Stop reading
about networks.
Run them.
NetworkNinjas pairs sharp, no-fluff theory with real labs you boot yourself: actual FRRouting routers wired up with Containerlab. Read it, break it, fix it. Master BGP the way operators actually work.
r1# show ip bgp summary
Neighbor V AS MsgRcvd Up/Down State
10.0.12.2 4 65002 12 00:00:48 Established
r1# show ip bgp 2.2.2.2/32
2.2.2.2/32 via 10.0.12.2, AS_PATH 65002
The loop
Read the theory
Tight, operator-grade lessons. No 40-minute videos, just the mental model you need, with the protocol mechanics made concrete.
Boot a real lab
Download a Containerlab topology and bring up genuine FRR routers on your own machine. The CLI you learn is the CLI production runs.
Verify yourself
Each lab ships a self-verify checklist of real read-only checks, the same ones a future auto-grader will run. Prove it's Established.
BGP Fundamentals
From "what is BGP and why does it exist" to confidently configuring eBGP/iBGP, controlling path selection, and applying basic routing policy - hands-on with FRR.
More paths landing soon
Production BGP
Run BGP the way operators do: scale iBGP with route reflectors, engineer traffic across multiple upstreams, secure the edge with filtering and RPKI, converge fast and fail gracefully, and operate it day to day - hands-on with FRR. Builds on BGP Fundamentals.
OSPF Fundamentals
From "how does a router pick a route" to building single- and multi-area OSPF, controlling LSA flooding with stub areas, redistributing externals, and running OSPF as the IGP underlay that BGP rides on - hands-on with FRR.
Frequently asked
Is NetworkNinjas free?
Yes. Every lesson and every lab is free right now. The labs run on your own machine with Containerlab, so there is nothing to pay for and no account required to start.
Do I need to install anything?
The lessons need only a browser. To run a lab you need Docker and Containerlab, on Linux directly or through Docker Desktop's Linux VM on macOS and Windows. Each lab deploys with a single containerlab command, and the lab-environment-setup lesson walks you through it once.
What is Containerlab, and are these real routers?
Containerlab is an open-source tool that boots real network-OS containers and wires them together with virtual links. NetworkNinjas labs run genuine FRRouting routers, so you practice on the same vtysh CLI and real BGP that production networks use, not a simplified simulator.
Do I need prior networking experience?
Comfort with IP addressing and subnets is enough to begin. The BGP path starts from why BGP exists and builds up to configuring eBGP and iBGP, steering path selection, and writing routing policy.
Is this videos or multiple-choice quizzes?
Neither. You read tight, operator-grade theory, then boot real routers, break things, and verify your work with the same read-only checks a grader would run. The CLI you learn is the CLI production runs.
Get pinged when new lessons & labs land
The BGP path is filling in module by module, with more paths on the way. Drop your email and we'll let you know when fresh content drops.