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Stevebroshar (talk | contribs) If we're going to include embedded then there are _way_ more than 1000; we have no idea how many there are; LWN.net is already in external links; distrowatch article is linked elsewhere |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
[[File:
A '''Linux distribution''',{{efn|Sometimes called a '''GNU/Linux distribution''', with some [[GNU/Linux naming controversy|related controversy]]}}
A
A
Distributions have been designed for a wide range of computing environments, including [[Desktop computer|desktops]], [[Server (computing)|servers]], [[laptop]]s, [[netbook]]s, [[mobile device]]s (phones and tablets),<ref name="mOuND">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/linux/how-install-ubuntu-touch-image-3531970/|title=How to install Ubuntu Touch on your Android phone or tablet|author=Jim Martin|work=PC Advisor|access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-date=October 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027012940/http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/linux/how-install-ubuntu-touch-image-3531970/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="3PAkr">{{cite web|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/install-linux-on-your-x86-tablet-five-distros-to-choose-from-1162825|title=Install Linux on your x86 tablet: five distros to choose from|author=David Hayward|work=TechRadar|access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-date=April 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413074905/https://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/install-linux-on-your-x86-tablet-five-distros-to-choose-from-1162825|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[embedded systems]].<ref name="huumN">{{cite web |url = http://www.linux.com/learn/docs/ldp/282996-choosing-the-best-linux-distributions-for-you |title = The Top 7 Best Linux Distributions for You |date = February 3, 2010 |access-date = January 11, 2015 |author = Brian Proffitt |website = linux.com |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150105063710/http://www.linux.com/learn/docs/ldp/282996-choosing-the-best-linux-distributions-for-you |archive-date = January 5, 2015 |df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="wrjjJ">{{cite web | url = http://www.linux.com/news/embedded-mobile/mobile-linux/794261-mobile-linux-distros-keep-on-morphing | title = Mobile Linux Distros Keep on Morphing | date = November 4, 2014 | access-date = January 11, 2015 | author = Eric Brown | website = linux.com | archive-date = February 13, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150213124237/http://www.linux.com/news/embedded-mobile/mobile-linux/794261-mobile-linux-distros-keep-on-morphing | url-status = dead}}</ref> There are commercially backed distributions, such as [[
== History ==
[[File:Linux 0 12.jpg|thumb|5.25-inch [[floppy disk]]s holding a very early version of Linux]]
[[File:
[[Linus Torvalds]] developed the [[Linux kernel]] and distributed its first version, 0.01, in 1991. Linux was initially distributed as [[source code]] only, and later as a pair of downloadable [[floppy disk]] images: one bootable and containing the Linux kernel itself, and the other with a set of [[GNU project|GNU]] utilities and tools for setting up a file system. Since the installation procedure was complicated, especially in the face of growing amounts of available software, distributions sprang up to simplify it.<ref name="MhhmD">{{cite journal |last=Berlich |first=Ruediger |title=All you need to know about... The early history of Linux, Part 2, Re: distribution |journal=LinuxUser |date=April 2001 |url=http://oldlinux.org/Linux.old/docs/lu9-All_you_need_to_know_about-The_early_history_of_Linux_part_2.pdf |access-date=May 4, 2013 |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728140140/http://oldlinux.org/Linux.old/docs/lu9-All_you_need_to_know_about-The_early_history_of_Linux_part_2.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
Early distributions included:
* Torvalds' "''Boot-Root''" images, later maintained by Jim Winstead Jr., the aforementioned disk image pair with the kernel and the absolute minimal tools to get started (4 November 1991)<ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1991/dec/1/0002.shtml linux-0.11 available]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.95a|title=RELNOTES-0.95a}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/nico/archive.git/commit/?id=be068f1a017608faa9b4a0652686426df2e87689|title=kernel/git/nico/archive.git - Archive of old Linux versions since v0.01|website=git.kernel.org}}</ref><ref name="ovoFu">{{Cite web|last1=Klemmer |first1=Joe |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/91371/|title=A Short History of Linux Distributions [LWN.net]|website=lwn.net|date=June 30, 2004 |access-date=2018-09-30|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623113052/https://lwn.net/Articles/91371/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[MCC Interim Linux]] (3 March 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tech-insider.org/linux/research/1992/0225-b.html|title=interim release|website=www.tech-insider.org}}</ref>
* [[Softlanding Linux System]] (SLS) which included the X Window System and was the most comprehensive distribution for a short time (15 August 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tech-insider.org/linux/research/1992/0812.html|title=SLS: Free Linux Distribution|website=www.tech-insider.org}}</ref>
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In broad terms, Linux distributions may be:
* Commercial or non-commercial
* Designed for enterprise users, [[power
* Supported on multiple types of hardware, or platform-specific, even to the extent of certification by the platform vendor
* Designed for servers, desktops, or embedded devices
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* Standard release or [[rolling release]], see below.
