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 LPIC-1:Linux Administrator (101-500)
The LPI LPIC-1: Linux Administrator certification validates your ability to perform maintenance tasks with the command line, install and configure a computer running Linux, and configure basic networking. It is designed for Linux system administrators and professionals who work across all major distributions. Earning LPIC-1 demonstrates that you have the core skills to manage Linux systems effectively in a professional environment.
Exam formatMultiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions1053
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What LPIC-1 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.
10domains
41objectives
368concepts
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 LPIC-1: Linux Administrator certification is the first level in the Linux Professional Institute's Linux Professional track. It validates that you have the essential skills to work as a Linux system administrator, covering system architecture, Linux installation and package management, GNU and Unix commands, devices and filesystems, shells and scripting, administrative tasks, networking fundamentals, and security.
Earning LPIC-1 requires passing two exams: 101 and 102. These exams are vendor-neutral and test your ability to work with Linux systems across all major distributions. The certification is valid for five years and can be renewed by retaking the exams or by achieving a higher-level LPI certification.
Who it’s for
This certification is for Linux system administrators, DevOps engineers, and IT professionals who are responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining Linux systems. It is also suitable for individuals who are starting a career in Linux administration and want to demonstrate their foundational skills. Candidates should be comfortable working on the command line, have a basic understanding of Linux architecture, and be able to perform common administrative tasks such as managing users, files, and processes.
Recommended experience
LPI recommends that candidates have some hands-on experience with Linux before attempting the LPIC-1 exams, though no formal experience is required. Familiarity with the Linux command line and basic commands; Experience installing and configuring Linux systems; Understanding of basic networking concepts; Ability to manage files, permissions, and processes
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 101: System Architecture
- 101.1 Determine and configure hardware settings
- 101.2 Boot the system
- 101.3 Change runlevels / boot targets and shutdown or reboot system
Topic 102: Linux Installation and Package Management
- 102.1 Design hard disk layout
- 102.2 Install a boot manager
- 102.3 Manage shared libraries
- 102.4 Use Debian package management
- 102.5 Use RPM and YUM package management
- 102.6 Linux as a virtualization guest
Topic 103: GNU and Unix Commands
- 103.1 Work on the command line
- 103.2 Process text streams using filters
- 103.3 Perform basic file management
- 103.4 Use streams, pipes and redirects
- 103.5 Create, monitor and kill processes
- 103.6 Modify process execution priorities
- 103.7 Search text files using regular expressions
- 103.8 Basic file editing
Topic 104: Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard
- 104.1 Create partitions and filesystems
- 104.2 Maintain the integrity of filesystems
- 104.3 Control mounting and unmounting of filesystems
- 104.5 Manage file permissions and ownership
- 104.6 Create and change hard and symbolic links
- 104.7 Find system files and place files in the correct location
Topic 105: Shells and Shell Scripting
- 105.1 Customize and use the shell environment
- 105.2 Customize or write simple scripts
Topic 106: User Interfaces and Desktops
- 106.1 Install and configure X11
- 106.2 Graphical Desktops
- 106.3 Accessibility
Topic 107: Administrative Tasks
- 107.1 Manage user and group accounts and related system files
- 107.2 Automate system administration tasks by scheduling jobs
- 107.3 Localisation and internationalisation
Topic 108: Essential System Services
- 108.1 Maintain system time
- 108.2 System logging
- 108.3 Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) basics
- 108.4 Manage printers and printing
Topic 109: Networking Fundamentals
- 109.1 Fundamentals of internet protocols
- 109.2 Persistent network configuration
- 109.3 Basic network troubleshooting
- 109.4 Configure client side DNS
Topic 110: Security
- 110.1 Perform security administration tasks
- 110.2 Setup host security
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.
Exam codeLPIC-1
CertificationLPI LPIC-1: Linux Administrator (101-500)
Exam formatMultiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
Questions60 questions per exam
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish, German, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Spanish (Modern)
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 LPIC-1: Linux Administrator (101-500)
Credential earnedLPI LPIC-1: Linux Administrator (101-500) Certification Renewal and maintenance
LPIC-1 certification is valid for 5 years unless retaken or a higher level is achieved. 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 LPIC-1 101-500 version relate to the previous 101-400 version?
The 101-500 and 102-500 exams are based on version 5.0 of the LPIC-1 objectives, which updated the previous 4.x objectives. LPI provides a summary of changes from version 4.0 to 5.0 on their wiki.
Do I need to pass the exams in a specific order?
No, the 101 and 102 exams can be taken in any order. However, both must be passed to earn the LPIC-1 certification.
Can I take the LPIC-1 exams online?
Yes, LPI exams are delivered by Pearson VUE both in-person at test centers and online via their OnVUE platform.
What is the retake policy for LPI exams?
LPI does not publish a specific retake policy on the provided pages. Candidates should refer to the LPI website or Pearson VUE for the latest retake rules.
Are there any hands-on or lab components in the LPIC-1 exams?
No, the LPIC-1 exams consist of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions only. There are no hands-on labs.
What job roles does LPIC-1 map to?
LPIC-1 is designed for Linux system administrators and professionals who perform maintenance tasks, install and configure Linux systems, and configure basic networking.
Can I recertify LPIC-1 by passing a higher-level exam?
Yes, achieving a higher-level LPI certification, such as LPIC-2, renews your LPIC-1 certification.
Are there regional differences in exam delivery?
LPI exams are available in over 180 countries. Some languages may only be available at test centers or online, and paper-based exams are offered at some open source conferences.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 1053 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.
10domains
41objectives
368concepts
225free 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 101: System Architecture103 questions
2Topic 102: Linux Installation and Package Management155 questions
102.1 Design hard disk layout10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →102.2 Install a boot manager10 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →102.3 Manage shared libraries4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →102.4 Use Debian package management8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →102.5 Use RPM and YUM package management7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →102.6 Linux as a virtualization guest8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
3Topic 103: GNU and Unix Commands198 questions
103.1 Work on the command line15 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →103.2 Process text streams using filters12 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →103.3 Perform basic file management10 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →103.4 Use streams, pipes and redirects5 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →103.5 Create, monitor and kill processes12 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →103.6 Modify process execution priorities5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →103.7 Search text files using regular expressions10 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →103.8 Basic file editing9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
4Topic 104: Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard143 questions
104.1 Create partitions and filesystems8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →104.2 Maintain the integrity of filesystems8 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →104.3 Control mounting and unmounting of filesystems8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →104.5 Manage file permissions and ownership9 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →104.6 Create and change hard and symbolic links7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →104.7 Find system files and place files in the correct location10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →
5Topic 105: Shells and Shell Scripting51 questions
6Topic 106: User Interfaces and Desktops97 questions
7Topic 107: Administrative Tasks63 questions
8Topic 108: Essential System Services96 questions
9Topic 109: Networking Fundamentals112 questions
10Topic 110: Security35 questions
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.
101.1 Determine and configure hardware settings8 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
37 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
1053 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.
1053questions
225pages
41objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Topic 101: System Architecture103 questions
2Topic 102: Linux Installation and Package Management155 questions
3Topic 103: GNU and Unix Commands198 questions
4Topic 104: Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard143 questions
5Topic 105: Shells and Shell Scripting51 questions
6Topic 106: User Interfaces and Desktops97 questions
7Topic 107: Administrative Tasks63 questions
8Topic 108: Essential System Services96 questions
9Topic 109: Networking Fundamentals112 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.
368concepts
1053free 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
368concepts 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 — 41 objectives, 368 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Linux Professional Institute changes the outline, this page changes with it.
41objectives on the outline→368concepts written→1053free 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.