A small, hand-edited set of long-form Linux references. Each one is meant to be opened a few times a year rather than skimmed once. Last reviewed on 2026-10-04.
Rather than chase a long catalogue of thin posts, this section focuses on a few core references that cover what most readers actually need: getting a working installation, recovering when something on the machine stops cooperating, and learning enough of the command line to be self-sufficient. The list will grow over time, but only when there's something useful to add.
A step-by-step walkthrough that goes from downloading and verifying the ISO to writing a bootable USB, the actual install flow (including dual-boot with Windows and optional disk encryption), and a sensible post-install checklist.
Read guide →Not sure where to start? The distributions overview compares the major distribution families by release model, package manager and intended audience.
Compare distributions →Move from 24.04 LTS to 26.04 LTS (or from 22.04 via 24.04) with do-release-upgrade: preparation, upgrade paths, what changes, and recovering from a failed upgrade.
How long each release is supported: Ubuntu LTS, Debian, Fedora (including Fedora Server), RHEL and rebuilds, openSUSE, Mint and the kernel, with current end dates.
Read reference →Practical reference for everyday shell tools: navigation, files, permissions, pipes, processes, networking and packages. Examples are kept short and self-contained.
Read reference →The user/group/other model, chmod in both symbolic and octal form, chown, umask and a brief tour of ACLs. The reference that the rest of the site keeps pointing back to.
A side-by-side comparison of apt, dnf, pacman and zypper — the same task in four flavours, plus the concepts that don't change between them.
An everyday-use introduction to systemd: units, targets, systemctl, journalctl and how to override a unit without editing the package file.
Scheduling jobs with crontab and with systemd timers: syntax, OnCalendar examples, catching up missed runs, user timers and logging.
Create an Ed25519 key, copy it with ssh-copy-id, use an agent and ~/.ssh/config, then safely switch off password logins on the server.
What each one is, where the differences actually matter (screen sharing, global hotkeys, scaling, NVIDIA), and how to switch between sessions at the login screen.
Read reference →For background on the two main desktop environments, see the GNOME overview and the KDE overview.
A diagnostic walkthrough: what to check first, how to identify your wireless chipset, and how to install the right driver on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and Arch.
Read guide →A short field guide for narrowing down problems: how to read logs, how to check whether a service is even running, and when to reach for the rescue tools.
Read guide →Every guide on this site aims to be readable from start to finish in one sitting and useful on the second visit. Each commits to a few rules:
If you find an error or a step that no longer works, the contact page lists the right email to use.
