Getting Started
What is Linux?
Linux is an open source operating system (OS).
An operating system is the software that directly manages a system’s hardware and resources, like CPU, memory, and storage.
The OS sits between applications and hardware and makes the connections between all of your software and the physical resources that do the work.
How does Linux work?
Linux was designed to be similar to UNIX, but has evolved to run on a wide variety of hardware from phones to supercomputers.
Every Linux-based OS involves the Linux kernel—which manages hardware resources—and a set of software packages that make up the rest of the operating system.
The OS includes some common core components, like the GNU tools, among others.
What does Linux include?
Linux is comprised of several important parts, including the:
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Kernel: The core part of Linux, responsible for all major activities of this operating system.
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System user space: All of the code in an operating system that lives outside of the kernel.
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Applications: Software applications designed for Linux or Unix systems, mainly distributed as packages.