Coursebook is an open-source introductory systems programming textbook designed for university-level instruction in C and Linux systems programming.
The project addresses the need for a high-quality, rigorous educational resource on systems programming by building upon and standardizing an earlier wikibook experiment. It targets students who have completed a programming language course and understand assembly instructions, teaching systems programming concepts through C code examples grounded in Linux kernel practices. The textbook aims to improve factual accuracy through citations, footnotes, extended reading sections, and a glossary, while maintaining the openness of its predecessor.
The coursebook suits academic settings where systems programming is taught at the introductory level, particularly for students preparing to work with low-level systems code. It is available in multiple export formats including PDF, Markdown, and HTML, allowing flexibility in how instructors and students consume the material. The project is built with LaTeX and designed to automate the build process so contributors can focus on writing content rather than managing technical infrastructure.
Development activity shows consistent engagement with the educational mission. The project maintains a structured contribution process documented in a dedicated contributing guide. The codebase reflects attention to presentation quality, with deliberate choices about visual design elements including custom chapter styling and title page formatting. The repository preserves attribution for design inspirations and acknowledges the lineage from the original wikibook, indicating a collaborative approach to knowledge building.
