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. Because Linux is freely redistributable, anyone may create a distribution for any purpose. Distributions intended for servers may omit graphics altogether, or include a solution stack such as LAMP. Desktop Linux distributions include a windowing system such as X11 or Wayland, and a desktop environment such as GNOME or KDE Plasma. Commercial distributions include Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Popular Linux distributions include Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu. Many Linux distributions use the word 'Linux' in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name ' GNU/Linux' to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution.ĭistributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Linux ( / ˈ l i n ʊ k s/ ( listen) LEEN-uuks or / ˈ l ɪ n ʊ k s/ LIN-uuks ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. GPLv2 and others (the name 'Linux' is a trademark )
Most distributions include a desktop environment ( GUI).
