Your Certification
Roadmap
This book is your foundation. Here’s the full path — from your first Linux command all the way to advanced certifications and a career in the field.
Expand Each Step
CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-005)
CompTIA Linux+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates your ability to work with Linux systems across multiple distributions. It’s recognized by employers worldwide and is a great first certification for anyone entering the Linux field.
EXAM CODE
XK0-005
QUESTIONS
90 max (multiple choice + performance-based)
Pass Score
720 / 900
Duration
90 minutes
Chapters in Linux Fundamentals that prepare you for Linux+:
LPIC-1 (101-500 & 102-500)
LPIC-1 is the Linux Professional Institute’s entry-level certification. It consists of two separate exams and is one of the most respected vendor-neutral Linux certifications globally. Studying for LPIC-1 alongside Linux+ is highly efficient — the content overlaps significantly.
EXAM 1
101-500 · System Architecture & Package Management
EXAM 2
102-500 · Shells, Networking & Security
Questions per Exam
60 questions each
Duration
90 minutes per exam
Chapters in Linux Fundamentals that prepare you for Linux+:
LPIC-2 (Advanced Administration)
LPIC-2 is where things get serious. It covers advanced Linux system administration — complex networking, DNS and DHCP servers, email servers, web servers, storage management, and system security at scale. This is the certification that moves you from “I know Linux” to “I run Linux infrastructure.”
Coming in Book 2. LPIC-2 coverage will be the focus of the next book in the Next Step Linux series. Completing Linux Fundamentals and earning your Linux+ and LPIC-1 certifications is the perfect preparation.
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LPIC-1 (101-500 & 102-500)
Once you have Linux+ and LPIC-1 under your belt, a wide range of advanced certifications and career paths open up.
Each one builds directly on the foundation this book gives you.
RHCSA
Red Hat Certified System Administrator — the gold standard for enterprise Linux roles
CKA
Certified Kubernetes Administrator — for container orchestration and cloud-native infrastructure
DevOps Engineer
CI/CD pipelines, automation, infrastructure as code — Linux is the foundation of all of it
Cybersecurity
Penetration testing, security analysis — Linux knowledge is essential in every security role
Chapter 21 of Linux Fundamentals maps out exactly what comes next and how to plan your path after certification.