Linux 黑话解释：什么是 Linux 发行版？为什么它被称为“发行版”？
Linux 发行版

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> 在这一章的 Linux 黑话解释中，我们来讨论一些基本的东西。
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![](/data/attachment/album/202009/12/220737mc9gl0xxm9cczv2l.png)


让我们来讨论一下什么是 Linux 发行版，为什么它被称为<ruby> 发行版 <rt>  distribution </rt></ruby>（或简称 distro），以及，它与 Linux 内核有什么不同。你还会了解到为什么有些人坚称 Linux 为 GNU/Linux。


### 什么是 Linux 发行版？


Linux 发行版是一个由 Linux 内核、[GNU 工具](https://www.gnu.org/manual/blurbs.html)、附加软件和软件包管理器组成的操作系统，它也可能包括[显示服务器](/article-12589-1.html)和[桌面环境](https://itsfoss.com/what-is-desktop-environment/)，以用作常规的桌面操作系统。


这个术语之所以是 “Linux 发行版”，是因为像 Debian、Ubuntu 这样的机构“发行”了 Linux 内核以及所有必要的软件及实用程序（如网络管理器、软件包管理器、桌面环境等），使其可以作为一个操作系统使用。


你的发行版还负责提供更新来维护其内核和其他实用程序。


所以，“Linux” 是内核，而 “Linux 发行版”是操作系统。这就是为什么它们有时也被称为基于 Linux 的操作系统的原因。


如果不是很理解以上所有的内容，不要担心。下面我将详细解释一下。


### “Linux 只是一个内核，不是一个操作系统。”这是什么意思？


你可能看到到过这句话，这说的没错。内核是一个操作系统的核心，它接近于具体硬件。你使用应用程序和 shell 与它交互。


![](/data/attachment/album/202009/12/220746e3d3yhh03sff3zst.png)


为了理解这一点，我就用我在《[什么是 Linux 的详细指南](https://itsfoss.com/what-is-linux/)》中曾用过的那个比喻。把操作系统看成车辆，把内核看成引擎。你不能直接驱动引擎。同样，你也不能直接使用内核。


![](/data/attachment/album/202009/12/220754r5b5jir27gyj7rw7.png)


一个 Linux 发行版可以看作是一个汽车制造商（比如丰田或福特）为你提供的现成的汽车，就像 Ubuntu 或 Fedora 发行版的发行商为你提供的一个基于 Linux 的现成操作系统一样。


### 什么是 GNU/Linux？


让我们再来看看这张图片。1991 年的时候，[Linus Torvalds](https://itsfoss.com/linus-torvalds-facts/) 创造的只是其中的最内圈，即 Linux 内核。


![](/data/attachment/album/202009/12/220746e3d3yhh03sff3zst.png)


要使用 Linux，即使是以最原始的形式，甚至没有 GUI，你也需要一个 shell。最常见的是 Bash shell。


然后，你需要在 shell 中运行一些命令来完成一些工作。你能记起一些基本的 Linux 命令吗？比如 `cat`、`cp`、`mv`、`grep`、`find`、`diff`、`gzip` 等等。


严格来说，这些所谓的“Linux 命令”并不是只属于 Linux。它们中的很多都来源于 UNIX 操作系统。


在 Linux 诞生之前，Richard Stallman 就已经在 1983 年创建了<ruby> 自由软件项目 <rt>  free software project </rt></ruby>中的第一个项目：GNU（GNU 是“GNU is Not Unix” 的递归缩写）。[GNU 项目](https://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.en.html)实现了许多流行的 Unix 实用程序，如 `cat`、`grep`、`awk`、shell（`bash`），同时还开发了自己的编译器（GCC）和编辑器（Emacs）。


在 80 年代，UNIX 是专有软件，而且超级昂贵。这就是为什么 Linus Torvalds 开发了一个类似 UNIX 的新内核的原因。为了与 Linux 内核进行交互，Linus Torvalds 使用了 GNU 工具，这些工具在其 GPL 开源许可证下是免费的。


有了这些 GNU 工具，它的行为也像 UNIX 一样。这就是为什么 Linux 也被称为类 UNIX 操作系统的原因。


你无法想象没有 shell 和所有这些命令的 Linux。由于 Linux 与 GNU 工具集成得很深，几乎是完全依赖于 GNU 工具，所以纯粹主义者要求 GNU 应该得到应有的认可，这就是为什么他们坚称它为 GNU Linux（写成 GNU/Linux）。


### 总结


那么，该用哪个术语？Linux、GNU/Linux、Linux 发行版，基于 Linux 的操作系统还是类 UNIX 操作系统？这取决于你的上下文。我已经为你提供了足够的细节，让你对这些相关的术语有更好的理解。


我希望你喜欢这个 Linux 黑话解释系列，并能学习到新的东西。欢迎你的反馈和建议。




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via: <https://itsfoss.com/what-is-linux-distribution/>


作者：[Abhishek Prakash](https://itsfoss.com/author/abhishek/) 选题：[lujun9972](https://github.com/lujun9972) 译者：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy) 校对：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy)


本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出


OK
In this chapter of the Linux Jargon Buster, let’s discuss something elementary.

