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This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 20 January 2025. Family of Unix-like operating systems This article is about the family of operating systems. For the kernel, see Linux kernel. For other uses, see Linux (disambiguation). Operating system Linux Tux the penguin, the mascot of Linux Developer Community contributors, Linus Torvalds Written ...
Linux desktop distributions also offer multiple desktop workspaces, greater customization, free and unlimited support through forums, and an operating system that doesn't slow down over time. Environmental reasons are also cited, as Linux operating systems usually do not come in boxes and other retail packaging, but are downloaded via the Internet.
A Linux distribution [a] (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system that includes the Linux kernel for its kernel functionality. Although the name does not imply product distribution per se, a distro, if distributed on its own, is often obtained via a website intended specifically for the purpose.
The operating system provides an interface between an application program and the computer hardware, so that an application program can interact with the hardware only by obeying rules and procedures programmed into the operating system. The operating system is also a set of services which simplify development and execution of application programs.
Debian-based operating system —Debian is a Unix-like computer operating system that is composed entirely of free software, most of which is under the GNU General Public License and packaged by a group of individuals participating in the Debian Project. Debian has many derivatives, among which Ubuntu is the most popular.
Besides the Linux distributions designed for general-purpose use on desktops and servers, distributions may be specialized for different purposes including computer architecture support, embedded systems, stability, security, localization to a specific region or language, targeting of specific user groups, support for real-time applications, or commitment to a given desktop environment.
The Linux kernel is a free and open source, [11]: 4 Unix-like kernel that is used in many computer systems worldwide. The kernel was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and was soon adopted as the kernel for the GNU operating system (OS) which was created to be a free replacement for Unix.
Exokernel is an operating system kernel developed by the MIT Parallel and Distributed Operating Systems group, [1] and also a class of similar operating systems. Operating systems generally present hardware resources to applications through high-level abstractions such as (virtual) file systems.