Linux kernel-based operating systems have found wide adoption and a very far-reaching range of use.
Linux on the desktop
The common human interface devices (HIDs) available for desktop computers, laptops and similar devices determine the design of the (graphical) human-computer interface implemented into software. There are a couple of software packages to chose among, when building an accordingly designed graphical user interface.
Linux as gaming platform
As the adoption proves, the Linux kernel is suitable as kernel for a gaming platform. Of course additional software is necessary to either augment a typical desktop installation to be suitable as a gaming platform or to create a Linux operating system for the sole purpose of being a gaming platform.
Linux for server
There is an abundance of server software that runs on top of the Linux kernel.
There are a couple of widely known Linux-based solution stacks, such as LAMP (solution stack composed entirely of free and open-source software and suitable for building high-availability heavy-duty dynamic web sites) or OpenStack (cloud computing project aimed at providing an infrastructure as a service (IaaS)).
Linux for mobile devices
One of the best known Linux-based operating systems for mobile devices, such as smartphones, is the Android (operating system). Android employs a modified Linux kernel and combines it with libbionic instead of the glibc, SurfaceFlinger as display server, and some other replacements specifically written for this purpose.
Many mobile devices have a touchscreen as their sole human interface device (HID). The GUI and partly the middleware of the operating system has to be adapted as to enable software designers to create an according human-computer interface.
Linux for embedded systems
There are actively maintained patches that transform the Linux kernel into a real-time kernel. That way Linux kernel gained a wide adoption as a kernel for operating systems driving embedded systems. A non-RTOS example which is at the same time a Linux distribution is OpenWrt. Minimally, such a Linux distribution includes a slightly modified Linux kernel, µClibc and BusyBox.
Linux for supercomputers
480 (96%) of the world's fastest supercomputers run some kind of a Linux-based operating system.[citation needed]
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