The Linux Programming Interface: A Linux and UNIX System Programming Handbook: Kerrisk, Michael: 9781593272203: Amazon.com: Books

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$84.60","priceAmount":84.60,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"84","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"60","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"wO6IZ9zJ6TUBM3tm3TUzj7saFSOdB%2Fel%2FF94cnVWpRmcFVrim9OhnjM%2F6HaZkhl4ndurZOTuB1iqAr5ksQKJLucSRiqFerQq2Rmn3wouZJBI1uOYdIcshv9ifO0eMr7pVNkTh%2Fmzx3Y%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$38.95","priceAmount":38.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"38","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"wO6IZ9zJ6TUBM3tm3TUzj7saFSOdB%2FelFoU%2FX%2F101rTXw94fltOjEJLF2mP1L1GNGLIyTHnkVrWG2yLGp9EbQZsMKhIqeoe4BRC%2FwWXbWyn64U%2F6OQwuaAc4tVZwiSEkoFPE82GmxitU1V2HyGLpmUU%2FFO8RVxEzvlF0n1zX5dnQrLsuRjC4Z%2FasOtPd7f0L","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The Linux Programming Interface (TLPI) is the definitive guide to the Linux and UNIX programming interface—the interface employed by nearly every application that runs on a Linux or UNIX system.

In this authoritative work, Linux programming expert Michael Kerrisk provides detailed descriptions of the system calls and library functions that you need in order to master the craft of system programming, and accompanies his explanations with clear, complete example programs.

You'll find descriptions of over 500 system calls and library functions, and more than 200 example programs, 88 tables, and 115 diagrams. You'll learn how to:
–Read and write files efficiently
–Use signals, clocks, and timers
–Create processes and execute programs
–Write secure programs
–Write multithreaded programs using POSIX threads
–Build and use shared libraries
–Perform interprocess communication using pipes, message queues, shared memory, and semaphores
–Write network applications with the sockets API

While The Linux Programming Interface covers a wealth of Linux-specific features, including epoll, inotify, and the /proc file system, its emphasis on UNIX standards (POSIX.1-2001/SUSv3 and POSIX.1-2008/SUSv4) makes it equally valuable to programmers working on other UNIX platforms.

The Linux Programming Interface is the most comprehensive single-volume work on the Linux and UNIX programming interface, and a book that's destined to become a new classic.

Deals on related products

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If I had to choose a single book to sit next to my machine when writing software for Linux, this would be it."
—Martin Landers, Software Engineer, Google

"Everything relating to the subject that I could reasonably think of is in the book, in a very thorough and maniacally complete yet enjoyably readable way."
—Federico Lucifredi, Slashdot.org

"This book, with its detailed descriptions and examples, contains everything you need to understand the details and nuances of the low-level programming APIs in Linux . . . no matter what the level of reader, there will be something to be learnt from this book."
—Mel Gorman, Author of Understanding the Linux Virtual Memory Manager

"Michael Kerrisk has not only written a great book about Linux programming and how it relates to various standards, but has also taken care that bugs he noticed got fixed and the man pages were (greatly) improved. In all three ways, he has made Linux programming easier. The in-depth treatment of topics in The Linux Programming Interface . . . makes it a must-have reference for both new and experienced Linux programmers."
—Andreas Jaeger, Program Manager, openSUSE, Novell

"Michael's inexhaustible determination to get his information right, and to express it clearly and concisely, has resulted in a strong reference source for programmers. While this work is targeted at Linux programmers, it will be of value to any programmer working in the UNIX/POSIX ecosystem."
—David Butenhof, Author of Programming with POSIX Threads and Contributor to the POSIX and UNIX Standards

". . . a very thorough—yet easy to read—explanation of UNIX system and network programming, with an emphasis on Linux systems. It's certainly a book I'd recommend to anybody wanting to get into UNIX programming (in general) or to experienced UNIX programmers wanting to know 'what's new' in the popular GNU/Linux system."
—Fernando Gont, Network Security Researcher, IETF Participant, and RFC Author

