LFCS vs CompTIA Linux+

magnowest

Hello there, 

I know this is a recurrence question here, but I didn't find any answer that can help me. 

I am currently looking for a Linux certification to get more Linux (preferred Ubuntu) knowledge, basically to be prepare to further learn containers, cloud solutions and of course add to my CV. 

Now, my doubt is which one I should go to.. LFCS, CompTIA Linux+ (Old or New)?

Any help will be very appreciated.

yoba222

Can't comment on the Linux+ because I opted for the LFCS route. I didn't want to be tested by multiple choice on a topic in my opinion that should be evaluated by performance.

But I didn't get all that I'd hoped to out of the LFCS. The exam was good, but the learning journey (for me) could have been better. At the time I took it (2017) available learning resources weren't that good, and then the official exam objectives were scatterbrained at best. Maybe things are better now. I plan on letting it expire partially because of this (and then mainly because I'm not a Linux administrator by day).

EDIT: I think I'm being a bit harsh. I did learn several things, but I'd hoped to learn many, many things, and that didn't happen.

chrisone

New Linux+ XK0-0004
90 questions
Performance-based, Multiple Choice (Single Response), Multiple Response and Fill-in-the-Blank
Since I do not know what performance based means for comptia exams, and it is new for comptia, I cannot speculate how hard or how easy those performance based questions are. 

LFCS 
25-30 Scenario based configuration tasks (SSH access to a server, start configuring lol, Your configurations and logs are reviewed for your score.) 
Video and Audio monitoring at home exam 
Exam approved by the founder himself  Linus Torvalds
Free retake. 

Both exams cover pretty much the same topics. 

I am biased since I have LFCS but it was the kick in the butt I needed to really get into an intermediate comfort with Linux. Especially since I was getting into security at the time. It doesn't get any more realistic than given access to a server and given 25-30 tasks to configure and then to have your configurations and logs reviewed in order to give you a score. It took me 4 tries to pass LFCS, but it was a great reward. 

This is only my two cents, others will have different experiences. 

Muhammed H

Isn't RHCSA is the better cert to put on CV?

chrisone

yoba222 said:

I plan on letting it expire partially because of this (and then mainly because I'm not a Linux administrator by day).

I plan on doing the same. When we took it, the expiration was only 2 years they have since changed it to 3 years. 

magnowest

Muhammed H said:

Isn't RHCSA is the better cert to put on CV?

I would say yes, but I don't expect to be a RedHat admin within the next years. So an entry/intermediate-level non distro related certification seems better for me. 

LonerVamp

Linux+ is ok, but there are two versions right now. Linux+ "Powered by LPI" is the old version where you get Linux+ and you get LPIC-1 certifications at the same time (and a SUSE one, I think?). The former is lifetime, and the latter is 4-5 year re-up. The new Linux+ is just from CompTia alone, is no longer lifetime, includes a handful of performance-based questions (probably simulation style), and the material trims off some of the old stuff from the older version. If you want to continue with multiple-choice, LPI has LPIC-2...

LFCS and RHCSA are going to be hands-on practical-based. They will be a bit more expensive, I believe, and you will need to renew them.

Me personally? Unless my title has Linux Admin in it, I don't feel like the Red hat nor the Linux Foundation certs will be worth the effort/time/money. But your opinion may differ. Heck, my opinion may differ if I end up with more time and a desire to add those someday in the future!

magnowest

Thank you guys, very helpful. After reviewing all your answers and considering that this cert is more a reason to study Linux than its name in my CV by now. 
I have decided to go with LFCS, checking its objectives, it covers basically all I would like to learn in the next months.
The new comptia linux+ seems great also, but as it was just released I prefer to keep as a second option further if LFCS wont enough.

galifinikas

@chrisone
Did the exam come right as it was for the first time or they changed ?