Product Description

Since 1996 this, the first edition of Beginning Linux Programming, has introduced tens of thousands of people to programming for Linux - the free UNIX-like PC OS that's taken the UNIX world by storm in recent years.

This book takes off where most Linux books stop, showing you how to make the most of the tools UNIX offers to program UNIX for real.

The first edition covers:
Programming in C, the main UNIX programming language
Client/Server and Network programming in the UNIX environment
HTML and using your Linux box as a CGI server
Rapid development tools: the shell and Tcl
X Windows and X programming with Tcl Tk and Java

A real-world CD database application is developed and extended throughout the book as new topics are covered, allowing you to see how the theory you've learnt can be applied in practice.

The book is unique in that it teaches UNIX programming in a simple and structured way, using Linux and its associated and freely available development tools as the main platform. Assuming familiarity with the UNIX environment and a basic knowledge of C, the book teaches you how to put together UNIX applications that make the most of your time, your OS and your machine's capabilities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1446793 in Books
• Published on: 1996-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 710 pages

From Amazon.com
Provided you have some previous basic exposure to C and Unix, Beginning Linux Programming delivers an excellent overview of the world of Linux development with an appealing range of essential tools and APIs.

The standout feature of Beginning Linux Programming is its wide-ranging coverage of important topics in basic Unix programming. In a series of short chapters, the authors discuss the basics of writing Unix programs in C, with material on basic system calls, file I/O, interprocess communication (for getting programs to work together), and advanced topics such as socket programming and how to create Unix device drivers.

Parallel to this, the book introduces the toolkits and libraries for working with user interfaces, from simpler terminal mode applications to X and GTK+ for graphical user interfaces. While you won't be an authority on X or GTK+ after reading this book, you will certainly be able to explore real Linux development on your own after the capable introductory guide provided here. (The book's main example, a CD-ROM database, gets enhanced in subsequent chapters using new APIs and features as the book moves forward.) This text also serves as a valuable primer on languages and tools such as Tcl, Perl, and CGI. (There's even a section that explains the basics of the Internet and HTML.)

More than ever, there is no shortage of specific information on Linux programming, but few titles provide such a wide-ranging tour of what you need to know to get serious with Linux development. In all, Beginning Linux Programming gives the reader an intelligent sampling of essential topics in today's Linux. It's a wise choice for aspiring Unix C developers or folks seeking to extend the range of their Linux knowledge. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Linux overview, compiling C programs, shell programming, pipes, script keywords and functions, Unix file I/O in C, Unix system functions, terminal interfaces (termios, keyboard input, the curses library), memory management, file locking, dbm databases, make and source control basics, man pages, debugging with gdb, processes and signals, POSIX threads and synchronization, IPC and pipes, semaphores, queues and shared memory, sockets, Tcl basics, X Windows and GTK+ for GNOME, Perl basics, HTML and CGI, writing Unix device drivers.

Book Info
Concentrates on C programming, looking at the GNU tools, and the UNIX C libraries, to teach you step-by-step how to write, build and debug serious application code. Softcover.

From the Publisher
A fully revised and expanded Second Edition of Beginning Linux Programming is available. Search for the title, Beginning Linux Programming 2nd Edition or the ISBN: 1861002971

Customer Reviews

Everything You've Been Looking For
If you are a sysadmin or want to learn programming on UNIX/LINUX you must have this book. I have several books on C and several on other languages I would trade them all for this. It covers the basics (essentials) that other books written exclusively for one language don't even touch on. I explains how all of the languages covered interplay with UNIX/LINUX.

The first chapter covers programs, the C compiler, header files, staic libraries, and shared libraries. It explains they all come together to make a program in a way that it can be understood

The second chapter covers UNIX shell scripts at length. I have good book on shell scripts, and this chapter alone is just as good as that book.

The third chapter covers working with UNIX files, system calls, library functions etc... The sample programs all work as they are supposed to. Everything is clearly explained and easily understood.

The 4th chapter covers passing arguments to C programs, envorment variables, temporary files, configuring logs, and system resources.

I have not read any further, because I've only had this book a week. I've been looking for a book like this for a few years. It talks about how C and other languages interface with LINUX/UNIX rather than just giving you the pure language and leaving you to fend for yourself.

Other chapters include:
5) Terminals
6) Curses
7) Data Management
8) Development Tools
9) Debugging
10) Processes and Signals
11) POSIX Threads

12) Inter-process Communication: Pipes
13) Semaphores, Mesage Queues, and Shared Memory,
14) Socets
15) TCL: Tool Command Language
16) Programming for X
17) Programming for GNOME using GTK+
18) The Perl Programming Language
19) Programming for the Internet: HTML
20) Internet Programming 2: CGI
21) Device Drivers
Appendex A) Portability
Appendex B) FSF and the GNU Project
Appendex C) Internet Resources
Appendex D) Bibliography

If you are only get one book on programming, this is the one you need. I have at least 8 other books on various programming languages, and this one is better than all of them combined. This book is 900 pages packed full information, and it's easily understood. The sample programs all work and are well documented.

I write this review after reading only four chapters, because the information I have gotten out of them is worth way more than the price of this book. This book gives you all the pieces to the puzzles and tells you how to put it together. This book can be used by advanced programmers as well to fill in any knowlege gaps they may have. This book gets my highest recommendation, as it will be by my side for years to come.

An essential book
After reading other reviewers' comments, I bought this book. What I find is that I keep going back to the book as I go through my day at work; using it both as a reference and a case-study type of book. I do have other Linux programming books but this is the one I reach for first. The layout is logical. The examples are clear and correct. I gave it a 5-star rating.

Heavy reading
This book has a good coverage of a lot of topics, but it is hard to get through.