond to what you type - A working nano editor (^O Write Out, ^X Exit) - Adaptive practice and spaced review that schedule questions when you need them - A brand new classic-computer design, from the boot screen to the phosphor status display - Now paid once with everything included: if you previously subscribed, everything is now unlocked for everyone, so please cancel your subscription in Settings ### 1.3.0 — 2026-05-11 Remove narration to reduce file size. Update to questions to improve applicability. ### 1.2.0 — 2026-05-10 Updates to quiz questions and UI improvements. ### 1.1.0 — 2026-04-30 Master Linux from your phone - through narrated terminal animations and adaptive practice. Textbook of Linux teaches the command line the way it's actually used. Each topic opens with a short, narrated walkthrough of a real terminal session, then immediately rolls into a quiz so the concepts stick. The 63-topic curriculum starts with the absolute basics - what a shell is, listing files, navigating paths - and builds up through pipes and redirection, then system administration (users, permissions, packages, networking, systemd), then scripting and editors (bash, vi, git), and finally modern Linux (containers, Docker, Kubernetes, observability, eBPF, security). Adaptive practice uses spaced repetition plus Bayesian Knowledge Tracing to focus your reviews on the topics you're shakiest on. Earn XP, build a streak, level up, and unlock achievements as you go. The Command Line domain is free. Subscribe to unlock the full curriculum. Built by Dr Chris Paton. Tux artwork by Larry Ewing, used with permission. ### 1.0.1 — 2026-04-28 This update brings real progression and a smoother reading flow: • Finishing a lesson now records your progress and unlocks the next topic • Reading lessons jumps straight into the quiz — and the quiz finishes with a one-tap path to the next topic • Lesson slides are now text-only; tap Watch Demo from the topic page for the narrated terminal walkthrough • Watch Demo button only appears when a demo is ready — no more dead ends • Behind-the-scenes fixes for stability and diagnostics ## More apps by Christopher Paton - [Maths Gauntlet](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maths-gauntlet/id6761228601) All apps by Christopher Paton: https://appshunter.io/developer/1888321858 ## Related topics [linux shell](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/linux-shell) · [bluedv](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bluedv) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*