How to get Linux distribution name and version

Knowing the Linux distribution name and version is essential for system administration. It helps in managing software installations and ensuring compatibility. Different distributions store this information in various locations, so multiple methods may be required to retrieve it.

Common ways to find this information include using commands like lsb_release and hostnamectl. You can also check system files such as /etc/os-release and /etc/issue. These methods will provide details about your Linux distribution name and version.

Understanding how to retrieve this information is crucial for maintaining and troubleshooting your system. The steps outlined below will guide you in obtaining the correct distribution name and version details.

1. Open the terminal.
2. Use lsb_release to check the distribution details.

   $ lsb_release -a
   LSB Version:  core-11.1.0ubuntu4-noarch:security-11.1.0ubuntu4-noarch
   Distributor ID: Ubuntu
   Description:  Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
   Release:  22.04
   Codename: jammy

   Install lsb_core package if you get the No LSB modules are available warning.

   $ sudo apt install lsb-core

3. Examine the contents of the /etc/<distribution>-release file.

   $ cat /etc/centos-release
   CentOS Linux release 8.3.2011

4. Examine the contents of the /etc/system-release file.

   $ cat /etc/system-release
   CentOS Linux release 8.3.2011

   The file is normally just a symbolic link to /etc/<distribution>-release file.

   $ ls -l /etc/system-release
   lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 14 Nov 10 10:49 /etc/system-release -> centos-release

5. View additional details about your Linux distribution by examining the contents of the /etc/os-release file.

   $ cat /etc/os-release 
   NAME="CentOS Stream"
   VERSION="9"
   ID="centos"
   ID_LIKE="rhel fedora"
   VERSION_ID="9"
   PLATFORM_ID="platform:el9"
   PRETTY_NAME="CentOS Stream 9"
   ANSI_COLOR="0;31"
   LOGO="fedora-logo-icon"
   CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:centos:centos:9"
   HOME_URL="https://centos.org/"
   BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/"
   REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9"
   REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION="CentOS Stream"

6. Examine the contents of the /etc/lsb-release file.

   $ cat /etc/lsb-release 
   DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
   DISTRIB_RELEASE=20.10
   DISTRIB_CODENAME=groovy
   DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 20.10"

7. Check the /etc/issue file for basic information.

   $ cat /etc/issue
   Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS \n \l

8. Retrieve OS and distribution information using the hostnamectl command.

   $ hostnamectl 
    Static hostname: host
          Icon name: computer-vm
            Chassis: vm
         Machine ID: 421dd0de69664dc49728efbdd7ef476d
            Boot ID: a881d479f0364cb387a972597dce5ee4
     Virtualization: parallels
   Operating System: CentOS Stream 9                 
        CPE OS Name: cpe:/o:centos:centos:9
             Kernel: Linux 5.14.0-165.el9.aarch64
       Architecture: arm64
    Hardware Vendor: Parallels International GmbH.
     Hardware Model: Parallels ARM Virtual Machine

9. Use the uname command to see kernel version and architecture.

   $ uname -a
   Linux host 5.8.0-34-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 18:01:14 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

   Some information can be inferred, such as the kernel version 5.8 indicating that the system is running Ubuntu 20.10.