Technically speaking,
Linux developed by Linus Torvalds is just a kernel. The kernel refers to a system software that provides functions such as device drivers, file systems, process management, and network communication. The kernel is not a complete operating system, it is just the core of the operating system. Some organizations or manufacturers package the Linux kernel with various software and documents, and provide system installation interfaces and system configuration, setting and management tools, which constitute the Linux distribution.
In the development of the Linux kernel, various Linux distributions have played a huge role, and it is they that promote the application of Linux, so that more people begin to pay attention to Linux. Therefore, it is inaccurate to directly refer to Red Hat, Ubuntu, SUSE, etc. as Linux. They are
Linux distributions. More precisely, they should be called "Linux-core operating system software packages."
All distributions of Linux use the same Linux kernel, so there is no compatibility problem at the kernel layer. Each version has a different feeling, but the outermost layer of the distribution (applications integrated and developed by the publisher) It is reflected.
Linux distributions can be roughly divided into two categories:
The release version maintained by a commercial company, represented by the famous Red Hat;
The release version maintained by community organizations, represented by Debian.
It is difficult to say which of the many Linux versions is better, each version has its own characteristics. Here are some commonly used Linux distributions.
1) Red Hat Linux
Red Hat (Red Hat Company) was founded in 1993. It is currently the world's senior Linux manufacturer and the most recognized Linux brand.
Red Hat's products mainly include RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux, paid version) and CentOS (RHEL community clone version, free version), Fedora Core (developed from Red Hat desktop version, free version).
Red Hat is the most popular Linux version in China. It has a wealth of information. If you don’t understand anything, it’s easy to find someone to ask for advice. And most of the Linux tutorials are explained using Red Hat as an example (including this tutorial) ).
This tutorial takes CentOS, a Linux distribution commonly used by domestic Internet companies in my country, as an example. It is a product based on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux source code recompilation and removal of the Red Hat trademark. There is no difference between various operations and the paid version, and it is completely free. The disadvantage is that it does not provide technical support to users, nor does it bear any commercial responsibility. Powerful companies can choose the paid version.
2) Ubuntu Linux
Ubuntu is developed based on the well-known Debian Linux. It has a friendly interface, easy to use, and comprehensive hardware support. It is currently the most suitable Linux distribution for desktop systems, and all distributions of Ubuntu are provided for free.
Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Ubuntu, is a very legendary figure. After graduating from university, he founded a security consulting company, which was acquired in 1999 for US$575 million, making him the youngest and most promising local rich man in South Africa. As an avid astronomy enthusiast, Mark Shuttleworth took the Russian Soyuz spacecraft at his own expense in 2002 and spent 8 days in the International Space Station. After that, Mark Shuttleworth founded the Ubuntu community, established the Ubuntu Foundation on July 1, 2005, and invested 10 million US dollars in the foundation. He said that what he sees from space is the spirit of his founding Ubuntu. Today, his most passionate thing is to give publicity speeches for free and open source Ubuntu everywhere.
3) SuSE Linux
SuSE Linux is based on Slackware Linux. It was originally a Linux version released by SuSE Linux AG in Germany. The first version was released in 1994. It was only a commercial version in the early days. After being acquired by Novell in 2004, the OpenSUSE community was established and launched. The community version of OpenSUSE.
SuSE Linux is more popular in Europe, and it has more applications in my country. It is worth mentioning that it has absorbed many characteristics of Red Hat Linux.
SuSE Linux can easily interact with Windows. The hardware detection is excellent. It has a friendly installation process and graphical management tools, which is very convenient for end users and administrators.
4) Gentoo Linux
Gentoo was originally created by Daniel Robbins (one of the developers of FreeBSD), and the first stable version was released in 2002. Gentoo is the most complicated installation among all Linux distributions. So far, the source code package is still used to compile and install the operating system.
However, it is the most manageable version after installation, and it is also the fastest version that runs under the same hardware environment. Since the launch of Gentoo 1.0, it has been like a storm, bringing huge surprises to the Linux world, and at the same time attracting a large number of users and developers to invest in Gentoo Linux.
Some people comment on Gentoo: fast, clean and flexible. It is famous because of its high degree of customization (distribution based on source code). Although pre-compiled software packages can be selected during installation, most Gentoo users choose to compile them manually. This is why Gentoo is suitable for veterans who have experience in Linux.
It should be noted that since compiling software takes a lot of time, it may take a long time if you compile all of your software by yourself and install larger software packages such as KDE desktop system.
Choice of Linux distribution
There are many distributions of Linux, so I won’t introduce them one by one. Here are some suggestions for those who are worried about choosing Linux distributions:
If what you need is a server system, and you are tired of various Linux configurations and just want a more stable server system, then it is recommended that you choose CentOS or RHEL.
If you just need a desktop system, and you don't want to use piracy, don't want to spend a lot of money to buy commercial software, don't want to customize yourself, and don't want to waste too much time on the system, you can choose Ubuntu.
If you want to explore all aspects of Linux in depth, and want to customize your own Linux system very flexibly, then choose Gentoo and enjoy the pleasure of freedom that Gentoo brings.
If you have high requirements for system stability, you can consider FreeBSD.
If you need to use advanced database services and email web applications, you can choose SuSE.
