Here's a noob solution for noobs like me:

Most Desktop Environments (DE) include a built-in keyboard shortcut editor. Using the shortcut editor, you can write custom bash scripts, console commands, etc. 

To get AHK-like functionality beyond what your DE makes possible via custom shortcuts, install xdotool (```sudo apt install xdotool```) and write your xdotool commands into the shortcut editor (if you're given options for several types of shortcuts, select the "command" option):

```
xdotool [command]
```

(Enter ```man xdotool``` in the terminal to access the xdotool manual.)

If you use xdotool to extend your custom shortcuts, it's a good idea to enter your command in the terminal before setting it as a hotkey, just to make sure it works as expected.

I have yet to figure out how to get AHK-like hotstrings in Linux, but I'll update if I discover a workable solution.