LPIC-1 102-500 study plan

Write and debug a bash script that uses positional parameters, exit codes, and if/case branching to validate its own arguments.

Configure and demonstrate shell environment behavior: export variables, set aliases, use command substitution, and explain the difference between login and non-login shell startup files.

Use redirection and pipelines (>, >>, 2>, |, tee, xargs) to filter and transform text from log files.

Practice interactive shell editing and history expansion: search history, recall arguments, and edit a long command line without a mouse.

Implement loops (for, while, until) and read input line-by-line from a file inside a script.

Use grep, sed, and awk with regular expressions to extract and rewrite fields in structured text.

Write a script that traps signals and cleans up temporary files it created with mktemp.

Debug a failing script using bash -x, set -e/-u, and shellcheck-style reasoning about quoting.

Schedule recurring and one-time jobs with cron and at, including user crontabs and /etc/cron.d entries, and verify they run.

Install, upgrade, and remove packages with dpkg and apt, and query package ownership of a file.

Create and restore backups with tar, including compressed archives and exclusion patterns.

Manage user accounts and groups: create, modify, lock, and inspect accounts with useradd, usermod, passwd, and getent.

Locate and interpret system logs using journalctl filters (unit, priority, time range) and traditional log files under /var/log.

Configure and verify a systemd service unit, including enable/disable and inspecting status and dependencies.

Set the system time zone and configure NTP synchronization, then confirm the clock is synchronized.

Adjust system locale and keyboard settings and verify the change persists across reboot.

Set up and test a mail transfer agent locally so that a scheduled job's output is delivered to a local mailbox, and read it.

Configure a print queue with CUPS, submit a test job, and inspect/cancel it with lpstat and cancel.

Install and start an X server or Wayland session with a display manager, and switch between at least two desktop environments.

Configure accessibility and display settings (screen resolution, keyboard layout) and explain where each setting is stored.

Configure IPv4 addressing, netmask, gateway, and DNS on an interface using ip and the distribution's persistent network configuration.

Diagnose connectivity with ping, traceroute, ss, dig, and host, and interpret each tool's output correctly.

Resolve a hostname lookup problem by inspecting /etc/hosts, /etc/resolv.conf, and /etc/nsswitch.conf.

Explain and demonstrate the difference between a listening socket and an established connection using ss.

Set and audit file permissions including setuid, setgid, and sticky bits, and verify with find-based permission searches.

Configure sudo access for a non-root user with a limited command set and test both allowed and denied commands.

Generate and use SSH key pairs for passwordless login, and harden sshd configuration with a tested change.

Identify and explain common attack surfaces: world-writable files, unused services, and weak password policies; check them with concrete commands.

Re-run one hands-on task from each domain under time pressure to confirm retention.

Review every wrong answer from earlier practice and write the underlying command or concept for each.

Memorize the exact file paths and default locations tested most often (startup files, cron directories, log locations, network config).

Take two full-length timed practice sets and analyze errors by domain to target final review.