Learning FreeBSD

[ceteris]

Hello all,

I've recently come to know and, after further research, love FreeBSD and the near-limitless opportunities it seems to offer. Although I have a lot of respect for Linux, I've grown somewhat tired of it and, thus far, the BSDs seem philosophically and technically closer to my own views and preferences. I'm not really versed in any other OS, except for Windows (Server), which I try to avoid wherever possible as I find it a little depressing.

I'm keen to learn BSD starting with FreeBSD and I come asking for advice: I'd love to know what to read in order to become proficient in as little time as possible. I'm wholly comfortable with hardware and have substantial Googling skills, but I no longer have the time to go about learning in a disorderly fashion as I did with Linux. Thankfully, the FreeBSD documentation seems to be quite nice and I look forward to reading it, but I'm betting there are other splendid sources of information out there.

What are the best resources for learning FreeBSD?

Thank you.

 

[tommiie]

You should check out the FreeBSD handbook and Absolute FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas. They are good resources to get you started. Welcome!

 

[Deleted member 30996]

I'm not really versed in any other OS, except for Windows (Server), which I try to avoid wherever possible as I find it a little depressing.

Since you've ran Linux you could skip over the beginner parts and have a desktop set up to work with.

Beginners Guide - How To Set Up A FreeBSD Desktop From Scratch

I'm going to guide you though the process of getting a fully functional FreeBSD 13.0-RELEASE desktop up and running, complete with system files and security settings, step-by-step as if you've never used UNIX or the command line. Now let's get started: Insert your boot media and at the Welcome...

forums.freebsd.org

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

FreeBSD is Unix classic OS.
I think before reading FreeBSD handbook and Absolute FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas, because these books aren't for Windows users, this books requiring base Unix skills, you have to get base knowledge of Unix and read those books, choosing books that more like for you from this list:
UNIX Power Tools, 3rd EditionBy Shelley Powers, Jerry Peek, Tim O'Reilly,Mike Loukides, et. al.
UNIX : The Textbook 3rd Edition
UNIX: The Complete Reference, Second Edition byKenneth H. Rosenet al. McGraw-Hill/Osborne 2007 (912 pages) ISBN:9780072263367
or more modern book
After reading those books you are ready for reading and understanding handbook and Absolute FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas man pages and other books like UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, 5th Edition by Evi Nemeth

 

[SKull]

I just want to add that the best is to start right off the bat with the aforementioned 'Absolute FreeBSD' book instead of the linked Handbook.

I'm not saying that the Handbook is bad in any way! It's just not a 100 percent up to date, and much less entertaining to read

 

[forquare]

Not a book, but if you're into listening to podcasts, I'd recommend BSDNow. I've been listening for ~4 years now, and I've learnt a lot by osmosis, and have occasionally written into them for answers.

 

[CraigHB]

...the BSDs seem philosophically and technically closer to my own views and preferences.

Just saying welcome since others have already replied with good resources.

I like FreeBSD for the same reasons, their direction is better suited to my preference. I like that it conforms to classic Unix tightly and that changes are well thought out with an attempt at minimal impact to the user.

Linux can deviate pretty far from classic Unix at the whims of the developer community which can lead to some astonishment when upgrading. I've had that happen a few times. I'm trying to use FreeBSD in lieu of Linux where I can, but Linux is becoming rather ubiquitous these days, pretty hard to avoid it altogether.

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

Absolute FreeBSD is the book for system administrator - there aren't described set up and setting for GUI, removaible media, byhave and etc. Topic starter which target for FreeBSD you have - for descktop or server using?

 

[PacketMan]

.....
to become proficient in as little time as possible.

Reading will only get you so much so fast. Do these things also: (a) get yourself a machine and install FreeBSD!, (b) install stuff, try to get stuff working, and (c) hang out on this forum. Do all that and you will learn more, and learn it quicker. The very vast majority of folks on here are authentic and genuinely interested in you suceeeding. The mindset in this forum is not to do it for you, but to help you help yourself. While most are fairly knowledgeable in FreeBSD generally, you will find each has their own gifts and strengths.

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

If TS uses FreeBSD for descktop use and don't afraid command prompt - handbook enough for it. Are some nuances with console kit and slim- see this forum. For working with removaible media with GUI don't use handbook (this is only for servers) - read vermaden posts here and wordpress.. Isn't bad manual from cool trainer for setup FreeBSD 11..FreeBSD isn't Linux distro with GUI like Windows - GUI, removaible media, ACPI, graphics driver you must make yourself.. Freedom You and only you decide what you needed..

 

[CraigHB]

Reading will only get you so much so fast. Do these things also:

I'll second that, you learn fastest by doing. Use the resources to provide some direction. Though FreeBSD is not a huge jump from Linux. The nuts and bolts are different, but the tools are similar.

You'll probably find a lot of the published stuff for FreeBSD oriented toward server applications and administration. That's where FreeBSD is most heavily used. Though the organization tries to make FreeBSD more of a sandbox type of OS, start with a base system easily modified to do what you want. Even so us FreeBSD desktop users are kind of a niche. Have to rely on Google Fu sometimes.