The diversity of Linux distributions is due to technical, organizational, and philosophical variation among vendors and users. The permissive licensing of free software means that users with sufficient knowledge and interest can customize any
===Rolling distributions vis-à-vis standard releases===
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When the operating system is booted from a read-only medium such as a CD or DVD, any user data that needs to be retained between sessions cannot be stored on the boot device but must be written to another storage device, such as a USB flash drive or a hard disk drive.<ref name="9y8MA">{{cite web | url = https://lwn.net/Articles/447650/ | title = Debating overlayfs | date = 2011-06-15 | access-date = 2015-01-05 | author = Jonathan Corbet | publisher = [[LWN.net]] | archive-date = July 24, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150724115553/https://lwn.net/Articles/447650/ | url-status = live}}</ref>
Many Linux distributions provide a "live" form in addition to their conventional form, which is a network-based or removable-media image intended to be used only for installation; such distributions include [[antiX]], [[SUSE Linux|SUSE]], Ubuntu, [[Linux Mint]], [[
==Examples==
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===Widely used GNU-based or GNU-compatible distributions===
* [[Debian]], a non-commercial distribution and one of the earliest, maintained by a volunteer developer community with a strong commitment to free software principles and democratic project management.
** [[
***
*** [[Linux Mint]], a distribution based on and compatible with Ubuntu. Supports multiple desktop environments, among others GNOME Shell [[Fork (software development)|fork]] [[Cinnamon (user interface)|Cinnamon]] and [[GNOME 2]] fork [[MATE (desktop environment)|MATE]].
*** [[Pop!_OS]], is a Linux distribution based on [[Ubuntu]] which was developed by [[United States|American]] Linux computer manufacturer [[System76]], and
* [[Fedora Linux]], a community distribution sponsored by American company [[Red Hat]] and the successor to the
** [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] (RHEL), a derivative of Fedora Linux, maintained and commercially supported by Red Hat. It seeks to provide tested, secure, and stable Linux server and workstation support to businesses.
* [[openSUSE]], a community distribution mainly sponsored by German company [[SUSE S.A.|SUSE]].
** [[
* [[Arch Linux]], a [[rolling release]] distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and maintained by a volunteer community, offers official binary packages and a wide range of unofficial user-submitted source packages. Packages are usually defined by a single [[PKGBUILD]] text file.
** [[Manjaro Linux]], a derivative of Arch Linux that includes a graphical installer and other ease-of-use features for less experienced Linux users.
* [[Gentoo Linux|Gentoo]], a distribution targeted at [[power user]]s, known for its [[FreeBSD Ports]]-like automated system for compiling applications from source code
* [[Alpine Linux]], which is popular on servers and uses [[musl]] C standard library and [[BusyBox]] to provide its userland.
* [[Chimera Linux]], which is a community distribution that utilizes a [[FreeBSD]] userland, musl C standard library, [[Alpine Package Keeper]] (APK) package manager and Dinit init system.
===Linux-kernel-based operating systems===
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* [[Android (operating system)|Android]], Google's commercial operating system based on [[Android (operating system)|Android OSP]] that runs on many devices such as smartphones, smart TVs, set-top boxes.
** There are several third-party distributions of AOSP, in turn, including: [[
* [[ChromeOS]], Google's commercial operating system based on [[ChromiumOS]] that only runs on [[Chromebook]]s, [[Chromebox]]es and [[tablet computer]]s. Like [[Android (operating system)|Android]], it has the [[Google Play|Google Play Store]] and other [[Google Workspace|Google apps]]. Support for applications that require GNU compatibility is available through a virtual machine called Crostini and referred to by Google as Linux support, see {{Section link|Chromebook|Compatibility with Linux applications (GNU compatibility)}}.
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===Lightweight distributions===
{{main|Lightweight Linux distribution}}
Lightweight Linux distributions are those that have been designed with support for older hardware in mind, allowing older hardware to still be used productively, or, for maximum possible speed in newer hardware by leaving more resources available for use by applications. Examples include [[antiX]], [[Damn_Small_Linux|Damn Small Linux]] (based on antiX),<ref>{{cite web |author1=Jesse Smith |title=Damn Small Linux |url=https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=damnsmall |website=distrowatch.com |publisher=Atea Ataroa Limited |access-date=9 February 2024 |___location=Copenhagen |language=en-US |date=2 February 2024}}</ref> [[Tiny Core Linux]], [[Puppy Linux]] and [[Slitaz]].
===Niche distributions===
Other distributions target specific niches, such as:
* Routers
* [[Microcontroller]]s
* [[Internet of things]]
* [[Home theater PC]]s
* Specific platforms
* [[Do it yourself]], that is distributions manually built from the ground up, such as [[Linux From Scratch]].
