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What is Linux and History of Linux.

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Khushbu Koradiya
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6 min read

Linux is an open-source Unix-like operating system-based family on the Linux kernel, and the OS kernel was first published on 17 September 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Typically, Linux is packaged as the Linux distribution, which contains the supporting libraries and system software and kernel, several of which are offered by the GNU Project. Several Linux distributions use the term "Linux" in the title, but the Free Software Foundation uses the "GNU/Linux" title to focus on the necessity of GNU software, causing a few controversies.

Famous Linux distributions are Ubuntu, Fedora Linux, and Debian, the latter of which is composed of several different modifications and distributions, including Xubuntu and Lubuntu. Commercial distributions are SUSE Linux Enterprise and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Desktop distributions of Linux are windowing systems like Wayland or X11 and desktop environments like KDE Plasma and GNOME.

Installed Linux System components include the below:

  • A bootloader, for instance, systemd-boot, SYSLINUX, LILO, and GNU GRUB. It is a program that can load the Linux kernel into the main memory of the computer by being run by the computer after the firmware login is performed and when it's turned on.

  • An init program, like the traditional sysvinit and the newer Upstart, OpenRC, and systemd. It is the first process announced by the Linux kernel and the process tree root. In other words, every process is opened from init. It initiates processes like login prompts and system services (whether in terminal or graphical mode).

  • Software libraries, which include code that can be applied by running processes. The dynamic linker that handles the usage of dynamic libraries is called Id-linux.so on Linux systems with ELF-format executable files. Also, header files will be added to define the interface of the installed libraries if the system is configured for the user to gather software themselves. Besides, the most widely used software library is the GNU C Library (glibc) on Linux systems. There are several other liabilities like Mesa and SDL.

    • C standard library is required to execute C programs on a system using the GNU C library being a standard. Alternatives like uClibc (developed for uClinux), EGLIBC (glibc fork used by Debian once), and musl have been developed. However, the first two are not maintained now. Android uses its C library, which is known as Bionic.

  • User interface
    Also, the user interface is called a shell. It is either a GUI (graphical user interface), a CLI (command-line interface), or controls attached to the related hardware, which is normal for embedded systems. The default user interface is graphical for desktop systems. However, the CLI is available by terminal emulator windows or on an isolated virtual console.
    Command-line interface shells are text-based UIs, which utilize text for both output and input. The dominant shell is the bash (Bourne-Again Shell) used in Linux, originally designed for the GNU project. Almost every low-level component of Linux, including several userland parts, exclusively use the CLI. Particularly, the CLI is compatible with delayed or repetitive task automation and gives very easy inter-process communication.

  • Video input infrastructure
    Currently, Linux has two kernel-userspace APIs to handle video input devices: DVB API for TV reception and V4L2 API for radio and video streams.
    This infrastructure requires to evolve to better fit with other devices due to the diversity and complexity of different devices and because of the large number of standards and formats managed by those APIs. A better userspace device library is also the success key to having userspace applications which can work with every format supported by devices.

  • Uses of Linux OS

    Several quantitative studies of open-source/free software concentrate on topics, such as reliability and market share, with many studies examining Linux specifically. The Linux market is developing, and the Linux OS market size is supposed to see a development of 19.2% by 2027, reaching 15.64 billion dollars, compared to 3.89 billion in 2019. Proponents and analysts attribute the associative Linux success to its freedom, low cost, reliability, and security from vendor lock-in.

    What is Linux Operating System?

    • Web servers
      W3Cook releases stats that utilize the top 1,000,000 Alexa domains, which estimate that 96.55% of web servers use Linux, 1.73% use Windows, and 1.72% use FreeBSD as of May 2015.

    • Laptops and desktops
      As of May 2022, the estimated Linux market share is around 2.5% on desktop computers, according to web server statistics. Microsoft Windows include a market share of approximately 75.5%, while macOS has around 14.9%.

    • Mobile devices
      Android has become the leading OS for smartphones which is Linux kernel-based. In July 2022, 71.9% of smartphones worldwide using the internet used Android. Also, Android is a famous OS for tablets, being liable for more than 60% of table sales as of 2013.

    • Film production
      Linux has been the preferred platform in the film industry for years. The first big film released on a Linux server was 1997's Titanic. Since then, big studios, including Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, Pixar, and DreamWorks Animation, have relocated to Linux.

    • Government use
      Linux distros have also got popularity in several national and local governments. Kerala has gone to the mandating extent that every state high school use Linux on their systems. China utilizes Linux exclusively as the OS for its Loongson processor family for achieving technology independence.

      Linux OS Working

      The Linux operating system follows of standard design that's the key to its several distributions and variations. Every Linux distribution is based on the Linux kernel but can differ based on factors like:

      • Kernel version: Distros can be set up with more recent releases to add new aspects or with previous releases to be more balanced.

      • Kernel modules: It is software that can be unloaded and loaded into the kernel develop functionality without restarting. Often, kernel modules are used for supporting:

        • Device drivers, which utilize code that manages how linked devices work.

        • File system drivers, which utilize code that manages how the kernel operates with distinct file systems.

        • System calls, which utilize code that manages how programs claim services through the kernel.

      • Configuration options: Kernels unified with configuration options configured to add only file system or device drivers are used for a few specialized distributions; for instance, compiling the kernel for any wireless device without wired network device drivers.
        The kernel is the one thing that every system has in common running Linux. Linux operates by:

      • Booting and loading the Linux kernel.

      • The kernel handles every system output and input once booted. The system is booted, and processes can be initialized.

      • The system can be utilized for processes that contain commands interactively entered by the command line, network server functions, desktop applications, or any program or application as system processes are booted.

The user experience can widely vary, relying on how the Linux system is being utilized while the kernel may almost be identical with some compilation differences and divergence for configuration. For example, a few use cases of Linux with distinct user experiences are:

  • Desktop productivity systems, like those utilized by software developers or several other professionals. The workstations of software development may be enhanced for performance, while desktops may be enhanced for the utilization of desktop productivity tools for administrative professionals.

  • Network servers might not even add a command line window for direct access. Remotely, these headless servers are handled by Windows sessions or network terminals. Servers may be utilized by several but should directly be accessed by authorized system admins only.

  • Thin clients let users utilize a rich desktop environment with a lightweight device. It includes Google Chromebooks and Raspberry Pi single-card systems.

    • Linux distributions

    • There are many distributions made for particular target functions, like security, gaming, desktops, servers, or embedded devices, such as Raspberry Pi systems. Almost every modern distribution is ready to use and precompiled, while others, such as Gentoo Linux, are composed of source code that any user can locally compile during starting installation to use their system configuration.

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