Linux distribution

Ubuntu 23.10 Mantic Minotaur Desktop English

Linux distribution

Developer	Various
OS family	Unix-like
Working state	Current
Source model	Open source
Repository	{{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
Marketing target	Servers, desktops, supercomputers, embedded systems
Package manager	Various
Platforms	IA-32, x86-64, ARM, PowerPC, SPARC, MIPS, others
Kernel type	Monolithic
Userland	GNU
Default user interface	Various
License	Free software, mainly GPL
Official website	{{#property:P856}}

A Linux distribution (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system made from a software collection that is based upon the Linux kernel and, often, a package management system. Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading one of the distributions, which are available for a wide variety of systems ranging from embedded systems to supercomputers.

Components

A typical Linux distribution comprises:

• The Linux kernel
• GNU tools and libraries
• Additional software
• Documentation
• A window system (usually X11 or Wayland)
• A window manager and desktop environment

Package Management

Most Linux distributions use a package management system to install, update, and remove software. Examples include:

• APT for Debian-based distributions
• YUM and DNF for Red Hat-based distributions
• Pacman for Arch Linux

Popular Distributions

Some of the most popular Linux distributions include:

• Ubuntu
• Debian
• Fedora
• Arch Linux
• openSUSE
• CentOS
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Uses

Linux distributions are used in a variety of applications, including:

• Servers
• Desktops
• Supercomputers
• Embedded systems
• Mobile devices (e.g., Android)

Related Pages

• Linux kernel
• GNU Project
• Free software
• Open-source software
• Unix-like
• Package management system
• Operating system

See Also

• List of Linux distributions
• Comparison of Linux distributions
• History of Linux

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