". . . encyclopedic in the breadth and depth of its coverage, and textbook-like in its wealth of worked examples and exercises. Each topic is clearly and comprehensively covered, from theory to hands-on working code. Professionals, students, educators, this is the Linux/UNIX reference that you have been waiting for."
—Anthony Robins, Associate Professor of Computer Science, The University of Otago

"I've been very impressed by the precision, the quality and the level of detail Michael Kerrisk put in his book. He is a great expert of Linux system calls and lets us share his knowledge and understanding of the Linux APIs."
—Christophe Blaess, Author of Programmation système en C sous Linux

". . . an essential resource for the serious or professional Linux and UNIX systems programmer. Michael Kerrisk covers the use of all the key APIs across both the Linux and UNIX system interfaces with clear descriptions and tutorial examples and stresses the importance and benefits of following standards such as the Single UNIX Specification and POSIX 1003.1."
—Andrew Josey, Director, Standards, The Open Group, and Chair of The POSIX 1003.1 Working Group

"What could be better than an encyclopedic reference to the Linux system, from the standpoint of the system programmer, written by none other than the maintainer of the man pages himself? The Linux Programming Interface is comprehensive and detailed. I firmly expect it to become an indispensable addition to my programming bookshelf."
—Bill Gallmeister, Author of POSIX.4 Programmer's Guide: Programming for the Real World

". . . the most complete and up-to-date book about Linux and UNIX system programming. If you're new to Linux system programming, if you're a UNIX veteran focused on portability while interested in learning the Linux way, or if you're simply looking for an excellent reference about the Linux programming interface, then Michael Kerrisk's book is definitely the companion you want on your bookshelf."
—Loïc Domaigné, Chief Software Architect (Embedded), Corpuls.com

"I found The Linux Programming Interface to be extremely useful and expect to return to it frequently. Anyone who has an interest in programming for Linux will likely feel the same way."
—Jake Edge, LWN.net

"Michael Kerrisk's new book [is] a thing of beauty. A book you're proud to just have on the shelf, but too useful to stay there."
—Serge Hallyn, Linux Kernel Developer

"If you think you don't need this book since you know everything already, that's what I thought too, and I was wrong."
—Bert Hubert, Netherlabs Computer Consulting

About the Author

Michael Kerrisk has been using and programming UNIX systems for more than 20 years, and has taught many week-long courses on UNIX system programming. Since 2004, he has maintained the man-pages project (http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/), which produces the manual pages describing the Linux kernel and glibc programming APIs. He has written or co-written more than 250 of the manual pages and is actively involved in the testing and design review of new Linux kernel-userspace interfaces. Michael lives with his family in Munich, Germany.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Starch Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 28, 2010
Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 1552 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1593272200
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1593272203
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.37 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.25 x 2.25 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #50,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Unix Programming
- #5 in Linux Programming
- #9 in Linux Networking & System Administration

Customer Reviews:
735 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Michael Kerrisk

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I'm a New Zealand-born, Munich-based programmer, trainer, and writer who has been programming and using various UNIX systems since 1987, and focusing primarily on Linux since the late 1990s. Since 2004, have been the maintainer of the Linux man-pages project (http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/), which documents the Linux and GNU C library programming APIs. As part of that work, I'm actively involved in the Linux development community, providing testing and design review of changes to the Linux kernel-user-space API. I write and deliver training courses on Linux/UNIX system programming and related areas. Those courses draw on many years of teaching and programming experience and a long and intimate association with the UNIX and Linux programming APIs to create superlative training courses. For more details, see http://man7.org/training/.

Related products with free delivery on eligible orders

Related books

Page 1 of 1Start Over

Customer reviews

735 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this Linux programming book to be a comprehensive reference that explains concepts well and provides excellent coverage of Linux APIs. The writing style is praised for being easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a novel. They appreciate its organization, functionality, and technical accuracy, and consider it well worth the money.

Select to learn more

Linux programming Writing style Coverage Value for money Organization Functionality Accuracy

53 customers mention "Linux programming"53 positive0 negative

Customers find this book to be an awesome reference for Linux system programming, serving as an excellent resource for Linux APIs and being a must-have for developers. One customer notes that it covers almost all aspects of Linux low-level application programming.

