Beginning Linux Programming (Linux Programming Series) - Softcover

Neil Matthew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861002971 ISBN 13: 9781861002976

Publisher: Wrox Pr Inc, 1999

Synopsis

If you've already got Linux up and running on your machine and you really want to exploit its capabilities, Beginning Linux Programming is packed full of useful information that will keep you busy for weeks. In spite of its title, Beginning Linux Programming isn't oriented toward novices. It assumes that you're a competent C programmer but are simply new to the specifics of Linux. Authors Neil Matthew and Richard Stones introduce a plethora of fundamental concepts including shell programming, file access, and using curses to write full-screen, character-based programs. But that's just the start. They cover advanced topics such as processes, pipes, semaphores, and sockets - and of course, they address issues common to Internet programming such as using CGI (Common Gateway Interface). The book is a superb resource for anyone who has really wanted to put the pedal to the metal in Linux. This revised second edition has been completely updated, and now covers programming in Perl, an introduction to writing applications for the GNOME desktop, and a new chapter about writing device drivers.

About this title

Review

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.

From the Publisher

Building on the proven success of the first edition this book continues its unique aproach to teaching UNIX programming in a simple and structured way on the Linux platform.
Through the use of detailed and realistic examples, the reader learns by doing, and in the course of a single book, is able to move from being a Linux beginner to creating custom Internet applications in Linux.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wrox Pr Inc
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1861002971
• ISBN 13: 9781861002976
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 980