The Linux kernel was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 as a free and open-source alternative to proprietary operating systems. Since then, it has become one of the most widely used kernels in the world, powering a wide range of devices, from smartphones to supercomputers. The popularity of Linux can be attributed to its reliability, stability, and versatility, as well as its large and supportive community of developers.
Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation, was instrumental in the growth of the Linux community. He founded the GNU project, which provided many of the tools and libraries required to create a complete operating system based on the Linux kernel. This collaboration between the Linux kernel and the GNU software resulted in the first fully free and open-source operating system, GNU/Linux.
The Linux kernel is designed to be highly modular, which means that new features can be added or existing features can be removed or modified without affecting the stability of the system. This allows developers to easily customize the operating system to meet the specific needs of their devices. The Linux kernel also supports a wide range of hardware platforms, making it ideal for use in a variety of devices, from embedded systems to servers.
When combined with other software, such as the GNU utilities and libraries, the Linux kernel becomes a full-fledged operating system, capable of running on a wide range of hardware and providing users with a complete set of tools for managing their devices. The term “GNU/Linux” is used to distinguish this complete operating system from the Linux kernel alone.
To summarize, while the Linux kernel is an essential component of the GNU/Linux operating system, it is not an operating system in and of itself. An operating system includes not only the kernel but also a variety of other software such as libraries, utilities, and applications. However, when people say “Linux,” they usually mean the entire operating system, not just the kernel.