Resources

A curated list of highly regarded tools, documentation, and learning resources for Linux, cloud, networking, and security. Some I use daily, some are reference material, and some are on the horizon — all are worth knowing about.

Linux

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Documentation

• Fedora Documentation — official Fedora docs, well maintained and thorough. My first stop for anything Fedora specific.
• AlmaLinux Wiki — 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.
• Red Hat Developer Subscription — free RHEL subscription for individuals. The hands-on environment for RHCSA study.
• 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.
• Hybrid Cloud Show — industry professionals talking public cloud, private cloud, and everything in between. Part of the Late Night Linux family.
• 2.5 Admins — two sysadmins and a producer working through real-world administration topics. Practical and no-nonsense.
• The Raspberry Pi Podcast — the official Raspberry Pi podcast, covering hardware, software, and the community around it.

Cloud

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Documentation

• Microsoft Azure Documentation — the official Azure docs. Well structured and the authoritative reference for everything Azure.
• Microsoft Learn — free structured learning paths for AZ-900 and AZ-104. The best free resource for Azure certification preparation.
• Terraform Documentation — the official Terraform docs. Start with the getting started guide for Azure, then work through modules and state management.
• Terraform Azure Provider — the reference for every Azure resource you can provision with Terraform. Open constantly when writing IaC.

YouTube

• Adam Marczak — Azure for Everyone — Azure fundamentals and certification content, well regarded for AZ-900 and AZ-104 preparation.
• TechWorld with Nana — Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and DevOps fundamentals. Widely recommended for infrastructure tooling.
• NetworkChuck — cloud, networking, and Linux content. Energetic but genuinely useful for getting concepts to land.

Practice

• Azure Free Tier — 12 months of free services plus a credit on sign-up. The starting point for Azure homelab work.
• KillerCoda — browser-based Linux and Kubernetes labs. No local setup needed, useful for practising in environments you haven’t built yet.

Infrastructure as Code and Automation

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Documentation

• Ansible Documentation — the official docs are excellent. Start with the getting started guide and work through the playbook documentation systematically.
• Kubernetes Documentation — the official reference for Kubernetes concepts, kubectl, and cluster administration.
• K3s Documentation — lightweight Kubernetes for homelab use. The practical starting point before moving to managed Kubernetes on Azure.

YouTube

• The Ansible Playbook — practical Ansible tutorials focused on real administration use cases.

Networking

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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.

Security

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Documentation and Reference

• MITRE ATT&CK — the definitive framework for understanding adversary tactics and techniques. Relevant to cloud security and infrastructure hardening.
• CIS Benchmarks — hardening guides for Linux, cloud platforms, and infrastructure. The practical reference for secure-by-default configuration.

Certifications and Study

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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

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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.

Containers

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Documentation

• Podman Documentation — rootless containers, daemonless architecture, and the right tool for Red Hat environments. Well documented and actively maintained.
• Docker Documentation — container fundamentals and the wider ecosystem. Useful reference alongside Podman.

Development Tools

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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. Worth reading properly rather than piecing it together from scattered tutorials.

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

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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

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• Tor Browser — privacy focused browser that routes traffic through the Tor network. Used alongside Firefox for situations requiring stronger anonymity.
• 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.
• Signal — end to end encrypted messaging, open source, and the standard for secure communication.