Linux Distributions

What is Linux?

• Linux is an open source Operating System (O.S.)

  • Can be downloaded for free

  • Wide variety of distributions

• An OS manages resources such as CPU time, memory, storage space, etc.

• Linux is, at its most basic, just the Kernel of the OS

  • the always running core at the lowest level of the operating system

What is a Linux Distribution?

• A Linux distro is the Linux kernel combined with all the software necessary for an OS, like:

  • desktop environment (GUI)

  • applications

  • package managers

  • philosophy and goals of the distro developers

• Other operating systems are similar to Linux (e.g. Mac OS)

📌 Check the Linux Distributions Timeline for more in depth information.

GNU/Linux Distributions Timeline | © Andreas Lundqvist, Donjan Rodic, Mohammed A. Mustafa | © Muhammad Herdiansyah, Fabio Loli

Popular Distributions

• Debian - a Free Operating System.

• Ubuntu - Debian-based modern distro with updated free software for the widest audience and platforms. Ubuntu Flavors offer different desktop environments and specific intended use cases.

• Linux Mint - derivative of Ubuntu and Debian, "doing less to do better" and "works Out of The Box" philosophy.

• Fedora - derivative of Red Hat Linux, for personal use, workstations, servers, IoT and plenty of "spins" and "labs", versions of Fedora with different software bundles.

• Kali - Debian-based distro, geared towards various Information Security tasks (Penetration Testing, Security Research, Computer Forensics, Reverse Engineering).

• ParrotOS - Debian-based distro designed for Information & Cyber Security operations (Red Team and Blue Team), provides "Hacking tools at your fingertips".

• Suse - one of the oldest Enterprise-quality Linux distributions, with a secure foundation for a broad range of datacenter and cloud environments and industries.

• Arch Linux - a general purpose, lightweight and flexible distribution.

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