You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
LINUX PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTELPI BSD Specialist
The LPI BSD Specialist certification validates your ability to administer FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD systems with confidence. It is designed for system administrators who need to manage BSD-based environments of any kind, covering installation, software management, storage, networking, and core Unix skills. Earning it proves you can work across the three major BSD operating systems using standard tools and command-line practices.
Exam formatMultiple choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions648
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What LPI BSD Specialist proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
5domains
28objectives
203concepts
US $100exam fee
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The LPI BSD Specialist certification is a professional credential from the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) that confirms your skills in administering FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD systems. The program is built around a single exam that tests your ability to install, configure, and maintain BSD operating systems, with a strong emphasis on practical, command-line-based administration.
The certification holder is a BSD system administrator with a solid understanding of the architecture of the BSD operating systems. This includes managing user accounts and groups, processes, file systems, installed software, and client networking configuration. The certification is designed to ensure you are comfortable working in BSD-based environments of any kind, applying your skills across FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD.
As part of LPI's Open Technology track, the BSD Specialist certification has no mandatory prerequisites, making it accessible to experienced administrators looking to formalize their BSD expertise. The credential is valid for five years, after which you must recertify or certify at a higher level to maintain your status.
Who it’s for
This certification is for system administrators and IT professionals who work with or plan to work with BSD operating systems. It is ideal for those who need to demonstrate a vendor-neutral, cross-platform ability to manage FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD environments. Candidates are expected to be comfortable on the command line and have a solid understanding of Unix-like system administration. While there are no formal prerequisites, LPI strongly recommends that candidates have more than a year of experience in administering BSD systems of various kinds.
Recommended experience
More than one year of experience administering BSD systems of various kinds is strongly recommended. Experience installing and upgrading FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD systems; Hands-on administration of user accounts, groups, and file systems on BSD systems; Familiarity with BSD package management and ports compilation; Practical knowledge of basic network configuration and troubleshooting on BSD platforms
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Linux Professional Institute measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Linux Professional Institute exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Topic 711: BSD Installation and Software Management
- 711.1 BSD Operating System Installation (weight: 3)
- 711.2 BSD Software and Package Management (weight: 4)
- 711.3 BSD System Startup Configuration (weight: 3)
- 711.4 Hardware Configuration (weight: 2)
- 711.5 BSD Kernel Parameters and System Security Level (weight: 2)
Topic 712: Storage Devices and BSD Filesystems
- 712.1 BSD Partitioning and Disk Labels (weight: 2)
- 712.2 Create File Systems and Maintain their Integrity (weight: 1)
- 712.3 Control Mounting and Unmounting of File Systems (weight: 2)
- 712.4 Manage File Permissions and Ownership (weight: 3)
- 712.5 Create and Change Hard and Symbolic Links (weight: 1)
- 712.6 Find Files and BSD Directory Layout (weight: 2)
Topic 713: Basic BSD System Administration
- 713.1 Manage User Accounts and Groups (weight: 3)
- 713.2 Automate System Administration Tasks by Scheduling Jobs (weight: 2)
- 713.3 Maintain System Time (weight: 1)
- 713.4 System Logging (weight: 2)
- 713.5 Mail Transfer Agents (MTA) Basics (weight: 1)
- 713.6 Manage Printing and Print Jobs (weight: 1)
- 713.7 Manage User Sessions (weight: 1)
Topic 714: Basic BSD Network Administration
- 714.1 Fundamentals of Internet Protocols (weight: 2)
- 714.2 Basic network configuration (weight: 3)
- 714.3 Basic network troubleshooting (weight: 3)
- 714.4 Configure Client Side DNS (weight: 2)
Topic 715: Basic Unix Skills
- 715.1 Use the Shell and Work on the Command Line (weight: 2)
- 715.2 Perform basic file management (weight: 3)
- 715.3 Create, Monitor and Kill Processes (weight: 3)
- 715.4 Use Simple Regular Expressions (weight: 2)
- 715.5 Perform basic file editing operations (weight: 2)
- 715.6 Customize or write simple scripts (weight: 2)
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Linux Professional Institute publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
No mandatory prerequisites — this certification has no required predecessor exam or credential.
CertificationLPI BSD Specialist
Exam formatMultiple choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
Questions60 questions
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish
PricingUS $100
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Linux Professional Institute lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to LPI BSD Specialist
Credential earnedLPI BSD Specialist Certification Renewal and maintenance
The LPI BSD Specialist certification is valid for five years. To maintain the certification, you must recertify by retaking the exam or by achieving a higher-level LPI certification. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Linux Professional Institute maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Linux Professional Institute
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, Linux Professional Institute’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Linux Professional Institute certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the BSD Specialist certification relate to other LPI certifications?
