FreeBSD Basics

Get started with this powerful Unix-like operating system in just 2 hours

operating-systems
unix
system-administration
networking
Learn the fundamentals of FreeBSD, a reliable, high-performance Unix-like operating system known for its stability, security, and advanced networking capabilities.
Modified

July 2, 2025

FreeBSD Basics

Learn the essentials of this powerful, stable Unix-like operating system in just 2 hours

2 Hours Beginner to Intermediate Hands-on
FreeBSD Workshop

1 Session Overview

This 2-hour microlearning session introduces FreeBSD, a powerful, stable, and secure Unix-like operating system with a long history of reliability in server environments. Unlike Linux distributions, FreeBSD is developed as a complete operating system with a coherent design philosophy. In this session, you’ll learn the fundamentals of FreeBSD, its unique features, and how to perform essential system administration tasks in a FreeBSD environment.

1.1 What You’ll Learn

  • Understand FreeBSD’s history, design philosophy, and architecture
  • Navigate the FreeBSD file system and shell environment
  • Install and manage software with the ports system and binary packages
  • Configure basic system settings and services
  • Manage users, permissions, and security features
  • Understand FreeBSD’s networking capabilities
  • Perform basic troubleshooting and system maintenance

2 Session Curriculum

2.1 Part 1: Introduction to FreeBSD (30 minutes)

  • FreeBSD history and the BSD family
  • FreeBSD vs. Linux: key differences and similarities
  • The FreeBSD design philosophy and development model
  • FreeBSD architecture and components
  • Installation options (demonstration in virtual machine)
  • Navigating the FreeBSD file system
  • The base system vs. third-party software

2.2 Part 2: Essential System Administration (40 minutes)

  • User and group management
  • File permissions and security
  • Software management with pkg and ports
  • System configuration with /etc/rc.conf
  • Service management
  • FreeBSD boot process
  • File systems and disk management
  • Basic networking configuration

2.3 Part 3: Advanced Features and Capabilities (40 minutes)

  • FreeBSD jails for containerization
  • ZFS file system integration
  • Network performance tuning
  • Security features and hardening
  • Kernel configuration and tuning
  • Updating and upgrading FreeBSD
  • FreeBSD in production environments
  • Common use cases and deployment scenarios

2.4 Part 4: Resources and Next Steps (10 minutes)

  • FreeBSD documentation and community resources
  • Troubleshooting common issues
  • Performance monitoring and optimization
  • Recommended learning path for advanced topics
  • Real-world FreeBSD deployment examples

3 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this microlearning session, you will be able to:

  • Understand the core concepts and benefits of FreeBSD
  • Navigate and use the FreeBSD command line interface
  • Install and manage software packages
  • Configure basic system settings and services
  • Perform essential system administration tasks
  • Understand FreeBSD’s approach to security and networking
  • Know where to find help and resources for continued learning

4 Teaching Methods

This session combines:

  • Live demonstrations
  • Hands-on exercises (in virtual machines)
  • Command examples and explanations
  • Real-world use cases
  • Problem-solving scenarios

5 Target Audience

This microlearning session is ideal for:

  • System administrators looking to expand their knowledge
  • DevOps professionals exploring alternative operating systems
  • IT professionals interested in server technologies
  • Computer science students studying operating systems
  • Anyone interested in Unix-like operating systems beyond Linux

6 Prerequisites

  • Basic understanding of command line interfaces
  • Familiarity with general operating system concepts
  • Some experience with Linux or Unix-like systems is helpful but not required
  • Bring your laptop with VirtualBox or another virtualization solution installed (for hands-on exercises)

7 Materials

All participants will receive:

  • FreeBSD virtual machine image for practice
  • Command reference sheet for common FreeBSD tasks
  • Configuration file templates for typical setups
  • Troubleshooting guide for common issues
  • List of recommended FreeBSD resources and books

Your Instructor

Instructor
Michael Torres

Systems Engineer & BSD Specialist

Michael has over 12 years of experience working with FreeBSD in production environments, from high-traffic web servers to specialized networking appliances. He has contributed to FreeBSD documentation and regularly speaks at BSD conferences.

Register Now

Next session: August 10, 2023, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM CEST

Fee: €49 (Group discounts available)

Location: Online via Zoom

Register for This Session

What Participants Say

"The coherent design of FreeBSD makes so much more sense now. This session gave me the confidence to start using FreeBSD for some of our infrastructure needs."

Richard T.

Network Administrator

"I've been curious about FreeBSD for years but was intimidated by the learning curve. This session broke it down into manageable pieces and the virtual machine exercises were extremely helpful."

Anita K.

Linux System Administrator

"The section on ZFS and jails was eye-opening. I can see why many hosting providers rely on FreeBSD for their infrastructure. The instructor's real-world examples were particularly valuable."

Paul M.

DevOps Engineer

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