Getting Started

This section prepares a safe practice environment for the next 30 days. Budget 1–2 hours.

Prerequisites

• Basic computer skills: installing software, using a web browser, editing a text file.
• A computer that can run Windows 11 with WSL2 or a virtual machine. 8 GB RAM minimum, 16 GB recommended. 40 GB free disk.
• An internet connection for installing packages.
• Administrator rights on your own machine, needed only for installation.

No prior command-line experience is required.

Recommended lab layout

flowchart TB
    subgraph Host["Your Windows 11 computer"]
        PS51["Windows PowerShell 5.1<br/>(built in)"]
        PS7["PowerShell 7.4+<br/>(install)"]
        WT["Windows Terminal"]
        subgraph WSL["WSL2"]
            U["Ubuntu 24.04 LTS<br/>Bash 5.2"]
        end
        subgraph VM["Optional VM (VirtualBox / Hyper-V)"]
            U2["Ubuntu 24.04 Server<br/>for networking & security labs"]
        end
    end

Option	Best for	Guide
Windows 11 + WSL2 Ubuntu (recommended)	Most learners. Both shells on one machine.	WSL2 Installation
Ubuntu 24.04 desktop or VM	Full Linux experience including systemd, firewall and networking labs	Ubuntu Setup
Windows 11 only	PowerShell-focused learners (use WSL2 for the Linux parts)	Windows Setup

WSL2 limitations

WSL2 is excellent for Days 1–7 and 21–24. Some later labs (firewall, systemd services, packet capture, network interfaces) work best in a full Ubuntu VM, and each lesson says when this applies.

Required software

Software	Required?	Purpose	Install guide
Windows Terminal	Recommended	Tabs for every shell	Built in to Windows 11
Windows PowerShell 5.1	Built in	Windows-only cmdlets, legacy compatibility	—
PowerShell 7.4+	Required	Modern, cross-platform PowerShell	PowerShell 7
WSL2 + Ubuntu 24.04	Required (or a VM)	Linux and Bash	WSL2
Visual Studio Code	Recommended	Editing scripts, with the PowerShell and ShellCheck extensions	Windows Setup
Git	Recommended	Clone this course, track your own scripts	Windows Setup
Wireshark, Nmap	From Day 15/20	Packet analysis, network discovery (lab only)	Installed in those lessons

Get the course files

# Windows (PowerShell) — requires Git
Set-Location ~
git clone https://github.com/<github-user>/linux-powershell-professional-mastery.git

# Ubuntu / WSL
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/<github-user>/linux-powershell-professional-mastery.git

Replace <github-user> with the account shown in the repository link at the top right of this site.

Before your first lab

Read Lab Environment & Safety. It sets out the rules every lab follows: authorised systems only, backups before configuration changes, and no disabling of security controls as a workaround.

Then start Day 01.