The BSD Specialist is part of LPI's Open Technology track, which is separate from the Linux Professional (LPIC) track. It has no prerequisites and does not require any other LPI certification. It is a standalone credential for BSD system administrators.
Do I need to earn a lower-level LPI certification before taking the BSD Specialist exam?
No. LPI explicitly states there are no prerequisites for this certification. While an additional certification in the candidate's primary area of expertise, such as LPIC-1, is strongly recommended for DevOps Tools Engineer, this is not a requirement for BSD Specialist.
How do I schedule the BSD Specialist exam?
Exams are delivered by Pearson VUE in-person at a testing center or online via their OnVUE platform. You must first create an account and obtain an LPI ID, then purchase an exam voucher, create a Pearson VUE account, and schedule your exam.
What are the check-in and identification requirements for the exam?
You will need a valid government-issued photo ID that matches the name on your registration. For online proctoring, you must also comply with Pearson VUE's OnVUE environment rules, which include a clean workspace and a functioning webcam.
What is the retake policy if I fail the BSD Specialist exam?
LPI's standard retake policy applies. You must wait a specified period between attempts. Check the LPI website or Pearson VUE for the most current retake policy and waiting periods.
Are there any hands-on or lab-based components in the BSD Specialist exam?
No. The BSD Specialist exam is a 90-minute, 60-question multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank exam. There is no separate hands-on or lab component.
What job roles does the LPI BSD Specialist credential map to?
The certification is designed for BSD system administrators. It validates the skills needed to manage FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD systems, making it relevant for roles such as Unix system administrator, network administrator, and IT infrastructure specialist.
Can I recertify by passing a different LPI exam?
Yes. LPI's renewal model states that certifications are valid for five years unless retaken or a higher level is achieved. For Open Technology certifications like BSD Specialist, achieving a higher-level certification may also renew your credential.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 648 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Linux Professional Institute measures — each one written out.
5domains
28objectives
203concepts
138free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official Linux Professional Institute exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Topic 711: BSD Installation and Software Management138 questions
711.1 BSD Operating System Installation (weight: 3)7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →711.2 BSD Software and Package Management (weight: 4)9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →711.3 BSD System Startup Configuration (weight: 3)6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →711.4 Hardware Configuration (weight: 2)9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →711.5 BSD Kernel Parameters and System Security Level (weight: 2)8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
2Topic 712: Storage Devices and BSD Filesystems124 questions
712.1 BSD Partitioning and Disk Labels (weight: 2)6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →712.2 Create File Systems and Maintain their Integrity (weight: 1)6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →712.3 Control Mounting and Unmounting of File Systems (weight: 2)5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →712.4 Manage File Permissions and Ownership (weight: 3)11 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →712.5 Create and Change Hard and Symbolic Links (weight: 1)5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →712.6 Find Files and BSD Directory Layout (weight: 2)7 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →
3Topic 713: Basic BSD System Administration145 questions
713.1 Manage User Accounts and Groups (weight: 3)17 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →713.2 Automate System Administration Tasks by Scheduling Jobs (weight: 2)7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →713.3 Maintain System Time (weight: 1)3 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →713.4 System Logging (weight: 2)5 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →713.5 Mail Transfer Agents (MTA) Basics (weight: 1)9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →713.6 Manage Printing and Print Jobs (weight: 1)4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →713.7 Manage User Sessions (weight: 1)2 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →
4Topic 714: Basic BSD Network Administration112 questions
5Topic 715: Basic Unix Skills129 questions
715.1 Use the Shell and Work on the Command Line (weight: 2)9 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →715.2 Perform basic file management (weight: 3)7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →715.3 Create, Monitor and Kill Processes (weight: 3)8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →715.4 Use Simple Regular Expressions (weight: 2)6 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →715.5 Perform basic file editing operations (weight: 2)6 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →715.6 Customize or write simple scripts (weight: 2)10 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
711.1 BSD Operating System Installation (weight: 3)6 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
28 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
648 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
648questions
138pages
28objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Topic 711: BSD Installation and Software Management138 questions
2Topic 712: Storage Devices and BSD Filesystems124 questions
3Topic 713: Basic BSD System Administration145 questions
4Topic 714: Basic BSD Network Administration112 questions
5Topic 715: Basic Unix Skills129 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
203concepts
648free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from Linux Professional Institute
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
5official links
203concepts mapped
The source
Linux Professional Institute’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official Linux Professional Institute outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 28 objectives, 203 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Linux Professional Institute changes the outline, this page changes with it.
28objectives on the outline→203concepts written→648free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.