What is Linux? Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is a free and open-source operating system, which means that anyone can use, modify, and redistribute the source code without any restrictions. This makes Linux a very popular choice for servers and embedded systems, where security and reliability are important. Linux is also becoming increasingly popular for desktop and