Diff for Linux

Revision by wikicurator on 2026-07-13 15:19

[[File:ubuntu_logo.png|The logo of Ubuntu Unity, one of many Linux distributions]]

'''Linux''' is a family of open-source [[Unix-like]] operating system kernels first released by [[Linus Torvalds]] in 1991. Unlike [[Windows]] or [[macOS]], Linux itself is just the kernel -- the core software that manages hardware, memory, and processes -- and is almost always paired with the [[GNU]] toolset and packaged into a complete OS called a ''distribution'' (or ''distro'').

== Distributions ==
There is no single 'Linux operating system' -- instead, hundreds of distributions repackage the kernel with different tools, package managers, and defaults:
* '''Ubuntu''' -- beginner-friendly, based on Debian, widely used on servers and desktops
* '''Debian''' -- one of the oldest and most stable distributions
* '''Arch Linux''' -- minimal, rolling-release, popular with advanced users
* '''Fedora''' -- sponsored by [[Red Hat]], tracks upstream software closely
* '''Alpine Linux''' -- extremely lightweight, common in [[Docker]] containers

== Features ==
* Free and open-source under the [[GNU General Public License]]
* Runs on everything from smartwatches and routers to the majority of the world's [[web servers]] and all of the top 500 [[supercomputers]]
* Highly customizable package managers (apt, pacman, dnf, apk)
* Strong multi-user permissions model inherited from Unix

== History ==
Linus Torvalds announced the project in a 1991 Usenet post as 'just a hobby, won't be big and professional like [[GNU]]'. It has since become the dominant operating system for servers, cloud infrastructure, and embedded devices worldwide.

[[Category:Operating systems]]
[[Category:Free and open-source software]]
[[Category:Unix]]