"Just all around an excellent book. Great content, relevance, code examples and explanation...." Read more

"Hands down probably the best book on Linux Systems Programming out there. I recommend this to any *nix programmer or system administrator." Read more

"...Regarding the books contents I believe this book is indispensable to software practitioners who want to have a deep understanding of Unix-like..." Read more

"What an incredible resource for the Linux community!..." Read more

40 customers mention "Writing style"38 positive2 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, finding it very well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a novel.

"...It is rare to find a book as complete, well written and detailed as this. This is a true modern classic and a masterpiece." Read more

"...topics (e.g. networking), and his descriptions are as elegant and well-written as anything you'll find on SO or by googling...." Read more

"...Kerrisk does an excellent job of writing in a way that exposes the way Linux APIs were meant to be used...." Read more

"This book is excellently written, covering everything thoroughly enough to be used as a solid reference, though organized and presented in a start-..." Read more

11 customers mention "Coverage"11 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's comprehensive coverage, with one customer highlighting its extensive treatment of the file system API, while another notes it covers a wide range of system programming areas beyond networking.

"...It has great coverage of the file system API, pthreads, socket programming, virtual memory, and so much more...." Read more

"The depth and breadth of this book is simply amazing...." Read more

"...The LPI is remarkably valuable because in 1500 pages it covers most system programming areas (more than 60) in Linux in a logical and evolutionary..." Read more

"...It contains fantastic coverage of a wide range of topics at varying levels of detail...." Read more

9 customers mention "Value for money"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well worth the money.

"...This book is, hands down, the best I have ever bought. First, it is good value: 1500 pages, densely packed with information...." Read more

"...The LPI is remarkably valuable because in 1500 pages it covers most system programming areas (more than 60) in Linux in a logical and evolutionary..." Read more

"...That book was nowhere near the quality of this book. Worth the $60 it cost to get this." Read more

"This might be the best technical book I've read. Well worth the money." Read more

8 customers mention "Organization"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-organized, with one mentioning that it is divided into chapters.

"...This book definitely helped with that. It is well written and well organized with good use of diagrams and code examples...." Read more

"This is a thorough, well-organized, lucidly written treatment of the somewhat arcane world of programming in the Linux environment...." Read more

"This book covers everything. It has so much information, and it's organized nicely so it's easy to learn from incrementally...." Read more

"...Organization: [0] -> The book is divided into chapters. [1] -> Each chapter has multiple sections. [2] -> Each chapter ends with..." Read more

7 customers mention "Functionality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful and functional, with one customer noting that everything the book suggests works perfectly.

"...C for an embedded POSIX Linux system and, so far, everything the book suggests works perfectly...." Read more

"...and System V shared memory applications in Linux and this book met my needs perfectly...." Read more

"...I am going to thoroughly read every page of it because there is nothing useless you can find in this book, purely hands-on useful technics, standards..." Read more

"...tome can be read front to back, and the book still functions extremely well as a reference." Read more

4 customers mention "Accuracy"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the technical accuracy of the book.

"...the care, the attention to detail, the comprehensiveness, the technical accuracy, the methodology, the extremely well-written English, the clear..." Read more

"...It is more accurate and more helpful than any combo of web pages I have ever found, including those from the system manufacturer...." Read more

"...Excellently written and precisely executed. I am going to buy the hard cover just to have it on my shelf!" Read more

"...It's well rounded, complete, thorough, easy to read, precise, interesting, helpful, useful, enjoyable and it has a green cover to boot...." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Alexandre antonio juca
Highly recommend
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I got this book in really good condition. The paper is of high quality and I love the font used.

Regarding the books contents I believe this book is indispensable to software practitioners who want to have a deep understanding of Unix-like systems. I take this book with me on flights to dig deep into topics that interest me.

The exercises and code are great and the explanations on different topics are done well. I really liked the parts that discussed Interprocess communication as well as File I/O.

Would I recommend this book?

Yes, of cause!

Read more

Alexandre antonio juca

Highly recommend

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025
I got this book in really good condition. The paper is of high quality and I love the font used.

