Linuxlab

Linux textbooks for engineers who work in the terminal

Read the tools the way you use them.

Point at, tap, or focus a part of the command and I'll explain what it does and why.

Browse the booksFree chapters, no account needed.

Method

How to read this

Start anywhere. Each chapter stands on its own, with a bridge to the next. Expandable "how it works" notes sit inside the steps when you want the second layer.

  • Chapters stand alone

    Each chapter reads from any starting point and asks for nothing before it.

  • A bridge between chapters

    Each chapter ends with a short step to the next, so you see where you are going.

  • A second layer when you want itshow the breakdown
    This is what a “how it works” note looks like inside a chapter:$ man 2 forkfork() creates a new process by duplicating the calling process. It returns twice: the child's PID in the parent, and 0 in the child.

    “How it works” notes sit inside the steps and open when you want the second layer.

The platform

What's inside

  • The booksshow the breakdown
    A few chapters from the first book:
    • Part I. Foundations
    • Part II. Junior administration
    • Part III. Mid level

    Short, self-contained chapters with the why behind each command.

    Open
  • A command referenceshow the breakdown
    One entry from the reference:$ man find-mtime n: the file's data was changed n×24 hours ago. With a sign: +7 older than a week, -7 newer.

    The pages you keep open in the next tab, cross-linked to the chapters.

    Open
  • A live sandboxshow the breakdown
    Right in the browser, nothing to install:$ echo $SHELL /bin/bash

    A real terminal in the browser to run the examples as you read.

    Open

Where to start

Linuxshow the breakdown
What's inside:
  • Part I. Foundations
  • Part II. Junior administration
  • Part III. Mid level
  • Part IV. Senior administration

A Linux textbook for engineers

Open

Library

The same books, read aloud

When you are learning away from the keyboard, on a commute or a walk, the textbook plays as audio. Each book is narrated end to end, chapter by chapter, and comes as a separate edition in Russian and English.

The first chapters of each book are free with an account.

Open the audiobooks
  • Terraform
  • How the Internet Works

Some chapters are free. Read them before you decide.

Browse the books