Linux® source code is the programming instructions written by Linus Torvalds for the Linux® operating system kernel, available for free download under the GNU General Public License. It differs from a Linux® distribution, which includes bundled programs and a kernel. Programmers can use the source code to create their own distributions.
Source code is a term used to refer to the file or files containing the actual lines of programming instructions written by programmers for the software they develop. Linux® is the name of the source code written by Linus Torvalds, who developed the kernel of the Linux® operating system. These programming instructions are called Linux® source code. The term is sometimes used loosely, but incorrectly, to refer to the source code of applications developed to run under Linux® but which are not the kernel itself. A kernel is extremely complex software that acts as a manager of the processes that occur within an operating system, and users rarely interact directly with the kernel, which is the heart or “heart” of the system.
Torvalds has released the Linux® source code under the GNU General Public License, making it freely available for download. While most open source software is free via download, the term “open source” doesn’t necessarily mean that there is no cost attached to a software program; rather it indicates the legal freedom not only to view the source code of the program but also to modify it into custom software. Users of the Linux® operating system who are not programmers very rarely download the Linux® source code, because it has to be compiled, which can be a daunting task for those new to the principles and steps involved in compiling software.
There are differences between Linux® source code and a Linux® operating system, also known as a distribution or simply a “distro”. The source code of Linux® is just the management part of the system, while a distribution includes a bundled kernel with programs that interact with and are managed by that kernel, providing users with a way to harness the power of the manager. Those interested in using a Linux® distribution need only download that particular operating system without any concern for the Linux® source code. Many people use Linux® operating systems every day to manage their personal and business computing needs with high automation and ease of use without any understanding of the Linux® source code.
The Linux® kernel contains the necessary instructions for the various hardware components on which the system will run. This includes the code for the central processing unit, which is the “brain” of a computer; the motherboard; and other hardware. Computer programmers who are interested in developing their own “flavor” of Linux® can download the source code of Linux® and other utilities that are also open source files, and those programmers can legally start creating a new distribution which they could offer for free or at payment. Most Linux® distributions, however, are offered for free via download.
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