 

[Phishfry]

I too bought a bunch of felled trees know as books. They never seemed to have the exact answer I needed.
Good for general guidance but poor at answering the most basic specific question.
Sometimes the web is a great resource, but FreeBSD is not static and does change.
So you need to use online tutorials with a grain of salt. Sometimes a FreeBSD 8.0 tutorial can be useful and sometimes things have changed so much that it is useless.

Here is what I recommend. Don't get too attached to your first installation. Plan on installing FreeBSD at least a couple of times.
Learn how to backup your configuration files onto a USB stick, along with learning how to format the USB stick with UFS.

To me there is no harm in starting over. It is very easy to follow someones instructions, but no easy way to walk it back if everything gets wacked out.

If you need a desktop than I suggest you skip the display manager like Slim. It is a crutch but because it takes over your boot environment it can really go sideways if you mess up any of its settings.

We have basic command line file management tools like misc/mc and misc/ytree that were useful to me in the beginning.

Coming from Linux just remember that /etc contains many system settings and /boot contains boot setting files.
For programs that you install from ports and packages the default location for settings is /usr/local/etc/*.

Welcome aboard and don't be ashamed to ask if you research a question and come up with more questions than answers.

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

If you have enough base understand ing Unix tools and concepts isn't important that you using - FreeBSD, Solaris or Linux. FreeBSD and Solaris highly documented, Linux - trash mess.

 

[ceteris]

Not a book, but if you're into listening to podcasts, I'd recommend BSDNow. I've been listening for ~4 years now, and I've learnt a lot by osmosis, and have occasionally written into them for answers.

I came across the BSDNow podcast a few days ago while watching an interview with Allan Jude. I go through a lot of educational audio content, so this should be fun.

Absolute FreeBSD is the book for system administrator - there aren't described set up and setting for GUI, removaible media, byhave and etc. Topic starter which target for FreeBSD you have - for descktop or server using?

I'm hoping to run FreeBSD on both desktop and server. I'm already running FreeNAS, pfSense and a few FreeBSD virtual machines but the latter, so far, only for learning/testing and benchmarking purposes.

Reading will only get you so much so fast. Do these things also: (a) get yourself a machine and install FreeBSD!, (b) install stuff, try to get stuff working, and (c) hang out on this forum. Do all that and you will learn more, and learn it quicker. The very vast majority of folks on here are authentic and genuinely interested in you suceeeding. The mindset in this forum is not to do it for you, but to help you help yourself. While most are fairly knowledgeable in FreeBSD generally, you will find each has their own gifts and strengths.

The first thing I did was install FreeBSD on an older laptop. I've thus far successfully familiarized myself with the zfs & zpool command line tools, the /etc/rc.conf /boot/loader.conf files, basic jails and tools like gpart. I've also installed i3 and Xfce. I had planned to shove myself in at the deep end a few days ago by installing FreeBSD on one of my main laptops, but refrained after encountering an odd wifi error. Seeing I still don't know enough, I came here to try and expedite my learning process.

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

 

[tommiie]

FreeBSD is Unix classic OS.
I think before reading FreeBSD handbook and Absolute FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas, because these books aren't for Windows users, this books requiring base Unix skills, you have to get base knowledge of Unix and read those books, choosing books that more like for you from this list:
UNIX Power Tools, 3rd EditionBy Shelley Powers, Jerry Peek, Tim O'Reilly,Mike Loukides, et. al.
UNIX : The Textbook 3rd Edition
UNIX: The Complete Reference, Second Edition byKenneth H. Rosenet al. McGraw-Hill/Osborne 2007 (912 pages) ISBN:9780072263367
or more modern book
After reading those books you are ready for reading and understanding handbook and Absolute FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas man pages and other books like UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, 5th Edition by Evi Nemeth

OP says he is already familiar with Linux as he has "grown somewhat tired of it." I certainly do not believe those three books are must-read to get up to speed with Linux or Unix operating systems, especially given their age and page-length. I'm sure there must be better introductionary texts on Unix with less pages should you consider Absolute FreeBSD too advanced for a beginner with somewhat Linux experience.

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

Read The Absolute FreeBSD and haven't understanding about base Unix concepts and them base tools - in vain spent yours time. If you don't know anything about Unix and them tools - you look at the letters in the Absolute FreeBSD like a ram at a new gate. Bad it or good, I don't know, but FreeBSD has more high entry level that Ubuntu, Mint, and other GUI Windows like Linux distros..The dashing cavalry and swoop not to defeat FreeBSD, you need a systematic and long time siege.

 

[Vadim_Mkk]

IMHO, If topic starter knows Linux very well, I think that the first boor for learning FreeBSD must book by Michael W Lucas and Allan Jude "FreeBSD Mastery: ZFS"
Other base tools almost the same.
Base administration - general using
1. ABSOLUTE FREEBSD® 3RD EDITION The Complete Guide to FreeBSD by Michael W. Lucas 2019
2. UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, 5th Edition Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Trent R. Hein, Ben Whaley, Dan Mackin 2017
Security
Book of PF, 3rd Edition A No-Nonsense Guide to the OpenBSD Firewall by Peter N. M. Hansteen 2014