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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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I would look for something interactive e.g LFS but in containers (or VM or WASM VM) with checkpoints with instructions, something risk free yet hands on.
Not for books.
i will add that using something like arch linux is unironically good to get a feel for how it clicks together without doing it all from complete scratch.
despite the usual stability caveats (and please do backups), it is a daily-driveable system you can learn on.
I'm honestly kicking myself for using arch instead of something without systemd.
I used Arch to learn Linux and ended up just learning systemd really well.
As much as a very vocal subgroup hates to admit, systemd is a pretty core aspect of modern Linux.
That said if you really want to learn an alt init system gentoo lets you pick, and I think Slackware is still sans systemd.
I'm using FreeBSD as is, I've got a 20 year old PC I'm learning on and FreeBSD afict is my best bet on this system.
It really depends on what init system you want to learn.
Right now, you're learning BSD init. Which is not the same as the non-sysd init systems in use on Linux. Perfectly fine system mind you and they share some overlap with their Linux cousins.
That's what I'm finding, there's some overlap but not enough that I can confidently administer the system yet. I've had the FreeBSD Handbook open in links for days 😅.
I'm starting to get the hang of things, there's a few things I wish there were analogs for on FreeBSD that I've used on Linux for modifying swappiness and other minutiae but I suppose eventually I'll know enough to be the change I wanna see in the world and just write the kernel extension to do it myself.
Now that I think about it, I believe Slackware actually uses a BSD style init if you want to try and bridge the gap. It's been eons since I used it so not 100% sure
I have my reasona for using FreeBSD, the system I'm using is ancient, about 20 years old. Its a decommissioned corpo unit, HP/Compaq DC5700S with 2 gigs of RAM and a dog slow Celeron D processor. I'm actually compiling a custom kernel right now to match my hardware because I'm severely limited on RAM and in true UNIX fashion it needs to only be doing what I tell it to, and not a damn thing more.
Won't hear me knocking it. Stellar OS. I just wish Linux compatibility was a smidge better. There's still a handful of programs that don't run well.
you can use many init systems on gentoo and its also good for the purpose!
I would agree, and IMO the most important aspect that makes arch good for learning is the amazing wiki
I agree, nothing made this stick better to me and help me understand networking more than building my own homelab and configuring a bunch of different services together.