Fedora Linux
Fedora Linux
Fedora Linux is a Linux distribution developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and sponsored primarily by Red Hat. It is known for its rapid adoption of new technologies and serves as an upstream source for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Fedora emphasizes free and open-source software, with a strong focus on innovation, security, and a six-month release cycle.
The distribution is available in several editions, each tailored to different use cases. The default Workstation edition targets desktop users with a GNOME desktop environment. Fedora Server provides a flexible platform for servers and data centers, while Fedora IoT and Fedora CoreOS cater to edge computing and containerized workloads. Additional spins offer alternative desktop environments such as KDE Plasma, Xfce, and Cinnamon.
Fedora follows a "First" philosophy, integrating cutting-edge software like the latest Linux kernel, GNU Compiler Collection, and systemd. Its package manager is DNF (Dandified YUM), replacing the older YUM. The distribution also features SELinux enabled by default and uses Wayland as the display server for modern graphics performance.
Features
- Latest software: Fedora includes recent versions of programming languages, development tools, and desktop environments.
- Strict open-source policy: Only free and open-source software is included in official repositories; proprietary drivers or codecs require third-party repositories like RPM Fusion.
- Modularity: Fedora Modularity allows multiple versions of software (e.g., Python, Node.js) to be installed side by side.
- 0 : An immutable desktop variant using rpm-ostree for atomic updates and improved reliability.
- 0 : A container-based tool for creating isolated development environments on Fedora.
History
Fedora began as a community project in 2003, initially named "Fedora Core", derived from Red Hat Linux after Red Hat shifted its focus to RHEL. The first release, Fedora Core 1, launched in November 2003 with a custom desktop environment. Over time, the project evolved to adopt GNOME as its primary desktop, dropped the "Core" branding after version 6, and introduced the current naming scheme without version numbers for older releases.
Major milestones include the introduction of systemd in Fedora 15 (2011), the transition to Wayland in Fedora 25 (2016), and the addition of Fedora CoreOS in 2019. Fedora has maintained a steady six-month release cycle, with a focus on upstream collaboration and rapid integration of new kernel and system components.