The Linux Command Line, 2nd Edition: A Complete Introduction

Author William Shotts has done an amazing job with The Linux Command Line. I’ll admit I’m something of a Linux newbie, but I feel like I have learned so much from reading this book. The text is complex, yet approachable, and teaches lots of handy command line tips without being tied to a specific distro (though there is some brief discussion regarding packaging and package managers). Overall, a lot of useful content, both in using built-in programs and for coding your own shell scripts. The best part about this book, for me, were the “playground” lessons, where you would create a bunch of dummy files and folders and then perform operations on them. For example, using “touch” to create 10 folders with 100 files in each, with only one short line of code. Or showing how to use “grep” and “ls” to find all programs matching a particular pattern. Practical examples of using pipelines. These are all super useful. So lots of good example material here. The Linux Command Line clocks in at just over 500 pages, with 36 different chapters, each on a specific topic. The first 10 chapters explain how Linux works (permissions, processes, the environment), and how to use the command line in general (navigating the file tree, manipulating files and folders, redirection, command expansion and quoting). Next it covers package managers, connecting storage, networking, searching, archiving, regular expressions, formatting text, and printing. And the final part covers shell scripting and is a basic programming tutorial as well. A great base of content. I’ve only read a handful of Linux books so far, but I think I can say this is the best I’ve seen. The text covers very fundamental and core competencies for using Linux, and the language is very approachable for beginners. I feel like I have learned a lot and already I’m more comfortable on the command line. If you are new to Linux, this can be a great way to up your game. Recommended.

**The Linux Command Line** is an excellent book for learning Linux and serves as a great reference, especially for someone upgrading from Windows, which is my current situation. It is an essential resource, and additional information can be found online.

I've been fooling around with a Raspberry Pi 5 for a little while now and have been just copy/pasting commands from help websites (like a monkey) for tasks like accessing Windows network shares. I wanted a way to understand the power of the terminal and this book is perfect. Once I complete this course, I may take a shot at Python.

It’s not a book review because I’m not a book critic. I will say that it arrived in immaculate condition and quickly. Job well done

Excellent book.

Linux. Command Line. if you are trying to read anything else to learn Linux, then you’re doing it wrong. I would personally like to think the author for expanding my skills in such a very clear, wonderful writing style.

I have been doing Linux as a hobbyist for many years, so the first half of the book was a good review. But then he did a deep dive into shell scripting and I learned a lot.

Not a reference manual this is a tutorial that that teaches you to make your own reference manual

Consigliato ai neofiti del terminale. Ottimo libro, come del resto ogni titolo della No-starch Press!

Very useful book for beginners like me. No retition to learn, just examples. Could even find its place beside the bed 😊

I purchased "The Linux Command Line" 2nd Edition by William Shotts to explore the possibility of adopting Linux Ubuntu as my primary OS and to deepen my understanding of Linux. My familiarity with the macOS command line laid the groundwork for this transition. Notably, while modern Linux variants no longer require command line proficiency, my decision was also influenced by the security limitations of Microsoft Windows. "The Linux Command Line" excels in its clear, educational prose, making complex topics accessible without overwhelming the reader with jargon. The book systematically covers fundamental concepts and commands, progresses to scripting and system administration, and effectively builds knowledge step-by-step. Overall, Shotts' guide is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in mastering the Linux command line. It skilfully combines theory with practical examples, ensuring comprehensiveness and ease of understanding for both beginners and intermediate users. This book is a valuable addition to any tech library, providing constructive insights not easily found in online tutorials.

I bought this book (Kindle) because I flunked an Introduction to Linux exam. The book helps a lot for understanding the inner workings and why of Linux commands. It wil stay with me for a couple of years maybe forever as it's also an excellent reference manual. Part III about bash scripting also has some very good general programming advice. It's not a 5-star review for me though, there's one thing that I'm missing and that is a lot of excercises so you wouldn't forget what you've learned. Because of the lack of exercises it got hard at some point. REGEX and completion should be exercised. But if you are an on the job Linux learner definitly buy this book. If you are a student Linux learner than you will need to go search a lot of excercises as additional material. If there's another edition of this book please add a lot more exercises. The Python crash course book from the same publisher is a good example. In a couple of weeks I have another Linux exam curious to see if this book will get me past that one.

Complete foundational book for Linux. This book is very easy to read and apply. The author makes sure each concept is thoroughly expanded upon including common mistakes. Great book for a beginner