Behind the Kernel of Popular Linux Distros

Picture of Linux logo

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, a kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution (distro), which includes the kernel and supporting system software and libraries—most of which are provided by third parties—to create a complete operating system, designed as a clone of Unix and released under the copyleft GPL license.

What is Linux?