Linux functionalities open source easy to use best distributions




What is Linux

Linux is the best and most-used open-source operating system in the world. As an open-source or free operating system, Linux is software that comes under all of the other software on a computer, which receiving requests from those programs and relaying these requests to the computer hardware.
Linux is different from the other operating systems in many important ways. First, and most importantly, Linux is open-source Operating system software(System Program). 


linux logo


The code used to create Linux is free and available to the developer/user for view, edit, and redistribute.
Linux is different from other OS that the core pieces of the Linux operating system are generally the same. There are also many distributions of Linux, which include different software options to work with it. It means that Linux has full customization support. It is not just applications, such as word processors and web browsers. 

Linux users also can choose core components, such as operating systems display Graphics and other user-interface elements.


History of Linux:


Linux is created in the year 1991 by Linus Torvalds as a student at The University of Helsinki. Built as a free and open-source alternative to Minix OS, it is another Unix clone which dominantly used in academics. originally intended to name it free but then the server administrator Torvalds used to distribute it with the original code-named his directory called Linux as a combination of Torvald's first name and the word Unix.


linux_terminal

What is Unix:

Unix is an operating system developed in the 1970s at Bell Labs by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and other scientists. Unix and Linux are similar in many ways as commands, packages, and configuration tools. Linux is cloning to work the same as a Unix. 


Linux and Unix OS have similar tools for interfacing with the systems, programming tools, filesystem layouts, and other components. However, Unix is not free. Several different operating systems attempted to be like UNIX or UNIX OS compatible, But as all of you know the Linux has been the most successful. It is surpassing its other versions in popularity.

Use of Linux:

  1. Testers to make sure everything to work on different configurations of hardware and software, and to report the bugs when it is not.
  2. GUI Designers to create user interfaces and graphics distributed via the use of various programs.
  3. Content or article Writers who can create documentation, how-to, and other important text distributed with the software.
  4. The Native language Translators to take programs and documentation from their native languages and make them accessible to people around the world with other languages.
  5. Software Packagers accepts software programs and put all the parts together to make sure they run flawlessly in different distributions.
  6. for the Evangelists to spread the knowledge about Linux and open source in the general domain.
  7. And of course for the developers to write the software for OS itself.


Linux Distributions:

There are multiple different Linux distributions. they are different in the sense such as   Fedora, refuse to include closed-source software, while others, like Mint, include closed-source stuff to make it easier for users. 

Every distribution has different default software – like Ubuntu includes Unity, Ubuntu derivatives include other desktop environments, Fedora includes GNOME, and Mint includes Cinnamon/MATE.
Many Linux distributions may use different package managers, configuration utilities, and other software. Some distributions are on the lap of cutting-edge technologies and they do not receive support for a very long duration. 

Others, such as Ubuntu LTS or Red Hat Enterprise Linux is designed to be stable distributions that will be supported with security updates and bug fixes for many years.


Linux Kernel:

It is the contribution of worldwide Linux community developers.it is highly configurable.kernel has features such as modularity, monolithic, open-source, based on Unix.
The kernel is deployed and compiled on a wide variety of computer platforms, mobile devices, servers, PCs, Mainframe supercomputers, and embedded devices.
Linux kernel distribution comes under the GNU GPL license.

Kernel activities:

  1. Supports process and threads
  2. Process scheduling and preemption
  3. Virtualization
  4. Namespaces
  5. Control group
  6. Memory management-Process address, Physics memory, Virtual memory, paging
  7. Interprocess communication
  8. Input-output activities
  9. File system management
  10. Devices management

What is GNU:

The GnotUnix GNU is a project to create an open-source operating system.it is a collection of free tools for creating the Operating system components. Its design is Unix style but not UNIX.

GNU packages:

  1. Gnu compiler collection is known as GCC
  2. GNU C library is known as glibc
  3. GNU core functionality
  4. GNU debugger is known as GDB
  5. GNU Binary Utils package is known as binutils
  6. GNU Bash shell 

The most Preferred & used distributions are:

Debian

The earliest non-commercial distribution is support by a volunteer developer community with a strong commitment to free software principles and democratic project management.


debian_logo

Link to access homepage: 

Knoppix

it is the first Live CD distribution from Linux to run completely from removable media without installation to a hard disk, derived from Debian
Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) uses Debian packages directly (rather than Ubuntu)
knoppix_logo

Link to access homepage:

Ubuntu

The ubuntu desktop and ubuntu server distribution is driven from Debian. It is maintained by British company Canonical Ltd.
                                           ubuntu linux

Link to access homepage:

several distributions which are based on Ubuntu that mainly replaces the GNOME  desktop environment:

1] The Kubuntu is based on KDE, and Lubuntu based on  LXQT.
2]Xubuntu is based on XFCE, and Ubuntu MATE based on MATE.
3] Ubuntu Budgie is based on Budgie. 
4]Other official versions have specific uses like Ubuntu Kylin is for Chinese-speaking users, Ubuntu Studio is for media content creators.

Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a distribution based on the Ubuntu OS. It is also compatible with Ubuntu distribution. It Supports multiple desktops environments among the others GNOME Shell forks like  Cinnamon and GNOME 2 forks like  MATE.
                                                        
linux mint

Link to access homepage:
https://linuxmint.com/

Fedora

Fedora is a community distribution supported and created by US company Red Hat, Red Hat Linux. It aims to be a technology base for Red Hat's commercial Linux offering, where new open source software creates a blueprint, developed, and tested in a communal setting before it is turn up into Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
                                           
fedora linux

Link to access homepage:
https://getfedora.org/

Red Hat Enterprise Linux  (RHEL)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux  (RHEL) is a version of Fedora, maintained and commercially supported by Red Hat Enterprise. It provides tested, secure, and stable Linux server and workstation support to all businesses.
redhat linux
 
Link to access homepage:
https://www.redhat.com/en                                              

CentOS

CentOS is a distribution that comes from the sources which are used by Red Hat enterprise. It Maintained by a dedicated volunteer community of developers with Red Hat-compatible versions and an upgraded version that is not always fully upstream compatible.

                                                           
cent os linux
Link to access homepage:
https://www.centos.org/

Oracle Linux

Oracle Linux is a distribution created from  Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and it is maintained and commercially supported by Oracle corporation.
                                                       
oracle linux
 
Link to access homepage:
https://www.oracle.com/in/linux/            

Scientific Linux

Scientific Linux is a distribution created from the sources used by Red Hat Linux, conserve by Fermilab corporation.
                                                        
scientific linux
Link to access homepage:
https://scientificlinux.org/

Mandriva Linux

Mandriva Linux is a Red Hat Linux derivative popular in several European countries and Brazil countries, Supported by the French company name Mandriva. Then Improvement by OpenMandriva Lx and other distributions that has a large user base.
                                                      
mandriva linux
Link to access homepage:
https://www.openmandriva.org/

Mageia

Mageia is a community fork from the Mandriva Linux that was turn up in the year 2010.
                                                         
mageia linux
Link to access homepage:
https://www.mageia.org/en-gb/

PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS is a version of Mandriva Linux, which grew from a group of packages into a community provided desktop distribution environment.
                                                      
pcos linux
Link to access homepage:
https://www.pclinuxos.com/

openSUSE

community distribution openSUSE is mainly supported and sponsored by a German company with the name  SUSE.
opensuse linux
                                                                
Link to access homepage:

SUSE Linux Enterprise

SUSE Linux Enterprise discovers from openSUSE, and it is maintained and commercially supported by SUSE.   
 Link to access homepage: 
https://www.suse.com/products/server/                                              

Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a rolling release distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and maintained by a volunteer community that offers official binary packages and a wide range of unofficial user-submitted source packages. Source packages available inside a single PKGBUILD text file.
arch linux

 
Link to access homepage:  
 https://www.archlinux.org/                                                

Manjaro Linux

Manjaro Linux discovers from  Arch Linux that includes a graphical installer tool and other ease-of-use features for new  Linux users. It has Rolling packages support from Arch Linux repositories that are held for further testing to achieve increased stability, and packages identified as addressing security issues of critical or high severity are fast-tracked to the stable branch.

                                                          
manjaro linux
Link to access homepage:  

Gentoo

Gentoo is a distribution that aims at a big set of users, known for its FreeBSD Ports-like automated system for compiling applications from source code.
                                                            
gentoo linux
Link to access homepage:
https://www.gentoo.org/

Chrome OS

Chrome os is google's commercial operating system based on Chromium OS that only runs on Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, and tablet computers. Like Android, it has the Google Play Store and other Google apps. These apps are lightweight applications supported by most mobile devices.
                                                       
chromium linux


Slackware

Created in the year 1993, and it is one of the first Linux distributions and among the earliest still maintained, committed to remaining highly Unix-like and easily modifiable by end-users to non-primary source needed.
                                                     
slackware linux
 
Link to access homepage:
http://www.slackware.com/                                  
Popular Linux distributions:

1]RPM based
2]Cent OS /RHEL based
3]Fedora based
4]Open SUSE based
5]urpmi-based
6]apt-rpm based
7]independent RPM-based
8]Debian Based
9]Ubuntu-based
10]official distributions
11]Third party distributions
12]Debian Based stable distributions
13]Mepis
14]knoppx
15]pecman
16]Gentoo
17]slackware
18]slax based
19]source based


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