Layer 1: The physical layer. Linux and Unix users can use the uname command to name their computer. If thats the case, then we have to take advantage of a very rudimentary method of checking OS information. To display the installed version of Linux distribution using hostnamectl utility, follow the appended method: Type the following command on the terminal to display the information about the installed Linux Mint version: The above command will display the complete information about the currently used operating environment and loaded kernel version. Hes been running the show since creating the site back in 2006. Then, select Windows Command Prompt from the list of options. The lsb_release command is also available on CentOS/Fedora based systems, if the lsb core packages are installed. 1. The 'ls' in the above command stands for 'list' and cpu is the CPU. The lsb_release tool provides certain LSB (Linux Standard Base) and distro-specific info. Linux network management is an important task for Linux admins. Having a basic understanding of your system is always a good idea for a variety of reasons. Uninstall WSL distro on Windows 11. 1. Sebastian Smolorz 75 points lsb_release -a. You can check the name and installed Linux distribution version using the following two different ways: Lets discuss each method one by one in detail. Alternatively, you can print a minimal report using the flag -s or short. Some users prefer to use the command line instead of the graphical user interface in Linux systems. how to find distro name. You can also use the cat /proc/version command to print out the kernel version. Run the below-mentioned command on the terminal that will display the installed Linux Mint version: After executing the above command, the following output will show on the terminal: The most common utility or command that is available for almost all Linux systems is hostnamectl. It displays detailed information about the currently running operating system. Additionally, you can find a list of Linux distributions available to install by entering the command wsl --list --online in PowerShell or Windows Command Prompt. To run these commands from a Bash / Linux distribution command line, you must replace wsl with wsl.exe. 1309 S Mary Ave Suite 210, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 As with everything in Linux there are multiple ways to get things done, so were going to show you a few different tricks and you can pick the one that you like the best. We hope it was beneficial and informative. Therefore . 26. wget command. If youre using Windows, type systeminfo into the command line and press [Enter]. This site, binarytides.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. On Linux, environment variables store system-related data required by processes and apps to function properly. The easiest method is still the cat /etc/issue command, but this is a nice extra. With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! On such a system, you can use the hostnamectl command to get Linux version detail. There's no context to this, just the version number. If the output is systemd, then we use the following commands to permanently change to command-line mode: $ sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target $ sudo reboot. A simpler approach to make a portable command would be like this. Its really useful to know exactly what you are dealing with, and luckily its also pretty easy. Sort By memory Usage per-process in the interactive menu press Shift+f to enter the interactive menu Knowing the Linux version can help in troubleshooting unexpected behaviors or errors. - HowtoForge 6 6.What's my OS? 4. Once installed it will provide a shortcut that opens a terminal with a bash prompt. 4 (10 Votes) 0 4.25. Method 2: Using rpm package manager. 4. To add an object to the LDAP directory, you must first create a LDIF file. For all the available options and their explanations, check the man page. It can also print a host of info on the system and operating system. Geo 85 points lsb_release -a. For example, the flag -v or kernel-version will print the kernel version. Here, cat will read and print the content of all the files that match the pattern. 1. lsb_release The lsb_release command prints out distribution specific information about a linux distro. However, the output is a bit more disorganized compared to hostnamectl output. The following window will display on your system: From the above screenshot, you can get the details about the currently installed operating system, cinnamon version, Linux kernel, and other system resources like processor, memory, hard drive, and graphics card. The following table shows all system information if you use -a with uname command. Canonical wants Ubuntu to be used as easy graphical Linux desktop without the use of command line. To use the latter, type the following command: cat /etc/os-release. Check CPU version on Linux PC. Issue the command. Check which version of WSL you are running You can list your installed Linux distributions and check the version of WSL each is set to by entering the command: wsl -l -v in PowerShell or Windows Command Prompt. For example, to print only the OS description, use the flag -d or description. Or you can pick the terminal by accessing the main menu. Suse, OpenSUSE, Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, Arch, Fedora, RHEL all are common Linux distribution names. /proc/version file - Use this file to see Linux kernel version that is currently running. This will show you the kernel version that your system is running. Show the last 10 lines of each specified file (s). On a typical Ubuntu system the contents look like this, On a typical CentOS system the output looks as follows. Version: The operating system version. However on CentOS, the exact distro name is not revealed. Checking OS version using /etc/*release If the lsb_release command is not available, you can also check the /etc/issue file. Check the content of the file. 