Free Certification Ebooks & PDF Study Guides for CCNA, CompTIA, and AWS
Six free certification ebooks. Read them in your browser. No PDF download, no email gate, no nonsense.
FigigExams publishes free, browser-ready study ebooks for the six most popular IT certifications in 2026: CCNA 200-301, CompTIA Security+ SY0-701, AWS Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02, CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2, and AWS Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03. Every chapter is written tight, links straight to practice questions, and updates as exam objectives change. They replace the 900-page paperback you do not have time to read.
200-301 Free ebook CompTIA Security+
SY0-701 Free ebook AWS Cloud
Practitioner Free ebook CompTIA A+ Core 1
220-1101 Free ebook CompTIA A+ Core 2
220-1102 Free ebook AWS Solutions
Architect Free ebook
In This Guide
Why a browser ebook beats a 900-page certification paperback
I have a copy of the Cisco CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide on my desk. Two volumes, 1,500 pages combined, about $45 on Amazon. It is a fantastic reference. It is also the wrong format for the way most people actually study for a certification today.
Here is the math that prompted me to write the FigigExams ebooks. The average working adult studies in 30 to 60 minute blocks, on a phone or a laptop, in the kitchen or on a commute. The 1,500-page paperback was designed for a different reader: someone with 6 months of evening time, a desk lamp, and a highlighter. If that is not you, the paperback is going to sit on your shelf with a bookmark stuck at page 80 for three months. That is exactly the candidate I wrote the web ebooks for.
Searchable in 3 seconds
You can Cmd-F a web ebook for "OSPF DR election" and land on the right paragraph in 3 seconds. A 900-page PDF takes minutes, and a paperback takes a coffee break. Search is non-negotiable for working professionals.
Written tight, not thick
Big textbooks are paid by the page. Web ebooks are paid by the pass-rate. Every chapter is the minimum required to pass the exam, not a 40-page deep dive into a topic the exam tests in two questions.
Linked to practice questions
Every concept in the ebook links to practice questions on that exact concept. Read for 10 minutes, test recall for 5, repeat. A PDF cannot do this without printing the whole question bank into the back of the book.
Updates with the exam
CCNA 200-301 went to v1.1. CompTIA SY0-601 retired and SY0-701 took its place. AWS SAA-C02 became SAA-C03. The web ebook updates within weeks. The PDF you bought last year is now actively misleading on 10 to 15 percent of objectives.
Reads on a phone
Subway, lunch break, doctor's waiting room. The ebook is responsive and readable on a 5-inch screen. A two-volume textbook does not fit in your pocket. A 900-page PDF is not readable on a phone without endless pinch-zooming.
Costs zero
Every ebook on this page is genuinely free to read. No email gate, no "register to download," no trial that auto-bills. If you want practice exams at the end, those are $18 each, but the ebook is free regardless of whether you buy an exam.
Honest comparison: paperback vs PDF vs FigigExams web ebook
This is the table I wish I had when I was studying for my own first certification. None of these formats is bad. They are tuned for different readers.
| Feature | Paperback Cert Guide | Pirated / Free PDF | FigigExams Web Ebook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $35 to $60 per cert | $0 (often illegal) | $0, legal, free |
| Length | 700 to 1,500 pages | 700 to 1,500 pages (same as paperback) | Tight, exam-focused chapters |
| Searchable | Index only | Yes, but slow | Yes, instant |
| Reads on phone | No | Pinch-zoom torture | Yes, responsive |
| Stays current with exam updates | No, frozen at print date | No, often years old | Yes, updated continuously |
| Linked to practice questions | No | No | Yes, every chapter |
| Legal & ethical | Yes | Often not | Yes |
| Signup required | No | Varies | No, none |
Pirated PDFs are the elephant in the room. I know candidates use them. I am not going to lecture you, but I will say this: pirated PDFs are usually 2 to 4 years out of date, which means roughly 10 to 20 percent of what you study is wrong for the current exam. That is not a trade-off, it is just bad studying. The web ebooks are free and current. Use those instead.
The six free certification ebooks
Each card below links to the full free ebook (the Read ebook button) and to the full timed practice exam for the same certification (the Test yourself button). Pick the certification you are studying for and start with the ebook, or jump straight to the practice exam if you want a baseline before you read.
The most popular networking certification in IT. Covers routing, switching, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation. Written tight: no 40-page deep dives on topics the exam tests in two questions.
- Network fundamentals, IPv4, IPv6, subnetting
- VLANs, trunking, spanning tree, EtherChannel
- OSPF, static routing, IP services (DHCP, NAT, NTP, QoS)
- Security fundamentals, ACLs, port security, AAA
- Automation, REST APIs, JSON, Ansible
The standard entry-level cybersecurity credential. Most US federal cyber roles require it. Covers threats, attacks, cryptography, identity, governance, and risk management at the right depth for the exam.
- Threats, vulnerabilities, social engineering
- Cryptography, PKI, certificates, hashing
- Identity and access management, zero trust
- Network security, secure architecture, cloud security
- Risk management, governance, incident response
The fastest AWS certification to clear, and the right starting point if you have not touched cloud before. Covers core services, pricing model, security shared responsibility, and cloud architecture concepts at a foundational depth.