Let’s discuss what is a Linux distribution, why it is called a distribution (or distro) and how is it different from the Linux kernel. You’ll also learn a thing or two about why some people insist of calling Linux as GNU/Linux.

## What is a Linux distribution?

A Linux distribution is an operating system composed of the Linux kernel, [GNU tools](https://www.gnu.org/manual/blurbs.html), additional software and a package manager. It may also include display server and [desktop environment](https://itsfoss.com/what-is-desktop-environment/) to be used as regular desktop operating system.

The term is Linux distribution (or distro in short form) because an entity like [Debian or Ubuntu](https://itsfoss.com/what-is-linux-distribution/) ‘distributes’ the Linux kernel along with all the necessary software and utilities (like network manager, package manager, desktop environments etc) so that it can be used as an operating system.

Your distributions also takes the responsibility of providing updates to maintain the kernel and other utilities.

So, Linux is the kernel whereas the Linux distribution is the operating system. This is the reason why they are also sometime referred as Linux-based operating systems.

Don’t worry if not all the above makes sense right away. I’ll explain it in a bit more detail.

## Linux is just a kernel, not an operating system: What does it mean?

You might have come across that phrase and that’s entirely correct. The kernel is at the core of an operating system and it is close to the actual hardware. You interact with it using the applications and shell.

![Linux Kernel Structure](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/03/Linux_Kernel_structure.png)

To understand that, I’ll use the same analogy that I had used in my [detailed guide on what is Linux](https://itsfoss.com/what-is-linux/). Think of operating systems as vehicles and kernel as engine. You cannot drive an engine directly. Similarly, you cannot use kernel directly.

![Operating System Analogy](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/03/operating_system_analogy.png)

A Linux distribution can be seen as a vehicle manufacturer like Toyota or Ford that provides you ready to use cars just like Ubuntu or Fedora distributions provide you a ready to use operating systems based on Linux.

## What is GNU/Linux?

Take a look at this picture once again. What [Linus Torvalds](https://itsfoss.com/linus-torvalds-facts/) created in 1991 is just the innermost circle, i.e. the Linux kernel.

![Linux Kernel Structure](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/03/Linux_Kernel_structure.png)

To use Linux even in the most primitive form (without even a GUI), you need a shell. Most commonly, it is Bash shell.

And then, you need to run some commands in the shell to do some work. Can you recall some basic Linux commands? There is cat, cp, mv, grep find, diff, gzip and more.

Technically, not all of these so called ‘Linux commands’ belong to Linux exclusively. A lot of them originate mainly from the UNIX operating system.

Even before Linux came into existence, Richard Stallman had created the GNU (recursive acronym for GNU is not Unix) project, the first of the free software project, in 1983. The [GNU project](https://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.en.html) implemented many of the popular Unix utilities like cat, grep, awk, shell (bash) along with developing their own compilers (GCC) and editors (Emacs).

Back in the 80s UNIX was proprietary and super expensive. This is why Linus Torvalds developed a new kernel that was like UNIX. To interact with the Linux kernel, Torvalds used GNU tools which were available for free under their open source GPL license.

With the GNU tools, it also behaved like UNIX. This is the reason why Linux is also termed as UNIX-like operating system.

You cannot imagine Linux without the shell and all those commands. Since Linux integrates deeply with the GNU tools, almost dependent on it, the purists demand that GNU should get its fair share of recognition and this is why they insist on calling it GNU Linux (written as GNU/Linux).

## Conclusion

![What Is Linux Distribution](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/09/what-is-linux-distribution.png)

So, what is the correct term? Linux, GNU/Linux, Linux distribution, Linux distro, Linux based operating system or UNIX-like operating system? I say it depends on you and the context. I have provided you enough detail so that you have a better understanding of these related terms.

I hope you are liking this **Linux Jargon Buster** series and learning new things. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome.