If you recently upgraded your version of Chrome OS, you may have noticed something different when you launch the Linux environment in Chrome OS version 103 and higher. Here's how to use the new Chrome OS Linux interface.
Starting a Terminal
If you're used to jumping straight to the shell when you click the Terminal icon, you may wonder how to get back to your shell. It's easy. Just click on the Linux virtual machine you want to run under the "Linux" section. The default machine in the Linux development environment is called "Penguin."
When you click "Penguin," you'll be back in your favorite shell. You can now get back to coding or just fooling around with the command line in the Chromebook Linux environment.
Adding SSH Servers
Another major use for the Linux environment is connecting to remote servers with SSH. The new interface makes it easy to jump to frequently-used servers.
In the "SSH" section, click the Add SSH button. You'll see a dialog box that will prompt you to fill in the information you need for your server. Put in your username and the address of the server in the "username@server" format.
If you've generated any keys in the Linux environment or have one from another computer, you can use them here. Just click the drop-down menu and select your key. If it's in the Linux filesystem, you may have to select Show hidden files from the "More" menu. You can also add any other options in the "SSH relay server options" field.
With the server set up, you can select it in the many and jump to it. If you've added a key, you can even log in without a password.
Accessing Linux and Terminal Settings
Another significant change to the menu is making Linux and terminal settings more visible. By clicking Terminal Settings, you can change the appearance and other options.
You can also jump to Linux settings by clicking Developer Settings next to the stylized HTML tag. This will take you to the same Linux development environment menu from the Chrome OS settings menu.
A Slick New Interface for Chromebook Linux Tasks
The new interface may be different, but it should make your life as a Chromebook Linux user much easier. You can jump to your favorite SSH servers as well as terminal and Linux settings much more easily than you could in previous versions.
Linux on Chromebook keeps getting better and support for external storage drives in the Chrome OS Linux environment makes it evident.