About
This article regroups all the way that you have to determine the version your distribution from a Linux software.
To determine the version of the kernel (ie Linux), the section has moved in an article: Linux - How to determine the version of the kernel ?
Distribution version
The distribution is also known as operating system.
hostnamectl
hostnamectl
Static hostname: cana.bytle.net
Icon name: computer-vm
Chassis: vm 🖴
Machine ID: 35aeafa3d1364b24b986b7c18cc22b04
Boot ID: 0e4d9a59532345b082f0194b220e3a38
Virtualization: kvm
Operating System: Fedora Linux 38 (Cloud Edition)
CPE OS Name: cpe:/o:fedoraproject:fedora:38
OS Support End: Tue 2024-05-14
OS Support Remaining: 7month 3w
Kernel: Linux 6.4.12-200.fc38.x86_64
Architecture: x86-64
Hardware Vendor: OpenStack Foundation
Hardware Model: OpenStack Nova
Firmware Version: 2:1.10.2-58953eb7
Firmware Date: Tue 2014-04-01
uname
uname -o
/etc/*release
Listing of the release files
ls -A1 /etc/*release
Output example for Centos:
/etc/centos-release
/etc/os-release
/etc/redhat-release
/etc/system-release
Output example for Fedora:
/etc/fedora-release
/etc/os-release
/etc/redhat-release
/etc/system-release
Other distribution release files:
- /etc/SuSE-release
- /etc/debian_version
- /etc/slackware-version
Getting the version
- Fedora
cat /etc/fedora-release
Fedora release 38 (Thirty Eight)
- Enterprise Release
cat /etc/enterprise-release
Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux Server release 5.3 (Carthage)
- Redhat (Centos) release
cat /etc/redhat-release
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.3 (Tikanga)
# or
CentOS Linux release 7.8.2003 (Core)
lsb_release
lsb_release -id
Output:
- Oracle Linux
Distributor ID: EnterpriseEnterpriseServer
Description: Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux Server release 5.3 (Carthage)
- Debian
Distributor ID: Debian
Description: Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.7 (squeeze)
/etc/issue
cat /etc/issue
Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux Server release 5.3 (Carthage)
Kernel \r on an \m
The /etc/issue file should not be trusted, the file is intended as a text message to be displayed before login for telnet, or after the username has been entered with SSH. The issue file was never intended for storing a distribution version, the fact most distros put something there is merely coincidental branding (coz it's nice to have something in there)
A better indicator of the distribution is to 'echo /etc/*release'
dmesg
dmesg | head -1
Linux version 2.6.18-128.el5 ([email protected]) (gcc version 4.1.2 20080704 (Red Hat 4.1.2-44))
#1 SMP Wed Jan 21 07:58:05 EST 2009
Proc Version
cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.6.18-128.el5 ([email protected]) (gcc version 4.1.2 20080704 (Red Hat 4.1.2-44))
#1 SMP Wed Jan 21 07:58:05 EST 2009