Linux

Linux (/?l?n?ks/ LIN-uuks)[11] is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel,[12] an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds.[13][14][15] Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution (distro), which includes the kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. 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, causing some controversy.[16][17]

Popular Linux distributions[18][19][20] include Debian, Fedora Linux, Arch Linux, and Ubuntu. Commercial distributions include Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise. Desktop Linux distributions include a windowing system such as X11 or Wayland and a desktop environment such as GNOME or KDE Plasma. Distributions intended for servers may not have a graphical user interface at all, or include a solution stack such as LAMP. Because Linux is freely redistributable, anyone may create a distribution for any purpose.[21]

Linux was originally developed for personal computers based on the Intel x86 architecture, but has since been ported to more platforms than any other operating system.[22] Because of the dominance of Linux-based Android on smartphones, Linux, including Android, has the largest installed base of all general-purpose operating systems as of May 2022.[23][24][25] Linux is, as of March 2024, used by around 4 percent of desktop computers,[26] the Chromebook, which runs the Linux kernel-based ChromeOS, dominates the US K–12 education market and represents nearly 20 percent of sub-$300 notebook sales in the US.[27] Linux is the leading operating system on servers (over 96.4% of the top one million web servers\' operating systems are Linux),[28] leads other big iron systems such as mainframe computers, and is used on all of th