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What are some resources for learning Linux in a structured manner?
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this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2025
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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You are probably approaching this from the wrong angle. Linux, and computers in general, are tools. Figure out what you want to use it for, and then do it. One example would be to build a homelab with jellyfin and nextcloud.
On the path to that goal, you’ll find problems and tasks for which there exists very nice structured resources. For example, you might want some security, a perfect opportunity to read a book on networking and firewalls.
I disagree. Sometime, a structured approach allows to discover things you don't even know exist
Structured approach to what? You don’t take a structured approach to a hammer, you use it as a tool to accomplish something.
”The Linux Programming Interface” is an excellent book, if you are interested in interacting with the Linux kernel directly, but somehow I doubt that’s what OP wants to do. I doubt OP knows what he wants to do.
Besides, please note that I did encourage taking a structured approach to stuff discovered on the way. But taking a structured approach to ”Linux” is just a bad idea, it’s far to broad of a topic.
Edit: RedHat has their certification programs. These are certainly structured. You’ll get to know RedHat and the RedHat^{TM} certified way of doing things. That’s probably the closest thing to what OP wants. You even get a paper at the end if you pay up. This is not the most efficient way to get proficient.
I want to use this hammer to do my dishes, how do I do that?
If the plates are made of metal, leave them outside in the sun for an hour or so, and then beat them with a hammer.
They're not though :(
Fine, take the structured approach to ”Linux”:
If that investment seems a bit steep, take only the last step, build a homelab and take a structured approach to any interesting subjects you encounter doing that.
And then my dishes will be done? ☜(°ヮﾟ☜)
You can probably pay for a dishwasher.
Oh so there are more steps. This is getting complicated, especially since I wouldn't know where to put a dishwasher or what to feed them. When does the hammer come into play?
You can put it in the dishwasher to clean it. Just make sure to dry it and oil it a bit afterwards, otherwise it will rust. In most countries, this is covered by structured teaching in chemistry, contained within the concept of ”school”.
I'm not trying to clean the hammer, I'm trying to use the hammer to do my dishes. I'm starting to think you're not being serious with me. What's your qualification in terms of hammer-based daily chores?
Also, I failed every year of chemistry HAAAAARRRR-DDD.
Hello, I've been trying to reach you about our Online University where we Teach Hammer 4 You. Plz run this executable and click ok on all the popups.
Wow, if I'd known this would be a whole-ass university education, I wouldn't have bought dishes OR that hammer. While that executable does its thing, can you tell me what degrees specifically I can earn with you and how long they take on average? Are you certified in EU countries? Will I be qualified to hammer dishes in Germany? Plates AND mugs? What about hammering windows? Those need a clean too, now that I look at them.
Edit: Speaking of windows, does your course teach how to use a hammer to switch from Windows to Linux?
Oh no, thank you for your intetest in our course, unfortunately we're ransomware and not a University. Haha.
Plz send butcoin to 0x2fa4u8008 or i delete you computer
You'll be pleased to hear that you can't do that because I'm in the EU. So there.
Ahhh! Laws, my only weakness...
Structured approach for hammer would be probably learning when not to use hammer I guess?
This is a perfect valid approach though ! My first few years in self-hosting I learned soooo many things: CLI, Shell, scripting, networking, containers...
Doing my own AV1 encodes I learned alot about audio/video processing, metadata, ffmpeg, av1an....
Maybe not as structured as OP asked for, but there's way to much to learn in the OS world that a whole life is not sufficient to have it all ! However, following that said goal, you will learn alot arround other stuff and improve overall.
If your goal is to learn the Linux system and all the nitty gritty arround it, good luck :/ it takes more than 1 person to make an OS work, so understanding all the bells and whistle is just crazy IMO !
Honestly, this is the best way to learn almost anything: Start a project. When you don't know how to do something, look it up. Repeat until you die.