Regarding the books contents I believe this book is indispensable to software practitioners who want to have a deep understanding of Unix-like systems. I take this book with me on flights to dig deep into topics that interest me.

The exercises and code are great and the explanations on different topics are done well. I really liked the parts that discussed Interprocess communication as well as File I/O.

Would I recommend this book?

Yes, of cause!

Images in this review

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
J. Kayser
I've never seen a book rated so high. After starting to read it, If I could give it 10 stars, I would! Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2013
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
What an incredible resource for the Linux community!

I'm an Oracle DBA, that has always been interested in the lower-level stuff (I/O, system calls, etc.). I was researching Oracle ASM (Oracle's own volume manager), but feeling the need to get more insight into the Linux I/O subsystem. So, I went to Amazon, started searching for relevant resources, and came across this book.

I've bought thousands of dollars of technical books on Amazon, and read lots of Amazon reviews.
When I bought this book, it had 61 reviews. 60 rated the book a 5 star, and 1 rated the book a 4-star.
I have *never* seen a book rated so highly on Amazon before. A book, with incredible ratings like that, was simply unheard of.

I'm now reading the book, and thoroughly enjoying the care, the attention to detail, the comprehensiveness, the technical accuracy, the methodology, the extremely well-written English, the clear explanations, and the well-written code.

For example, on page 246, where Michael discusses Direct I/O, he says:

"If a file is opened with O_DIRECT by one process, and opened normally (i.e. so that the buffer cache is used) by another process, then there is no coherency between the contents of the buffer cache and the data read or written via direct I/O. Such scenarios should be avoided."

Wow. In just one sentence, Michael tells us one of the fundamental issues with concurrent I/O, and that by simultaneously using different I/O mechanisms, you can corrupt your files.

Another example: on page 249, Michael writes:

"When using the stdio library functions in conjunction with I/O system calls to perform I/O on disk files, we must keep buffering issues in mind. I/O system calls transfer data directly to the kernel buffer cache, while the stdio library waits until the stream's user-space buffer is full before calling write() to transfer the buffer to the kernel buffer cache."

Wow. It makes sense, when you know as much about the Linux kernel as Michael does. Need to insert an fflush() between the stdio write and the system call write. Another "Aha!" moment, just a couple of pages later. And the pages in between had one of the clearest examples of code for Direct I/O that I have ever seen. Michael even writes about the memory alignment challenges of Direct I/O.

It's simply incredible! How in the world could anyone write so much high-quality technical stuff? It's 1500+ pages of awe inspiring, amazing technical blessing. It is a fabulous example to everyone in the I.T. industry, and a very high bar for any technical books to come.

Thank you, Michael, for your incredible book.

Read more

36 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Charles A
TLPI - A masterpiece, full of essential information. A real look under the hood!
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2013
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
/**
* Name: Charles
* Age: 23
* Purchased: May, 2013
*/

Organization:
[0] -> The book is divided into chapters.
[1] -> Each chapter has multiple sections.
[2] -> Each chapter ends with a summary.
[3] -> At the very end of each chapter are exercises meant to reinforce what was learned in the chapter.

This is by far one of the best computer science texts I own. I did not purchase this book as a requirement for a class (though I am a student), but I did purchase it for 'personal consumption' and to further my knowledge of programming and grow as a unix/linux systems programmer.

I have read many computer science books by many different publishers and I have to admit I really enjoy the books that I own that were printed by No Starch press. I was turned on to this book by an interest in C/C++ socket programming and systems programming in general. I have a background in web development and had been programming in C for about a year when I purchased this book.

There is something to learn for everyone in this book, regardless of how many years or decades of experience you have. The book starts with a history of Unix, Linux, and standards, and then progresses into the great detail the inner workings of linux and unix.

One of my biggest disappointments with most other programming books is that the authors use bad analogies to explain how things work, or fail to explain how things work at all and only offer a shallow glimpse into the subject. Some authors seem to go back over their books adding stupid and unintelligent filler to try and make the book longer. This book is over 1500 pages and each page is jam packed with information. In fact, I'm sure there was information that was deemed 'not important' enough to make it into this book, and thus the book references how one can find more information on a topic.

