{"id":20732,"date":"2020-01-30T15:20:12","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T15:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/glosario-digital\/linux"},"modified":"2026-09-28T10:04:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T10:04:04","slug":"linux","status":"publish","type":"encyclopedia","link":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/linux","title":{"rendered":"Linux"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"boxpad alignright wp-image-80895 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/linux-square-600.png\" alt=\"Linux\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/linux-square-600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/linux-square-600-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/linux-square-600-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/linux-square-600-360x360.png 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Definition:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Linux is an open-source kernel started by Linus Torvalds in 1991 that manages communication between hardware and the programs in a computer system.<\/strong> It handles functions such as processes, memory, devices, file systems, networking, and permissions.<\/p>\n<p>In common usage, Linux also refers to operating systems built around that kernel. Many combine Linux with tools from the GNU project and other components, so they are also called <strong>GNU\/Linux<\/strong>. A distribution assembles these elements, configures them, and establishes a method for installation, updates, and support.<\/p>\n\n<h2>System origins<\/h2>\n<p>The GNU project began in 1983 with the aim of creating a free Unix-compatible operating system. It had developed compilers, libraries, a shell, and many utilities, but it did not have a complete general-purpose kernel when <strong>Linus Torvalds released the first Linux kernel in 1991<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Combining the kernel with GNU tools made it possible to build functional systems. <strong>Linux and GNU\/Linux can therefore refer to different things depending on context<\/strong>: Linux precisely identifies the kernel, while GNU\/Linux highlights one of the combinations that form a complete operating system.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kernel.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linux kernel project<\/a> distributes its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/source-code\">source code<\/a> under the GPL-2.0 licence. <strong>The software remains protected by copyright, and its licence defines how it may be used, modified, and redistributed.<\/strong> Open source does not mean an absence of ownership, maintenance, or legal conditions.<\/p>\n<h2>Linux architecture<\/h2>\n<p>The kernel works between the hardware and user space, where applications and services run. A Linux-based system normally integrates several coordinated layers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kernel:<\/strong> Manages processors, memory, devices, networking, processes, and security mechanisms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>User space:<\/strong> Includes libraries, commands, services, and tools that use kernel interfaces.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Init system:<\/strong> Starts and supervises the services needed for the computer or server to operate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Package manager:<\/strong> Installs, updates, and removes programs from repositories defined by the distribution.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interface:<\/strong> May be a terminal, graphical desktop, remote panel, or a combination of environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The kernel alone does not constitute the complete user experience.<\/strong> Behaviour, available applications, update policy, and administration tools depend on the chosen distribution and configuration.<\/p>\n<h2>Distribution ecosystem<\/h2>\n<p>A distribution integrates the kernel with the rest of the required <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/software\">software<\/a> and maintains package repositories. <strong>Differences between distributions affect the support cycle, frequency of change, package formats, and administration<\/strong>, as well as their intended users.<\/p>\n<p>Debian and Ubuntu share the DEB package family; Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux use the RPM ecosystem; Arch Linux follows a rolling-release model; and openSUSE provides alternatives with different release cadences. <strong>These families are not editions of a single product<\/strong>: each project maintains its own decisions, repositories, and support conditions.<\/p>\n<p>The choice depends on the workload, hardware, team experience, stability requirements, and maintenance period. For a production server, <strong>predictable updates and available support normally matter more<\/strong> than immediately adopting the newest version of every component.<\/p>\n<h2>Digital infrastructure<\/h2>\n<p>Linux is used in many environments that support websites, applications, and digital services. Common uses include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hosting and web services:<\/strong> Running HTTP servers, databases, cache systems, content management systems, and applications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cloud and containers:<\/strong> Creating virtual machines, container images, and orchestration platforms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Development and automation:<\/strong> Programming environments, continuous integration, deployments, and scheduled tasks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Data and measurement:<\/strong> Processing logs, data pipelines, storage, and observability tools.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Devices and networks:<\/strong> Routers, embedded systems, televisions, industrial equipment, and other connected devices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/digital-glossary\/android\">Android<\/a> uses the Linux kernel but adds its own application platform, libraries, interface, and distribution model. <strong>This does not make Android a conventional GNU\/Linux distribution<\/strong>, even though both share an essential part of their technical foundation.<\/p>\n<h2>Operation of digital assets<\/h2>\n<p>The server operating system affects how a website is deployed, resources are allocated, certificates are managed, tasks are scheduled, and logs are collected. <strong>Poor configuration can affect availability, response time, and data integrity<\/strong>, even when the content or application has not changed.<\/p>\n<p>Compatibility also matters. Tools, browsers, and applications may provide different packages for each distribution or architecture. <strong>Testing should reproduce the real execution environment<\/strong> and account for dependencies, versions, and permissions instead of assuming that every Linux-compatible program will behave identically on any system.<\/p>\n<p>In analytics and digital marketing, Linux often works behind servers, server-side tags, import processes, dashboards, and automations. Access to logs and data should be limited according to each person&#8217;s role. <strong>The technical ability to collect information does not replace an appropriate legal basis, data minimisation, or applicable retention periods.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>System governance<\/h2>\n<p>Open development allows code to be reviewed and fixes to be distributed, but it does not protect an installation automatically. Security depends on maintenance and specific decisions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Updates:<\/strong> Apply patches to the kernel, libraries, services, and applications through a controlled process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Privileges:<\/strong> Give users and processes only the permissions they need.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Exposure:<\/strong> Keep only necessary ports and services active, with suitable network rules.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monitoring:<\/strong> Review logs, alerts, capacity, errors, and configuration changes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Recovery:<\/strong> Maintain tested backups, restoration procedures, and a distribution with current support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Linux provides control, automation, and a broad ecosystem, but <strong>its outcome depends on the distribution, support, compatibility, and administration capability<\/strong>. Choosing it does not remove operating costs or guarantee performance, privacy, or security by itself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Linux is the kernel used by many distributions and digital services. Learn how it works, its uses, benefits, security, and limitations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":80897,"template":"","encyclopedia-tag":[301,302],"class_list":["post-20732","encyclopedia","type-encyclopedia","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","encyclopedia-tag-operating-system","encyclopedia-tag-software-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia\/20732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/encyclopedia"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"encyclopedia-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arimetrics.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/encyclopedia-tag?post=20732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}