* Education
* Digital audio workstations for music production
* Computer security, [[digital forensics]] and [[penetration testing]]
* Privacy and anonymity
* Offline use{{snd}} for example, [[Endless OS]] ▼
*
* For smartphones – for example, [[Mobian]]
==Interdistribution issues==
The [[Free Standards Group]]
The diversity of Linux distributions means that not all software runs on all distributions, depending on what libraries and other system attributes are required. [[Linux package formats|Packaged software]] and software repositories are usually specific to a particular distribution, though cross-installation is sometimes possible on closely related distributions.<ref>{{
==Installation==
There are several ways to install a Linux distribution. The most
In the 1990s, Linux distributions were installed using sets of [[floppy disk]]s, but this has been abandoned by all major distributions. By the 2000s, many distributions offered CD and DVD sets with the vital packages on the first
New users tend to begin by [[Disk partitioning|partitioning]] a hard drive
In a Live CD setup, the computer boots the entire operating system from CD without first installing it on the computer's hard disk. Many distributions have a Live CD ''installer'', where the computer boots the operating system from the disk, and it can then be installed on the computer's hard disk, providing a seamless transition from the OS running from the CD to the OS running from the hard disk.
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Virtual machines (such as [[VirtualBox]] or [[VMware]]) also make it possible for Linux to be run inside another OS. The VM software simulates a separate computer onto which the Linux system is installed. After installation, the virtual machine can be booted as if it were an independent computer.
Various tools are also available to perform full [[dual-boot]]
* The (now deprecated) [[Wubi (installer)|Wubi installer]], which allows Windows users to download and install [[
* [[Win32-loader (Debian)|Win32-loader]]
* [[UNetbootin]], which allows Windows and Linux users to perform similar no-CD network installations for a wide variety of Linux distributions and additionally provides [[live USB]] creation support
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==OEM contracts==
{{update section|reason=Sources are outdated and don't support assertions about the present (2025) situation|date=July 2025}}
However, it is possible to buy hardware with Linux already installed. [[Lenovo]], [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[Dell]], Affordy,<ref name="k0WSz">{{cite web |url=http://shop.affordy.com/?lang=en |title=Affordy - TITAN Computers |publisher=Shop.affordy.com |access-date=July 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529014808/http://shop.affordy.com/?lang=en |archive-date=May 29, 2009 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[Purism (company)|Purism]], [[Pine64]] and [[System76]] all sell general-purpose Linux laptops.<ref name="VECM6">{{cite web |url=http://mcelrath.org/laptops.html |title=Laptops/Notebooks with Linux Preinstalled |publisher=Mcelrath.org |date=June 10, 2010 |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820205011/http://mcelrath.org/laptops.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Custom-order PC manufacturers will also build Linux systems, but possibly with the [[Windows key]] on the keyboard. [[Fixstars Solutions]] (formerly Terra Soft)
It is more common to find embedded devices sold with Linux as the default manufacturer-supported OS, including the Linksys [[NSLU2]] NAS device, [[TiVo]]'s line of personal video recorders, and Linux-based cellphones (including Android smartphones), PDAs, and portable music players.<!-- please add wikilinks to examples in the last sentence-->
The current Microsoft Windows license lets the manufacturer determine the refund policy.<ref name="Ax80H">{{Cite web|url=http://download.microsoft.com/Documents/UseTerms/Windows%207_Professional_English_b7a7153f-1a6c-498c-9350-c86926bb1aa9.pdf|title=Microsoft Software License Terms: Windows 7 Professional|access-date=January 23, 2012|archive-date=March 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311072450/http://download.microsoft.com/Documents/UseTerms/Windows%207_Professional_English_b7a7153f-1a6c-498c-9350-c86926bb1aa9.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> With
==Statistics==
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Desktop usage statistical reports for particular Linux distributions have been collected and published since July 2014<ref name="y9sXd">{{cite web|author=A. Ponomarenko|title=Linux Hardware Trends|url=https://linux-hardware.org/?view=trends|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920064241/https://github.com/linuxhw/Trends|archive-date=September 20, 2020|access-date=11 March 2020}}</ref> by the Linux Hardware Project.
[[Statcounter]], a web traffic analysis company, within the ''operating system market share'', showed that the Linux operating systems had, according to them, 3.9% of the worldwide [[market share]] in July 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Operating system market share worldwide |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide?ref=itsfoss.com|access-date=21 August 2025 |website=Statcounter}}</ref>
==See also==
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== References ==
{{
== External links ==
{{sister project links|wikt=no|b=Linux Guide/Distributions |s=no|q=no|n=no|voy=no|species=no|mw=no|m=no}}
* [https://static.lwn.net/Distributions/ The LWN.net Linux Distribution List]
* [https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html List of GNU/Linux distributions considered free by the Free Software Foundation]
* Google's approach to a large-scale live upgrading between two widely different Linux distributions: [http://marc.merlins.org/linux/talks/ProdNG-LC2013-JP/ProdNG.pdf presentation] and [http://marc.merlins.org/linux/talks/ProdNG-LC2013-JP/Paper/ProdNG.pdf text version], LinuxCon 2013, by Marc Merlin
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