I have so many good things to say about this book, I highly recommend it to anybody with an interest in linux systems programming. You will need an understanding of C programming to get through the book. If you are looking for a book on how to program in C, this is not the book. If you are a C programmer, or are learning C, and would like a book that shows you how to apply your programming knowledge to the linux and unix operating systems, this is a book for you.

This is a book for system admins, network admins, hackers, teachers and professors, students (high school, college, or graduate), makers, computer scientists, etc.

This is one book that I know I will carry with me everywhere. Or I will buy multiple copies so that I don't have to lug around this heavy, 1500+ pg hardcover book. Definitely a book you want at home, at the office, on the plain, in the car, in the bathroom, or anywhere else you can think of reading!

This is the most well written programming book that I own!

Read more

59 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Amazon Customer
The best book ever written on Unix/Linux
Reviewed in India on October 24, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

There are many other exceptional books as well such as from Richard Stevens, Robert Love and others but this one could be the best book ever written on the subject and the domain.

Read more
Report
Fábio Schorn
Ótimo livro!
Reviewed in Brazil on October 13, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Ótimo livro!

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Read and think
An incredibly well written book
Reviewed in Canada on July 18, 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I have read a lot of technical books (principally windows and c++ related) and really I have NEVER seen a technical book as well written as this one.
The book has all the quality I always wanted:
1) it must be thorough: after reading you shouldn't need to read other book or search the web to complete your comprehension: every info you need must be there.
2) it must be clear: there should never be any ambiguity in expressions or situation that requires you to test the info on specific example. You must be able to understand it on first the first reading
3) it must be a pleasant journey: the order of the information should match the normal flow of your thinking and interrogations. The author should guide you so that when you think: "I wonder what would happen in this different situation", the next paragraphs do address that interrogation you have.
Again this book does all this extremely well. There is simply no equivalent in the windows world. It makes me learning linux a very pleasant experience.
Many many thanks Mr Kerrisk

Read more
Report
Tim Havord
Everything you needed to know about Linux.
Reviewed in Australia on December 30, 2020
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
East to read and comprehensive.

Read more
Report
Richtourist
Absolutely Superb
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Extremely extensive and detailed but succinct and well written with no ambiguous language. In fact it seeks out and clears up any ambiguity in the subject matter, and clarifies its own use of terms where there could be doubt.
Includes not just the details of the Linux Interface but also common issues and pitfalls faced by programmers of that subject.
States its limits and includes links to other texts which may help those needing to go beyond those limits. Very easy to navigate via the extensive 'Contents' section, and clear 'Overview' section on each subject explaining how it will address the topic.
Includes good internal referencing so you can be aware of and locate other relevant information.
The style is direct and to the point, with no lame jokes or historical content except where that might be helpful, such as explaining a convention or naming scheme.
Has plenty of short coding examples and C library references, but only for useful illustration, no long pointless text you would never type in.
Also, read the 'About the Author' in the book description; his experience is pretty compelling.
Despite its 2.4kg weight it will actually be a weight of your mind as you tackle the Linux Interface.

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Buy new:

Save with Used - Acceptable

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Follow the author

The Linux Programming Interface: A Linux and UNIX System Programming Handbook 1st Edition

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Deals on related products

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Michael Kerrisk

Related products with free delivery on eligible orders

Related books

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Highly recommend

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend

Highly recommend

Images in this review

5.0 out of 5 stars I've never seen a book rated so high. After starting to read it, If I could give it 10 stars, I would! Wow!

5.0 out of 5 stars TLPI - A masterpiece, full of essential information. A real look under the hood!

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book ever written on Unix/Linux

5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo livro!

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly well written book

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you needed to know about Linux.

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Superb

Highly recommend

I've never seen a book rated so high. After starting to read it, If I could give it 10 stars, I would! Wow!

TLPI - A masterpiece, full of essential information. A real look under the hood!

The best book ever written on Unix/Linux

Ótimo livro!

An incredibly well written book

Everything you needed to know about Linux.

Absolutely Superb