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Linux - Wikipedia

Linux

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Linux (/ˈlɪnʊks/LIN-uuks)1 is a family of free and open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel,2 which was first released on 17 September 1991 by Linus Torvalds.34 Some members of the family are typically packaged as a distribution (a.k.a. distro), which includes the kernel alongside supporting system software and libraries developed by third parties—such as GNU, Red Hat, and X.Org —to create a complete operating system; however, not all Linux-based operating systems are considered distros, with Android being an example. Linux was originally designed as a clone of Unix and is distributed under the copyleft GPL license.5

There are many thousands of Linux distributions, many based directly or indirectly on other distributions;67 popular Linux distros8910 include Debian, Fedora Linux, Linux Mint, Arch Linux, and Ubuntu, while commercial distributions include Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise, and ChromeOS. Linux distributions are frequently used in server platforms.1112 Many Linux distributions use the word “Linux” in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses and recommends the name “GNU/Linux”, to emphasize the use and importance of GNU software in many distributions. There is controversy surrounding this.1314 Other than the Linux kernel, key components that make up a distribution may include a display server (windowing system), a package manager, a bootloader, and a Unix shell.

Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free and open-source software collaboration. The Linux kernel is considered by many to be the largest open source project. While originally developed for x86 -based personal computers, it has since been ported to more platforms than any other operating system,15 and is used on a wide variety of devices including personal computers, workstations, mainframes, and embedded systems. Linux is the predominant operating system for servers and is also used on all of the world’s 500 fastest supercomputers.16 When combined with Android, which uses a Linux-based kernel and is designed for smartphones, they have the largest installed base of all general-purpose operating systems.

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

  1. “Re: How to pronounce Linux?”. Newsgroup: comp.os.linux. April 23, 1992. Usenet: 1992Apr23.123216.22024@klaava.Helsinki.FI. Retrieved January 9, 2007. ↩

  2. Smith, Roderick W. (2009). CompTIA Linux+ study guide (1st ed.). Indianapolis, Ind: Wiley Pub. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-470-50384-3. Linux isn’t a single OS, but rather a family of OSs ↩

  3. “Twenty Years of Linux according to Linus Torvalds”. ZDNet. April 13, 2011. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2016. ↩

  4. Linus Benedict Torvalds (October 5, 1991). “Free minix-like kernel sources for 386-AT”. Newsgroup: comp.os.minix. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2011. ↩

  5. “Mac, Windows And Now, Linux”. The New York Times. October 8, 1998. Retrieved December 4, 2024. ↩

  6. “Major Distributions An overview of major Linux distributions and FreeBSD”. Distrowatch. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2024. ↩

  7. Andrus, Brian (July 8, 2024). “Top 12 Most Popular Linux Distros”. DreamHost Blog. Retrieved November 15, 2024. ↩

  8. DistroWatch. “DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD”. distrowatch.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2016. ↩

  9. himanshu, Swapnil. “Best Linux distros of 2016: Something for everyone”. CIO. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2022. ↩

  10. “10 Top Most Popular Linux Distributions of 2016”. www.tecmint.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2016. ↩

  11. Ha, Dan (February 28, 2023). “9 reasons Linux is a popular choice for servers”. LogicMonitor. Retrieved December 11, 2024. ↩

  12. “Linux OS on IBM Z Mainframe”. www.ibm.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024. ↩

  13. “GNU/Linux FAQ”. Gnu.org. Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013. ↩

  14. “Linux and the GNU System”. Gnu.org. Archived from the original on March 19, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2013. ↩

  15. Barry Levine (August 26, 2013). “Linux’ 22th [sic] Birthday Is Commemorated – Subtly – by Creator”. Simpler Media Group, Inc. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015. Originally developed for Intel x86-based PCs, Torvalds’ “hobby” has now been released for more hardware platforms than any other OS in history. ↩

  16. As measured by the TOP500 list, which uses HPL to measure computational power ↩

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