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To learn more, see the Command reference for WSL for a list of WSL commands, Comparing WSL 1 and WSL 2 for guidance on which to use for your work scenario, or Best practices for setting up a WSL development environment for general guidance on setting up a good development workflow with WSL. linux check version command line; linux check ubuntu version terminal; linux command line check ubuntu version; linux command to know the linux version; linux command to get the server os details; linux command to find the OS distro; linux command line get version; linux command to check system version; linux command to check linux version and . We can also tell uname to print only specific detail. We can use the below command to check the Linux Operating System (OS) ~$ cat /proc/version. Binarytides is a tech website where we publish high quality tutorials and guides on variety of topics including coding, linux/open source and computer hardware. Find available WSL distros by executing the following command: wsl --list --all, or simply wsl -l --all. I've written a package called distro (now used by pip ) which aims to replace distro.linux_distribution . lsb_release -a. Method 1 - Using "Upower" command. It works in the . When working with an unknown server, the first task of a sys admin is to gather some information about the system, like what OS is it running, what version, what services are running and so on. This command displays information about the currently installed Linux distribution, including its name, version, and codename. The objective of this guide is to show how to check what version of AlmaLinux a system is running. CentOS/Fedora based systems contain similar files but with different names. how to check version of linux command line. 4.25 (4 Votes) 0 Recent systems use systemd. This includes the distro name and version. This command displays a list of all running processes, along with information on their CPU and memory usage. To check the content of the os-release file, run the following command. Hence, using the command line, you have more options to get details about the installed Linux Mint distribution. The preferred method to check your Debian version is to use the lsb_release utility which displays LSB (Linux Standard Base) information about the Linux distribution. Its simple yet crucial info to keep track of. To check the version of the OS only, run the following command instead. Follow the growth of a log file. Just open up a terminal and type in the following: Youll be presented with output similar to the screenshot at the beginning of this article, which will look something like this: If you need more information you can use a different command, although it may not work on every distro out there, but it definitely works on the major ones. Instead it reports the base distro name EL (Redhat). Again, there's a handy command to find that information. Solution 2: Try the following command : or Finding just the distribution name and version: Solution 3: You can use : or for Debian or for CentOS/Ubuntu. Note that the lsb specific command and files are not present on CentOS by default. 9 Commands to Check CPU Information on Linux, 5 commands to check memory usage on Linux, 16 Commands to Check Hardware Information on Linux, Top 3 Commands to check Wifi Information on Ubuntu / Linux - iwconfig, iwlist, nmcli, 10 Commands to Check Disk Partitions and Disk Space on Linux. View another examples Add Own solution Log in, to leave a comment . To check which version of Ubuntu you are running, open the System Settings application from the Dash, and select Details from the left-hand sidebar. He can be reached at [emailprotected]. We review the best software and pc hardware to help our readers find the best solution for their needs. 1 1.How To Find Out My Linux Distribution Name and Version - nixCraft 2 2.How to check os version in Linux command line - nixCraft 3 3.How to Find Out What Version of Linux You Are Running - Tecmint 4 4.How do I identify which Linux distro is running? You don't have to specify anything, it will auto-detect the Linux distribution. cat /etc/os-release lsb_release -a hostnamectl Type the following command to find Linux kernel version: uname -r. Add Own solution. Most Linux distributions use a graphical user interface (GUI), making them beginner-friendly. It's a text-only version of what lies underneath all the advanced graphical elements. lscpu. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. If you enjoy what you read, we recommend that you buy us a coffee (or 2) as a token of gratitude. Generally, lsb_release is used in the following format. Note that the output will vary from one Linux distro to another. Layer 3: The network/internet layer. So, there are a few different ways that you can determine which Linux distribution is in use from the command line. Because its open-source, Linux is available in numerous variations. By clicking the Start button, you can access the computers properties; then, by right-clicking on it and selecting Properties, you can access the search box. The version of a Linux operating system is an important piece of information. The simplest way to check for the CentOS version number is to execute the cat /etc/centos-release command. Check Linux Distribution Information To check if the lsb_release command is installed run the following command. You can include the following options: source - source of the device mount point. In addition to hwinfo, an important tool, you can check whether your Linux server is physical or virtual. Thank you! How to See the Pretty Linux Version The easiest and simplest way to see the Linux distribution name and the version number is also the one that works on almost every type of Linux. For this purpose, the recommended solution is to access and open the terminal command-line application. The About This Computer window will open, and you will see your Ubuntu version listed next to the word Version. Upon reboot, the computer opens a command-line option similar to the one above. The easiest and simplest way to see the Linux distribution name and the version number is also the one that works on almost every type of Linux. Distributor ID: Debian Description . Run the following command: echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP It is the most well known Linux distribution. The following mixture of distribution-specific and generic data values are returned: Name: This is the distribution, but if it isn't set, this might just say "Linux.