Professor Messer's CompTIA

Study resources and practice exam links for CompTIA certifications via Professor Messer.

Free CompTIA certification study resources from Professor Messer, and how to use them effectively.

Who is Professor Messer?

Professor James Messer provides completely free video training courses for CompTIA certifications including A+, Network+, Security+, and CySA+. His courses are used by hundreds of thousands of IT professionals worldwide.

Free Resources Available

• Video courses, Full exam objective coverage, free on YouTube and his website
• Study groups, Monthly live study group sessions (free)
• Exam tips, Video walkthroughs of what to expect on each exam
• Course notes, PDF notes for purchase (affordable)

Recommended Study Path

• CompTIA A+, Start here for IT fundamentals (hardware, OS, networking basics)
• CompTIA Network+, Covers TCP/IP, routing, VLANs, wireless, and troubleshooting
• CompTIA Security+, Entry-level security certification, DoD 8140 baseline (IAT Level II)
• CompTIA CySA+, Intermediate blue team / threat analysis

Effective Study Tips

• Watch each video, then pause and explain the concept in your own words
• Use free practice tests from ExamCompass and Quizlet
• Build a lab: use VirtualBox or AWS Free Tier to practice hands-on
• Take notes in your own words: don’t just re-read slides

Sysadmin Certs Beyond CompTIA

• RHCSA/RHCE, Red Hat Linux (highly respected in enterprise)
• AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Cloud fundamentals
• HashiCorp Terraform Associate, IaC certification

FAQ

Are Professor Messer's CompTIA courses free?

Yes. The video courses for A+, Network+ and Security+ are free on his website and YouTube; study notes and practice exams are paid.

Which CompTIA certification should I start with?

A+ for help desk and general IT, then Network+ and Security+.