A curated list of the tools, documentation, and learning resources I actually use. Nothing here for the sake of a longer list.
Linux#
Documentation
- Fedora Documentation — official Fedora docs, well maintained and thorough. My first stop for anything Fedora specific.
- Rocky Linux Documentation — the go-to reference for the RHEL-compatible ecosystem. Covers everything from installation to administration.
- Red Hat Documentation — official RHEL documentation, the authoritative source for anything that matters in the enterprise Linux world.
- Arch Wiki — the best Linux reference on the internet regardless of which distribution you use. If it is not here, it is probably not documented anywhere.
YouTube
- Learn Linux TV — practical Linux tutorials with a consistent focus on real administration skills. Good for RHCSA relevant content.
- Into the Terminal — Red Hat — Red Hat administration, RHEL content, and enterprise Linux from the people who build it.
- Jeff Geerling — Linux, homelab, and hardware projects. Ansible for DevOps is his book and his channel reflects the same depth.
- Red Hat — enterprise Linux, RHEL releases, and community content straight from Red Hat.
- Fedora Project — Fedora releases, features, and community updates.
Podcasts
- Linux Matters — Linux news and discussion. Genuinely good conversation rather than just headlines.
- Late Night Linux — Linux and open source discussion worth your time. More opinionated than most.
Security#
Documentation and Platforms
- Wazuh — open source SIEM documentation. Comprehensive and well structured. Essential once you are running it in a homelab.
- MITRE ATT&CK — the definitive framework for understanding adversary tactics and techniques. Every SOC analyst needs to know this.
- LetsDefend — hands on SOC analyst training with realistic alert investigations. The closest thing to real SOC work outside of a job.
YouTube
- MyDFIR — SOC analyst content and blue team skills. Practical and directly relevant to entry level security roles.
Networking#
Documentation
- OPNsense Documentation — open source firewall and routing platform. Clear and well organised for both beginners and experienced administrators.
- Wireshark Documentation — essential reference for network traffic analysis. Pairs well with any networking certification study.
Practice Tools
- SubnettingPractice.com — the most thorough free subnetting practice tool I have found. Used heavily during Network+ preparation.
Certifications and Study#
YouTube
- Professor Messer — the standard for CompTIA exam preparation. Free video courses for A+, Network+, and Security+. Use alongside the study guides.
- BurningIceTech — CompTIA PBQ preparation. Pairs well with Professor Messer for the performance based questions that trip people up.
Scripting and Automation#
Python
- futurecoder — open source, interactive Python learning that starts from genuine zero. The best free resource for getting the fundamentals solid.
- Python Documentation — the authoritative reference. Once the basics are in place this becomes the first place to check.
- W3Schools Python Reference — quick reference when you need a syntax reminder without reading the full docs.
Bash
- LearnShell.org — interactive browser based shell scripting tutorial. Good for getting started without setting up a local environment.
- The Bash Guide (Wooledge) — the most thorough free Bash reference available. Go here once the basics make sense.
- GNU Bash Manual — the official authoritative reference. Dense but complete.
Ansible
- Ansible Documentation — the official docs are excellent. Start with the getting started guide and work through the playbook documentation systematically.
YouTube
- The Ansible Playbook — practical Ansible tutorials focused on real administration use cases.
Containers#
Documentation
- Podman Documentation — rootless containers, daemonless architecture, and the right tool for Red Hat environments. Well documented and actively maintained.
Development Tools#
Version Control
- GitHub Documentation — covers Git workflows, Actions, Pages, and everything else in the GitHub ecosystem. Clear and well maintained.
- Pro Git Book — free, comprehensive, and the standard Git reference. Read this properly rather than picking up Git habits from Stack Overflow.
Editors
- Vim Documentation — official Vim docs. Start with vimtutor before coming here.
- Vim Cheat Sheet — the most useful quick reference for Vim keybindings. Worth bookmarking early on.
Site Building#
Documentation
- Hugo Documentation — the official Hugo docs, well structured and thorough. The functions and templates reference is particularly useful.
- Blowfish Theme Documentation — thorough documentation covering every configuration option. This site is built with Blowfish.
YouTube
- CloudCannon — Hugo — Hugo tutorials and static site content from people who work with it professionally.
- Mike Dane — Hugo tutorials covering the fundamentals. One of the few good video resources for getting started with Hugo.
Tools I Use Daily#
- Bitwarden — open source password manager. The single most impactful security tool most people are not using. Self-hostable if you want full control.
- Proton Mail — privacy respecting email with end to end encryption. My primary email provider via a custom domain.
- Proton VPN — open source VPN with a no logs policy. Part of the Proton ecosystem and audited independently.
- Proton Authenticator — open source 2FA app with end to end encrypted backup. Replaces Google Authenticator without the privacy trade-off.
- SimpleLogin — open source email alias service. Every account gets its own alias, compartmentalising exposure if a service is breached.
- NextDNS — DNS based content filtering configured per device. Blocks trackers and malicious domains before a connection is made.
- Firefox — open source browser and my daily driver, hardened with uBlock Origin, Multi-Account Containers for session isolation, and telemetry disabled.
- Tor Browser — for genuine anonymity when it is needed, kept separate from daily browsing.
- Signal — end to end encrypted messaging, open source, and the standard for secure communication.
Got a Suggestion?#
This page reflects what I actually use today. If there is a resource that has genuinely helped you on a similar path, feel free to get in touch at [email protected]