Linux is an open-source operating system created by Linus Torvalds. It is widely used for servers, personal workstations, and other applications. The Linux kernel allows the operating system to be customized for different user needs. Common Linux commands allow users to interact with files and directories to perform functions like copying, moving, deleting, and more through options like ls, cp, mv, rm, and others. Help pages provide documentation on commands through the man command. Permissions control who can access and modify files using commands like chmod. Other useful commands include grep, ssh, scp, and more.