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); BinaryTides on Facebook CentOS is a great OS when comes to server software because they have longer support cycle and great stable . The redhat-lsb-core packages have to be installed to make lsb available. Also Read: How To Check CPU Usage/Utilization in Linux system. To check the name and version of the Linux system on Linux Mint 20 environment, you need to follow the following different steps: To open the terminal application, just log in to your Linux Mint 20 system and then click on the terminal icon that will be displayed on the taskbar. Knowing the name and version of a distro is vital for users and administrators. Just open up a terminal and type in the following: cat /etc/issue One way is to look at the /etc/issue file. If you're using Windows, type systeminfo into the command line and press [Enter]. Linux is a free and open source operating system. Once you click on the system settings, the following window will display your system where you will see the different management applications. The Linux kernel youre using is now available for download. This method works best on modern Linux distributions. In Windows edition, youll see the version and edition of Windows that your device is running. To obtain more detailed Linux kernel information, you can also read the contents of the /proc/version file. This tool also supports printing one specific piece of information at a time. Blobrana cat /etc/os-release. There are six consoles available. To check the os version in linux command line, you can use the uname -r command. Click on the system settings icon from the list, which is also highlighted in the below-given screenshot. Find Linux Timezone. Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter. This file you can find at etc/issue. Open the Linux terminal with the keys [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [T] or by using the search function. Ubuntu is a next version of Debian and easy to use for newbies. To completely remove a Linux distro on WSL, use these steps: Open Settings. Method 3: The another method to verify if GUI installed on your Linux system is to check the contents of /usr/share/xsessions/ directory with ls command: $ ls /usr/share/xsessions/ Sample output on Ubuntu Linux GUI system: Student of CSE. The uname command can also indicate which linux distro is in use, but gives very little information about it. If one option fails, the command moves to the next one, until one of them works. arch command is used to print the computer architecture. You must have sudo privileges or log in from the root user account on your system. If you feel any difficulty related to the ways as mentioned above, then let us know via your feedback through the comments. To check the version number, we will be using the lsb_release command which is used to print distro specific details. The man page contains an in-depth description of all the available options. Run a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) Distro from Command Prompt. A 32-bit Linux distribution can be installed on a 64-bit version, but the opposite is not possible. Similar to lsb_release and hostnamectl, uname is another tool to report various info about the machine and operating system. Each one is accessible with the shortcut keys Ctrl Alt F1 to Ctrl Alt F6. The following details about the installed Linux system to be displayed on the terminal: The one, more file option /etc/linuxmint/info, is available on the Linux Mint 20 distribution that keeps the details about the kernel and installed Version. To set the default WSL Linux distro in Windows 10, Open a new command prompt. The /etc/os-release and /usr/lib/os-release files include all openSUSE version information and you can view openSUSE Version information in these two files using your favorite text editor from the graphical user interface (GUI) or from the command line interface . Its a text file that includes information about the Linux kernel. $ egrep '^(VERSION|NAME)=' /etc/os-release, Nmap: Scan Ports To Detect Services and Vulnerabilities, SMTP Commands: Essential SMTP Commands and Response Codes. I love Linux and playing with tech and gadgets. The version of the distribution you are running is actually a completely different thing than the version of the Linux kernel. You can see the below-given screenshot, which is highlighted red: In Linux distribution, specifically for Linux Mint 20, there are a lot of various utilities and text files present, which may help you to find the Linux Mint version. 7. Most Linux distributions these days use systemd. If you'd like to know which version of the Linux kernel you're using, type the following command into the terminal and press enter: uname -a The command uname -a shows the version of the Linux kernel you're using and additional details. The file os-release contains a whole lot of information about the system. The current default WLS distro is labeled (Default). And there is no single command that can detect distribution specific information consistently across all linux distributions. Here are some examples that fine-tune the content of os-release to print only specific details. The above command will report only the source, used space, and available space for the /dev/sda drive. While you are working on new Linux distribution, you might not know which Linux version is installed on your system. Linux Hint LLC, [emailprotected] How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. codename, release , id , distribution and LSB version. