Linux distribution: Difference between revisions

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A distro typically includes many components in addition to the Linux kernel. Commonly, it includes a [[package manager]], an [[Init|init system]] (such as [[systemd]], [[OpenRC]], or [[runit]]), [[GNU]] tools and [[Library (computing)|libraries]], documentation, [[Internet Protocol|IP]] network configuration utilities, the [[Getty (Unix)|getty]] TTY setup program, and many more. To provide a desktop experience (most commonly the [[Mesa (computer graphics)|Mesa]] userspace graphics drivers) a [[Windowing system|display server]] (the most common being the [[X.org Server]], or, more recently, a [[Wayland (display server protocol)|Wayland]] compositor such as [[Sway (window manager)|Sway]], [[KDE]]'s [[KWin]], or [[GNOME]]'s [[Mutter (software)|Mutter]]), a [[desktop environment]] (most commonly [[GNOME]], [[KDE Plasma]], or [[Xfce]]), a [[sound server]] (usually either [[PulseAudio]] or more recently [[PipeWire]]), and other related programs may be included or installed by the user.

MostTypically, most of the included software is [[free and open-source software]] {{endash}} made available both as compiled [[Executable|binariesbinary]] for convenience and inas [[source code]] form,to allowingallow modificationsfor tomodifying the original softwareit. Usually,A Linuxdistro distributionsmay optionallyalso include some [[proprietary software]] that mayis not be available in source code form, such as a [[binarydevice blobdriver]]s required for some [[devicebinary driverblob|binary]]s.<ref name="x3fEd">{{cite web | url = https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html | title = Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems | date = June 30, 2014 | access-date = January 5, 2015 | website = gnu.org | archive-date = April 24, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110424061731/http://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html | url-status = live}}</ref>

A Linux distribution may also be described as a particular assortment of application and utility software (various GNU tools and libraries, for example), packaged with the Linux kernel in such a way that its capabilities meet many users' needs.<ref name="Rn9ZU">{{cite web | url = http://swift.siphos.be/linux_sea/whatislinux.html#idm3571768989216 | title = Linux Operating Systems: Distributions | date = November 27, 2014 | access-date = January 8, 2015 | website = swift.siphos.be | archive-date = October 3, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181003201630/http://swift.siphos.be/linux_sea/whatislinux.html#idm3571768989216 | url-status = dead}}</ref> The software is usually adapted to the distribution and then combined into [[Package (package management system)|software packages]] by the distribution's maintainers. The software packages are available online in [[Software repository|repositories]], which are storage locations usually distributed around the world.<ref name="IpPUW">{{cite web | url = http://www.howtogeek.com/117579/htg-explains-how-software-installation-package-managers-work-on-linux/ | title = HTG Explains: How Software Installation & Package Managers Work On Linux | date = June 27, 2012 | access-date = January 15, 2015 | author = Chris Hoffman | website = howtogeek.com | archive-date = February 10, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150210001733/http://www.howtogeek.com/117579/htg-explains-how-software-installation-package-managers-work-on-linux/ | url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Eg74B">{{cite web | url = http://mirror-status.centos.org/ | title = The status of CentOS mirrors | date = January 15, 2015 | access-date = January 15, 2015 | website = centos.org | archive-date = December 31, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141231161218/http://mirror-status.centos.org/ | url-status = live}}</ref> Beside "glue" components, such as the distribution installers (for example, [[Debian-Installer]] and [[Anaconda (installer)|Anaconda]]) and the package management systems, very few packages are actually written by a distribution's maintainers.