- Cloud concepts and AWS value proposition
- Core compute, storage, network, and database services
- AWS security and shared responsibility model
- Billing, pricing, and support plans
- AWS Well-Architected Framework basics
The first of the two A+ exams. Hardware, networking, mobile devices, virtualization, and troubleshooting. The right starting point if you are new to IT and want a recognized credential.
- Motherboards, CPUs, RAM, storage, PSU
- Mobile devices and laptops
- Networking concepts, cables, wireless, TCP/IP
- Virtualization, cloud, and SaaS basics
- Hardware troubleshooting methodology
The second half of the A+. Operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. Pairs with Core 1 to complete the A+ certification.
- Windows, macOS, Linux operating systems
- Endpoint security, malware, social engineering
- Software troubleshooting and recovery
- Operational procedures, scripting basics
- Change management, documentation, safety
The most respected mid-tier cloud certification. Design resilient, secure, performant, and cost-optimized architectures on AWS at scale. The natural step after Cloud Practitioner.
- Resilient architectures (multi-AZ, multi-region, DR)
- High-performance architectures (compute, storage, network)
- Secure architectures (IAM, KMS, VPC, WAF)
- Cost-optimized architectures (Spot, Reserved, Savings Plans)
- S3 storage classes, EBS vs EFS, RDS vs DynamoDB
Need a different certification? Browse all 30+ practice exams →
How to use the ebook to pass faster
The candidates who pass any of these certifications fastest do not read the ebook cover to cover before touching practice questions. They pair the two from day one. Here is the loop I recommend, and the one I used myself for the AWS SAA in 2024:
- Take 20 practice questions on domain 1, cold. No prep. Just to see where you stand. Score yourself. Note which concepts you missed.
- Open the ebook to the chapters covering those concepts. Not the whole domain, just the concepts you missed. Read for 25 minutes.
- Take another 20 questions on the same domain. Your score should jump 10 to 20 points. The questions you still miss are where your real gaps are.
- Move to domain 2 and repeat. Each loop is 60 to 90 minutes. Most candidates complete one domain per loop.
- End every week with one full timed practice exam. Time it. Score it. Use the result to plan the next week's loops.
That loop is the entire study plan. There is no secret seventh step. Most candidates need 5 to 8 weeks of this for the CCNA or AWS SAA, 4 to 6 weeks for Security+, and 3 to 5 weeks for AWS Cloud Practitioner. If you are reading the ebook for 4 hours and not testing yourself, you are doing the slow version of this.
Pick a certification, open the ebook, take the exam
Six free ebooks. Six paired practice exams. No signup to read, no PDF to download, no email gate. The fastest way to pick the right one is to browse the full exam catalog.
Take Your Full ExamOr browse the full free study guide library
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the FigigExams certification ebooks really free?
Yes. Every certification ebook on this page is free to read in your browser with no signup required. There is no PDF download because the content is hosted as a fast, searchable web book that updates as exam objectives change. The full table of contents, every chapter, and the practice questions inside the guide are accessible without an account.
Is there a PDF download for the CCNA ebook?
No PDF download is offered. The CCNA ebook is published as a browser-ready web book at /study/2, which is faster to load, fully searchable, and always reflects the current 200-301 v1.1 exam objectives. A PDF would freeze in time the day it was generated and would not reflect updates. Most candidates also report that bookmarking the web book is more useful than scrolling through a 900-page PDF on a phone.
Why is a browser ebook better than a 900-page certification textbook?
Three reasons. First, the web ebook is searchable, so you find the concept you need in 3 seconds, not 3 minutes. Second, it is written tight: every chapter is the minimum required to pass the exam, not a 40-page deep dive into a topic the exam tests in two questions. Third, it links directly to practice questions on the same concept, so you can test recall immediately after reading. Big textbooks reward thoroughness, but most candidates do not have 200 hours to read one cover-to-cover.
Which certification ebook should I start with?
If you are new to IT, start with the CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 ebooks. If you want a networking career, start with the CCNA ebook. For cybersecurity, the CompTIA Security+ ebook. For cloud, the AWS Cloud Practitioner ebook is the fastest path to your first cloud certification, and the AWS Solutions Architect Associate ebook is the next step after that.
Can I use the ebook to study without taking the practice exams?
You can, but the data on certification pass rates is clear: candidates who pair the ebook with practice questions pass 2 to 3 times faster than candidates who only read. The ebook explains the concepts. The practice exams build the recall that the real exam tests. Pick one chapter, then take 10 to 20 practice questions on that chapter, then move on. That loop is the fastest path through any of these certifications.
Is the content up to date with the latest exam objectives?
Yes. CCNA content reflects the current 200-301 v1.1 objectives (effective 2026). CompTIA Security+ is on SY0-701. CompTIA A+ is on Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). AWS Cloud Practitioner is on CLF-C02. AWS Solutions Architect Associate is on SAA-C03. When an objective changes, the web ebook is updated within weeks, which is something a static PDF cannot match.
Can I download the ebook for offline reading?
Not as a PDF, but the web ebooks are designed to work as a Progressive Web App. On most modern phones and laptops, you can open the ebook once with internet and then read it offline. On iOS Safari and Chrome on Android, the "Add to Home Screen" option will install it like an app. This gives you offline reading without locking the content to a date.