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. On Ubuntu/debian based systems the command is available by default. This guide demonstrates how to check the version of the Linux operating system running on the machine. Type the following command into the terminal and then press enter: The asterisk in the code ensures that the command will apply to all distributions and shows you the installed version. Your email address will not be published. Take note of the information displayed (Figure 2). To install a distribution other than, or in addition to, the Ubuntu default, use this command: wsl --install -d <DistroName> Click the Apps & features page on the right side. Execute the following command on the terminal to view the kernel details: The following output should display on the terminal window: One more popular command which is available on Linux Mint is the lsb_release command that provides much flexibility to select which piece of information is important for you to include in the Version checking task. tailf. It will omit the headers in the output. I personaly use this command in one of my scripts: (lsb_release -a 2>/dev/null || cat /etc/redhat-release || cat /etc/*-release || cat /etc/issue) | grep -i centos\|ubuntu\|red *hat\|fedora\|debian\|slackware\|suse\|arch\|deepin\|kubuntu\|alpine -o | sort -f | uniq -i -u. Its not getting all the Distributions out there, but enough for my use. The lsb_release command prints out distribution specific information about a linux distro. To check the os and kernel version in linux, you can use the uname -a command. This will give you your kernel version, but might not mention the distribution your running. Just type neofetch in the terminal and it will display the Linux logo in ASCII form: 2. Table of Contents. Interestingly, the file located at /etc/os-release will take precedence over /usr/lib/os-release. The above command is not a well tested one and is expected to work fine only on ubuntu/debian and centos/fedora based systems. It contains information in the format of a newline-separated list of various variables. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator. I am a technical writer and love to write for all Linux flavors and Windows. Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! From all the information, as mentioned above, I hope now you can find the installed Version of any Linux distribution. Checking OS version using hostnamectl Over the last decade, Lowell has personally written more than 1000 articles which have been viewed by over 250 million people. We select and review products independently. You can look up your current Linux kernel by using the command uname -r.. Method 3: Using "cat" and "find" commands. Check Linux version from /etc/os-release The best way to check Linux version is using cat /etc/os-release command. To print all the information about the system, run the following uname command. Ubuntu) try lsb_release -a or cat /etc/*release or cat /etc/issue* or cat /proc/version. Type one of the following commands to install Ubuntu . Here are a few ways to find out which Linux distro you are using : Linux version 4.9.0-5-amd64 ( debian-kernel@lists.debian.org) (gcc version 6.3.0 20170516 (Debian 6.3.0-18) ) #1 SMP Debian 4.9.65-3+deb9u2 (2018-01-04) This method gives the most appropriate answer on older Linux Distributions. The following uname command will print the operating system label. Find Linux kernel using uname command. BinaryTides on Twitter. 5 Linux Commands to Check Distro Name and Version. Generally, each variant is known as a Linux distribution (also known as Linux distro). Hence, each user may also have a different running procedure. Here, the flag -a tells uname to print all the supported info. Finally, the uname command can be used to display information about the Linux kernel. Identifying the accurate CentOS version may be required to help you or your support team to troubleshoot your CentOS system. It really just gives you a place to start. You can use any one of the following method to find out your Linux distribution and name: Advertisement /etc/*-release file - Print Linux distribution name and version. Contents. It's also the starting point for a minimal installation. Method 2: Use hostnamectl command. There are two copies of the file at two different locations. Nice article. However, different ways are available to check the Version of installed Linux distribution. To find out, let's run the following command: $ cat /proc/1/comm. Use uname -r to Check the Linux Kernel Version Although the previous command displays details about the Linux kernel version, if that's all want, try uname -r instead. (see screenshots below) Substitute <Username> with the name of the user you want to run this WSL . As you learn a little more, you will find that some distros use variations of the "shell" (another name for the command line). 4. Just like before, open a terminal and type in the following: This will give you something more like this next screenshot, and you can see that not only do you have the release information, but you also get to see the codename and even the URL. They are typically called Linux distribution. Click the Uninstall option again. The /etc/lsb-release file does not print the distro information in a simple format. As can be seen above, the version information about the distro is not very clear, although it might be possible to deduce the distro in use. The banner usually contains the name of the distribution, along with its version number and release date. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. There may be times when you need to know the release number you currently use. On Ubuntu, uname can clearly indicate the distribution name. This file contains a banner that is displayed before the login prompt. $ lsb_release -v No LSB modules are available. These methods utilize the built-in tools and feature Linux comes with.