Linux in a Nutshell review

Users of free Unixes won't agree with the title of Linux in a Nutshell. The fact is much of the book is actually focused on GNU or BSD utilities and not specifically Linux. The book begins with just over 100 pages of general user commands. Next you get info on bash and csh/tcsh, on emacs and vi/ex, on sed and gawk, and on gcc, gdb, and the like. A perl quick reference is followed by an overview of system administration commands and a final chapter on ways of booting Linux. Here's the odd part, it's only this last chapter on booting Linux that is really Linux-specific. Like I said, most of the book deals with related topics of Linux rather than Linux itself.


Learning to use a text editor is essential to becoming a good Linux administrator and Linux in a Nutshell covers both Emacs & vi. When you use the right commands, text editors can be incredibly powerful to an admin. You won't find these chapters on editors a replacement for dedicated references on this topic. Still, they are certainly handy when you need to find something quick.

As a reference Linux in a Nutshell falls uneasily between more detailed books and online documentation. Unless you are a Linux veteran who is basically a Linux god, Linux in a Nutshell is going to be a good direction for you. I would easily say this is an essential for anyone working with Linux.