Linux+ vs LPIC
The first Linux certification to discuss is Linux+ offered by CompIA (Computing Technology Industry Associate), a more general IT certification association that offers everything from help desk support do data analyst certifications. The second certification worth comparing is the LPIC-1, offered by the LPI (Linux Professional Institute), an organization which focuses on Linux in and of itself. Although after passing the LPIC-1, there are additional certifications that go far more in depth, being the LPIC-2 and LPIC-3, the only certification that matches the depth of knowledge as Linux+ is LPIC-1.
First off, let's compare what is similar. Both certifications are vender and distro nuetral, meaning they are not specifically about one Linux distribution offered by one company, such as Redhat offering certifications covering their REHL distibution (RHCSA or RHCE). Instead, both the Linux+ and LPIC-1 focus on concepts that apply across all distros, and include tools used by the most common distros, such as RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) as well as APT (Advanced Package Manager), used by Debian-based systems.
While reading over the exam objectives for each certification, I noticed the LPIC-1 putting much more weight on basic file management, the shell environment and Bash scripting, while the Linux+, as seen below, puts less emphasis on Bash scripting. What the Linux+ has that the LPIC-1 doesn't however is Git version control, containerization (Docker/Podman) and orchestration (Kubernetes). These are more recent technology trends only found in the Linux+ and often used in an enterprise environment. So we could say the LPIC-1 is a more pure Linux certification and Linux+ focuses on Linux, in addition to the related tools and technology used in enterprise environments.
From what I have read, CompTIA is more widely recognized as a industry standard in the United States, while the LPI is more recognized in Europe.
After passing the Linux+ or LPIC-1, the next certifications would either be the RHCSA (Red Hat Certified Systems Administrator) or the LPIC-2.
For price, the two LPIC-1 exams each cost $200 in the United States as of writing this. The single Linux+ exam costs $358, although they have a tempting bundle for $462 which included a exam retake and official study guide.
The old Linux+ XK0-004 exam is currently expired. The newer XK0-005 version has condensed 5 domains into only 4, and has included Docker/container management and orchestration.
| XK0-005 | |
|---|---|
| System Management | 32% |
| Security | 21% |
| Scripting, containers, and automation | 19% |
| Troubleshooting | 28% |
Key Takeaways
- Both are vendor and distro neutral.
- CompTIA certifications will be far more recognized than LPI.
- LPI is a specialized Linux organization that has additional certs (LIPC-2 and 3), while CompTIA is a general IT certification company with only one Linux+ cert.
- Linux+ focuses on more enterprise technology like containers and additional tools like version control (Git) while LPIC-1 is purely Linux focused.
- Linux+ is a single exam while LPIC-1 is broken into two.
- CompTIA has a student discount for those in a four year university.
Two Latest Exams Released
Exam Objectives