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Things to Do After Installing Linux OS: A Complete Step-by-Step Tutorial

Complete guide on essential tasks after installing Linux OS: setup swap, optimize performance, add Tamil language support, and more
Linux

After installing Linux, there's a series of important steps to ensure your system is configured properly and ready for everyday use. In this guide, we'll take you through the essential tasks such as updating your system, installing software, configuring drivers, setting up firewalls, and more. This tutorial is perfect for both beginners and advanced users who want to optimize their Linux system.

Table of Contents

  1. Update the System
  2. Install Essential Software
  3. Install Drivers
  4. Set Up a Firewall
  5. Enable SSH for Remote Access
  6. Customize Desktop Environment
  7. Set Up Timeshift for Backup
  8. Install and Enable Flatpak or Snap
  9. Set Up Swap Space
  10. Install TLP for Power Management
  11. Optimize System Performance
  12. Enable Night Light
  13. Create Aliases for Frequently Used Commands
  14. Install System Monitoring Tools
  15. Install Tamil Language Support

1. Update the System

The first and most crucial step after installing a Linux OS is to update your system to ensure you have the latest security patches, bug fixes, and updated software packages.

For Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

For RHEL/CentOS/Fedora-based distributions:

sudo dnf update

2. Install Essential Software

Next, you'll need to install software essential for everyday use. Most Linux distributions come with basic software, but you may want to add more for productivity, media, and development purposes.

Install Build Essentials:

For compiling software, it's good practice to install build tools:

sudo apt install build-essential

Install Media Codecs:

To play various media files (MP3, MP4, etc.), you'll need codecs:

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

Common Applications:

Here’s a list of commonly used applications you may want to install:

  • Browser: Firefox, Chrome
  • Media Player: VLC
  • Text Editor: Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code
  • Office Suite: LibreOffice, WPS Office
sudo apt install vlc libreoffice

3. Install Drivers

To ensure your hardware components like graphics cards and network adapters function properly, you may need to install proprietary drivers.

For NVIDIA GPUs:

If you're using an NVIDIA graphics card, you can automatically install the appropriate drivers using this command:

sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

For AMD and Intel GPUs:

Drivers for AMD and Intel graphics cards are generally included with the Linux kernel, so no additional installation is necessary.

For Wi-Fi Drivers:

If your Wi-Fi adapter isn't working, you may need to install drivers specific to your hardware. For example, for Broadcom adapters:

sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms

4. Set Up a Firewall

Linux offers powerful firewall utilities to help you secure your system. UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a simple and easy-to-use tool for managing firewall rules.

Enable and Configure UFW:

sudo ufw enable

Check Firewall Status:

sudo ufw status

Add Firewall Rules:

Here are some basic firewall rules:

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp  # Allow SSH
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp  # Allow HTTP

5. Enable SSH for Remote Access

If you plan to manage your system remotely, enabling SSH (Secure Shell) is essential.

For Debian/Ubuntu-based distributions:

sudo apt install openssh-server
sudo systemctl enable ssh
sudo systemctl start ssh

For RHEL/CentOS/Fedora-based distributions:

sudo dnf install openssh-server
sudo systemctl enable sshd
sudo systemctl start sshd

6. Customize Desktop Environment

Linux offers various desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, XFCE, Cinnamon, etc.). You can customize or switch to another environment based on your preferences.

Install GNOME Tweaks for Customization:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

GNOME Tweaks allows you to change themes, fonts, and more.

Other Customizations:

You can also install additional themes and icon packs to further customize your desktop environment.

7. Set Up Timeshift for Backup

Timeshift is a great tool for creating system snapshots. These snapshots can help you roll back your system in case of an issue.

Install Timeshift:

sudo apt install timeshift

Once installed, you can configure Timeshift to create automatic snapshots.

8. Install and Enable Flatpak or Snap

Flatpak and Snap provide a wider range of software that might not be available in your Linux distribution’s default repositories.

Install Flatpak:

sudo apt install flatpak
sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak

Add Flathub Repository:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Install Snap (if not pre-installed):

sudo apt install snapd

9. Set Up Swap Space

Swap space is an important component of Linux, especially for systems with limited RAM. If your system doesn't have enough physical memory, swap space will provide a buffer.

Check if Swap is Enabled:

swapon --show

Create Swap Space:

If swap is not enabled, you can create it manually with these commands:

sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

Make Swap Permanent:

To make swap space permanent, add it to the /etc/fstab file:

echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

10. Install TLP for Power Management (Laptop Users)

If you're using a laptop, optimizing power consumption can help prolong battery life. TLP is a great tool for improving power management on Linux systems.

Install TLP:

sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdw

Enable and Start TLP:

sudo systemctl enable tlp
sudo systemctl start tlp

Once installed and enabled, TLP will automatically optimize your power settings.

11. Optimize System Performance

Improving system performance can make your Linux experience smoother. Below are some tools and methods for optimizing performance.

Install Preload (for faster application loading):

sudo apt install preload

Enable Zswap (for systems with limited RAM):

Zswap is a compressed cache for swap space, which can improve performance on low-RAM systems. To enable Zswap, edit the GRUB configuration:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Find the line that starts with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT and add zswap.enabled=1 at the end of the line. Save the file and run:

sudo update-grub

12. Enable Night Light

To reduce eye strain at night, enabling the night light feature is a good option. This feature adjusts the color temperature of your screen to a warmer setting, reducing blue light exposure.

For GNOME Desktop:

Go to Settings > Devices > Displays > Night Light, and toggle it on.

Alternatively, use the command line:

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.color night-light-enabled true

13. Create Aliases for Frequently Used Commands

If you frequently run long or repetitive commands, you can create aliases to make your workflow more efficient.

Step 1: Open Your Shell Configuration File:

nano ~/.bashrc

Step 2: Add Your Aliases:

alias update='sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade'

Step 3: Apply Changes:

source ~/.bashrc

Now, whenever you type update in the terminal, it will run the full command to update and upgrade your system.

14. Install System Monitoring Tools

Monitoring your system's performance is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly. Here are some useful system monitoring tools:

Install htop (Process Viewer):

sudo apt install htop

Install nload (Network Usage Monitor):

sudo apt install nload

Install iotop (Disk I/O Monitor):

sudo apt install iotop

15. Install Tamil Language Support

If you need to type or read in Tamil, you can install support for the Tamil language using the following packages:

Install Tamil Fonts and Input Method:

sudo apt install fonts-taml ttf-indic-fonts ibus-m17n
ibus-setup

After installation, open IBus Preferences and add Tamil as an input source.