How to check Linux distribution name and version

Checking the exact Linux distribution and release keeps repository instructions, package choices, and support decisions aligned with the system that is actually running. A path or package name that fits Ubuntu 24.04 can be wrong on Debian 12, Fedora, or a rolling-release host.

Current Linux distributions publish their identity through the standard os-release metadata file. /etc/os-release is the preferred path for applications and usually points to the vendor copy under /usr/lib/os-release, with fields such as PRETTY_NAME, ID, VERSION_ID, VERSION, VERSION_CODENAME, and ID_LIKE describing the distribution rather than the running kernel.

Minimal containers and stripped images often omit helper commands such as lsb_release or hostnamectl, but os-release remains the common source that package documentation and support tooling expect. Some distributions leave optional fields such as VERSION_ID, VERSION_CODENAME, or ID_LIKE unset, so rely only on the keys that are actually present on the host.

Related: How to show the kernel version in Linux

Steps to check Linux distribution name and version:

  1. Print the main distribution name and release fields from os-release. 
    $ grep -E '^(PRETTY_NAME|NAME|VERSION_ID|ID|ID_LIKE)=' /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="24.04"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian

    PRETTY_NAME is the human-readable label, while ID and VERSION_ID are the machine-friendly values commonly used in repository instructions, scripts, and support matrices.

  2. Read the version string and codename when a support case, repository guide, or release note refers to the named release instead of the numeric version. 
    $ grep -E '^(VERSION|VERSION_CODENAME)=' /etc/os-release
VERSION="24.04.4 LTS (Noble Numbat)"
VERSION_CODENAME=noble

    VERSION is presentation text and can include the release name, while VERSION_CODENAME is an optional short identifier such as noble or bookworm.

  3. Read the full metadata file when the distribution record needs to be copied into a ticket or compared field by field. 
    $ cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="24.04"
VERSION="24.04.4 LTS (Noble Numbat)"
VERSION_CODENAME=noble
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
UBUNTU_CODENAME=noble
LOGO=ubuntu-logo

    If /etc/os-release is missing, read /usr/lib/os-release instead. Upstream guidance says applications should prefer /etc/os-release when it exists and fall back to the vendor file only when it does not.