Best Linux Networking & System Administration Books of 2025

This book is a practical guide for anyone interested in learning Linux basics with a focus on how hackers would use them. The book covers fundamental concepts like filesystems, networking, and package management, and then moves on to more advanced topics such as security and anonymity. The tutorials and exercises throughout the book provide a hands-on approach to learning, making it an excellent resource for anyone starting in the cybersecurity field. Overall, Linux Basics for Hackers is a great first step towards learning Linux and acquiring the tools and techniques needed to take control of a Linux environment.

The "Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches, Fourth Edition" is a comprehensive guide for busy IT professionals to learn PowerShell at their own pace. With 25 tutorials, readers can easily complete each chapter in under an hour. The book covers core language features and admin tasks, including managing cloud services and extending PowerShell with commands. The latest edition includes PowerShell's multi-platform expansion into Linux and macOS. The book is a must-read for those who want to automate their repetitive tasks and manage their systems using PowerShell.

The Linux Command Line, 2nd Edition: A Complete Introduction is an excellent guide for beginners who want to learn the Linux command line. The author, William Shotts, takes the reader step-by-step from basic terminal commands to writing shell scripts. The book not only covers practical knowledge, but also explains the philosophy behind these tools and their rich heritage. The short, easily-digestible chapters make it easy to learn and apply the concepts. Overall, this is a highly effective and useful guide for those looking to master the Linux command line.

The Linux Bible, 10th Edition, is an essential guide for anyone seeking to master Linux. Written by a Red Hat expert, it provides step-by-step instructions to demystify Linux and bring its new features seamlessly into your workflow. The book covers the latest versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora, and Ubuntu, and includes information on cloud computing, containerization, Ansible automation, and Kubernetes and OpenShift. The guide assumes a base of little or no Linux knowledge and takes you through what you need to know to get the job done. Overall, this is an excellent resource that provides hands-on training to get you on track in a flash.

Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs Production Systems is a collection of essays and articles written by key members of Google’s Site Reliability Team. The book explains how Google's commitment to the entire lifecycle has enabled the company to build, deploy, monitor, and maintain some of the largest software systems in the world. The book is divided into four sections, covering the introduction, principles, practices, and management of site reliability engineering. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about site reliability engineering and its practical applications.

This book, "Learning eBPF: Programming the Linux Kernel for Enhanced Observability, Networking, and Security," is a comprehensive guide to eBPF technology that allows you to write custom code to dynamically modify kernel behavior. The book is ideal for developers, system administrators, operators, and students who want to learn how to write eBPF programs and use them to build a new generation of security, observability, and networking tools. Author Liz Rice, chief open source officer at Isovalent, provides a solid foundation for exploring eBPF programming. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to take their Linux networking and system administration skills to the next level.

The Linux Programming Interface by Michael Kerrisk is an authoritative guide to the Linux and UNIX programming interface. It provides a comprehensive description of over 500 system calls and library functions, accompanied by clear examples. The book covers various topics, including file handling, process management, multithreading, network programming, and interprocess communication. While it emphasizes UNIX standards, its Linux-specific features make it valuable for programmers working on other UNIX platforms. The author's extensive experience in the field and his involvement in the testing and design review of new Linux kernel-userspace interfaces make this book a must-read for any system programmer.

The Linux Pocket Guide: Essential Commands is a must-have reference book for anyone who regularly uses Linux. The third edition of the book includes new commands for manipulating image and audio files, managing processes, and modifying PDF files. The book also covers powerful command line idioms that are not commonly used. The guide is well-organized and provides a clear learning path for novices and experienced users alike. It covers topics such as file management, text manipulation, backups, user account management, network connections, and programming with shell scripts. Overall, the book is concise, functional, and provides quick answers to common Linux-related queries.

The UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, Fifth Edition, is an essential guide for contemporary system and network administrators. The handbook covers everything from storage management, network design, and administration, to automation, performance analysis, and virtualization. The book is updated for today's Linux distributions and cloud environments, and additionally, it covers new topics such as cloud deployments, Docker, and other containerization solutions. The book's authors are pioneers in the field of UNIX system administration, and their expertise shines through in the handbook's comprehensive coverage of every facet of system administration. This book is a must-have for any serious system or network administrator.

The third edition of "How Linux Works" by Brian Ward is a must-read for anyone who wants to master the Linux operating system. Ward peels back the layers of the system in a comprehensive yet accessible way, covering topics such as boot loaders, networking, and the kernel. The updated edition includes new chapters on LVM, virtualization, and containers, making it even more relevant in today's tech landscape. The book serves as both an introduction to Linux and a handy reference guide, allowing readers to skip to the sections they need. Overall, "How Linux Works" is an excellent resource for both beginners and experienced users.