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Linux Fundamentals
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A Letter from the Author + Certification Roadmap
Where this book came from, who it’s for, and a complete visual roadmap from
Linux+ all the way to LPIC-2 and beyond.
Chapter 1
Choosing Your Linux Journey
Why Linux? Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch, how to use this book, and your certification roadmap overview.
Chapter 2
Quick installation guide, partitioning basics, post-install essentials, and first boot configuration.
Chapter 3
Fedora installation, DNF basics, SELinux introduction, and Fedora-specific setup.
Chapter 4
Installing Arch Linux
Why Arch is worth it, archinstall guided installer, manual walkthrough, and post-install setup.
Chapter 5
Shell & Command Basics
Shell basics, essential commands, file viewing, getting help, and command history.
Chapter 6
File Permissions & Ownership
Understanding rwx, chmod, chown, special permissions, and real-world security implications.
Chapter 7
Text Editors
nano for beginners, vim essentials for certifications, and editing configuration files confidently.
Chapter 8
Users & Groups
User and group management, /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, and sudo configuration across all three distros.
Chapter 9
Package Management
apt, dnf, and pacman side by side — installing, updating, removing, and managing repositories.
Chapter 10
Process Management
PIDs, ps, top, htop, kill, background jobs, process priority, and signals explained clearly.
Chapter 11
Boot Process & GRUB
Linux boot sequence from power-on to login, GRUB configuration, boot parameters, and recovery mode.
Chapter 12
systemd Service Management
systemctl mastery, creating custom services, boot analysis, and targets vs runlevels.
Chapter 13
Networking Basics
IP configuration, Netplan, NetworkManager, systemd-networkd, DNS troubleshooting, and essential tools.
Chapter 14
SSH & Remote Access
SSH setup, key-based authentication, scp, sftp, tunneling, and SSH hardening best practices.
Chapter 15
Firewall Management
iptables fundamentals, UFW for Ubuntu, firewalld for Fedora, and nftables for Arch Linux.
Chapter 17
Shell Scripting Basics
bash scripts, variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and real automation examples you’ll actually use.
Chapter 18
System Monitoring & Logs
df, du, free, vmstat, /var/log, journalctl, and a clear troubleshooting methodology.
Chapter 19
Linux+ Exam Prep
XK0-005 exam format, chapter-to-objective mapping, study strategy, and 50 practice questions.