Image: Wikimedia Commons

Linux

Family of Unix-like operating systems

SoftwaresoftwareQ388

Founded: September 17, 1991
1
Sources
1.“Linus Torvalds reveals the 'true' anniversary of Linux code”zdnet.com/article/linus-torvalds-reveals-the-true-30th-anniversary-of-linux-code/
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Written in: C
, assembly language

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Linux is a family of free and open-source software Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, which was first released on 17 September 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Some members of the family are typically packaged as a distribution, which includes the kernel alongside supporting system software and libraries developed by third parties—such as GNU, Red Hat, and X.Org—to create a complete operating system; however, not all Linux-based operating systems are considered distros, with Android being an example. Linux was originally designed as a clone of Unix and is distributed under the copyleft GPL license.

Overview

All data

134 statements · 14% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Mascot: Tux
Subclass of: Unix-like operating system
free software
computing platform
project
collaborative work
Named after: Linux kernel
Linus Torvalds
Unix
Based on: Linux kernel
Distribution format: digital download
1
Sources
1.Stated in Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary
View statement on Wikidata ↗
floppy disk
1
Sources
1.Stated in Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary
View statement on Wikidata ↗
CD-ROM
1
Sources
1.Stated in Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary
View statement on Wikidata ↗
DVD-ROM
Influenced by: MINIX
1
Sources
1.“Hello everybody out there using minix”groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.os.minix/dlNtH7RRrGA/SwRavCzVE7gJRetrieved 2019-02-23
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Unix
1
Sources
1.Stated in Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Platforms: DEC Alpha
x86
x86-64
ARM architecture
PowerPC
RISC-V
MIPS architecture
Different from: Linux kernel
Creator: Linus Torvalds
Sponsor: Linux Foundation
Studied by: computer science
Said to be the same as: GNU/Linux
Hashtag: Linux
Usenet newsgroup: comp.os.linux language: English
Named by: Ari Lemmke

On other databases

76 identifiers linking Linux across the web's reference databases

Data quality

134

statements

14%

externally sourced

Source last edited October 8, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). Linux (Q388). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/linux-Q388