This article will go through the best Linux books for all the different target groups and use cases.
Best Linux Books – Quick Overview
Here’s a quick comparison table of the best Linux books:
| Book | Cost | Latest Release | For | Themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Linux Command Line | Paid | March 7, 2019 | Beginners | Commands, CLI, bash |
| How Linux Works | Paid | April 19, 2021 | Beginners | Boot loaders, kernels, drivers, networking |
| Linux Basics for Hackers | Paid | December 4, 2018 | Advanced | Networking, hacking, security, scripting, Kali Linux |
| Linux Cookbook | Paid | September 7, 2021 | Beginners/intermediate | Networking, command-line, GUI, security |
| Linux Bible | Paid | June 10, 2020 | Beginners/experts | Basics, automation, shell scripting |
| CompTIA Linux+ Study Guide | Paid | August 2, 2022 | Professionals | Linux+ exam |
| Linux Pocket Guide | Paid | July 19, 2016 | Beginners | Commands, CLI, bash |
| Linux All-in-One For Dummies | Paid | July 11, 2018 | Beginners | Installation, desktops, networking, administration, security, scripting, certifications |
| Linux for Beginners | Paid | January 2, 2014 | Beginners | Getting started, servers, CLI, distros |
| Linux System Programming | Paid | June 18, 2013 | Advanced | Linux kernel, C library |
| Practical Linux Forensics | Paid | December 21, 2021 | Advanced | Digital forensics and investigation |
| Learning Modern Linux | Paid | May 24, 2022 | Advanced | Linux cloud, kernel, terminal, networking, VMs |
| Linux From Scratch | Free | September 1, 2022 | Advanced | Building a Linux distro from scratch |
| Command Line Kung Fu | Paid | April 17, 2014 | Beginners | Commands, CLI, bash |
| Linux FUNdamentals | Free | October 3, 2021 | Beginners | Fundamentals of Linux |
| UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook | Paid | July 9, 2010 | Intermediate | Unix and Linux system administration |
| Efficient Linux at the Command Line | Paid | March 29, 2022 | Intermediate | Commands, CLI, bash |
If you want to learn more about each book in detail, scroll down.
Humble Bundle often has bundles of Linux books for as cheap as €1. The bundles are often on a different topic, but chances are, if you are looking for Linux books, they have a great bundle for cheap.
Why read a book about Linux?
Before buying a book, you might wonder “why even read a book about Linux”? Reading a book is one of the most popular ways of learning Linux. There are some advantages to learning Linux through a book, like:
- Everything is usually in-depth. Tutorials online are generally short and straight to the point, but books dig deep into the subject matter and explain everything you need to know, starting from the basics all the way to the advanced techniques and methods. That’s why books are often recommended for beginners. Technically, you can also learn everything from random articles online that dig deep into a subject, but a book is more organized, focused, and has the same theme and tone throughout, whereas articles and tutorials may each be different and not as well organized.
- Learning Linux from a (physical) book forces you to rewrite/retype every command line and code. This is a good technique to learn and remember something better. If you’d follow an online tutorial (or even an eBook for that matter), you’d just copy and paste the command line or code. If you used a physical book, you’ll be forced to rewrite/retype everything, making everything easier to remember and understand.
- Books are usually peer-reviewed, professionally edited, and proofread. Most online tutorials are not. Mistakes and grammar errors always happen, and small mistakes in commands and code also always happen. Chances are, in an online random tutorial, all those might go unnoticed by the publishers, but a book always has fewer chances of having an error or a mistake.
I understand that this is a generalization about online tutorials and books. There are advantages to online tutorials and eBooks, like having an easy search function and being short and straight to the point (if you need it). Some books also may be (or become) outdated, depending on the topic they cover. In a perfect world, you should use everything that’s at your disposal, including physical books, eBooks, online tutorials, videos, courses, etc.
Now let’s get to the main part of the article, the best, top-rated books about Linux: