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Fedora Linux

From Alfawiki
Fedora Linux
Company typeOpen source project
IndustrySoftware, Linux distribution
PredecessorRed Hat Linux
Founded2003
FounderWarren Togami (initiative)
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsLinux distribution
OwnerRed Hat (trademark)
Websitegetfedora.org

Fedora Linux is a Linux distribution created by the Fedora Project, introduced in 2003 as the successor to the Red Hat Linux initiative. It includes software licensed under various free and open-source agreements and emphasizes the adoption of cutting-edge open-source innovations. Fedora acts as the upstream source for both CentOS Stream and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Beginning with Fedora 21, released in December 2014, three distinct editions were designed for desktops, servers, and cloud environments. By the time Fedora 37 appeared in November 2022, the lineup had grown to five editions, incorporating container-focused and Internet of Things (IoT) use cases. New Fedora Linux versions are launched twice yearly.

As of 2016, Fedora's user base was estimated at approximately 1.2 million, with notable adoption by Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel.

Features

Fedora is recognized for its commitment to pioneering technology by integrating new advancements early and maintaining strong collaboration with upstream Linux projects. This upstream contribution approach ensures improvements benefit the broader Linux distribution ecosystem.

The life cycle of Fedora Linux releases is comparatively brief: each version receives support for nearly 13 months, with updates issued about every six months. Users can perform upgrades between releases without needing to reinstall the system.

The standard desktop environment provided is GNOME, utilizing the GNOME Shell interface. Fedora additionally supports a variety of other environments such as KDE Plasma, COSMIC, Xfce, LXQt, LXDE, MATE, Cinnamon, and Budgie, along with window managers including i3 and Sway.

Users have the option to create a live media drive using tools like Fedora Media Writer or the command-line utility dd, allowing them to test Fedora without altering their existing hard drives.

Package management

The majority of Fedora editions utilize the RPM system coupled with the package manager DNF for software management. DNF depends on libsolv to handle dependency resolution efficiently. Additionally, Flatpak support is included by default.

For its CoreOS and Silverblue variants, Fedora emphasizes operating system-level virtualization, employing rpm-ostree, which combines transactional image management with package layering. In contrast, traditional RPM or alternative package managers are used within container environments.

Security

By default, Fedora Linux activates Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux), enforcing stringent security policies such as mandatory access controls. The distribution also incorporates a hardening wrapper and implements compiler security enhancements like generating position-independent executable (PIE) binaries across all packages. Furthermore, Fedora uses firewalld as its primary firewall solution.

Software

The Fedora Workstation edition comes pre-installed with essential applications including LibreOffice and the web browser Firefox. Users can access a wide range of additional software through official repositories via DNF or the graphical interface provided by GNOME Software. For software not included in official repositories, users may add third-party sources such as RPM Fusion. Fedora also provides Copr, a build service enabling users to create custom repositories.

Starting with Fedora 25, the operating system uses the Wayland display server by default, replacing the older X Window System. As of Fedora 41, default sessions for GNOME and KDE no longer offer support for the X.Org Server.

System installer

Fedora Linux utilizes Anaconda as its primary system installer.

Editions

Starting with Fedora 21, the distribution expanded its lineup from three editions to six by the release of version 42.[1][2]

Workstation

Designed for users who require a dependable, intuitive, and robust operating system for laptops or desktops, Fedora Workstation emphasizes staying at the forefront of technological advancements.[3] While GNOME is the default desktop environment, Fedora also supports alternatives such as KDE Plasma, which was elevated to a full edition status alongside GNOME beginning with Fedora 42.[4][5]

Spins and remixes

The Fedora initiative provides official "Fedora Spins," which are customized versions featuring various desktop environments. As of Fedora 42, the officially supported spins encompass Xfce,[6] LXQt,[7] MATE combined with Compiz,[8] Cinnamon,[9] LXDE,[10] SoaS,[11] i3,[12] Phosh (targeted at PinePhone),[13] Budgie,[14] Sway,[15] and COSMIC.[16]

In addition to these official Spins, the Fedora project authorizes unofficial variants to adopt the "Fedora Remix" label, featuring a unique logo.[17]

Atomic desktops

Fedora provides immutable variants known as "Atomic Desktops," which are specialized versions of Fedora Workstation developed to prioritize stability and streamline the development process. These editions include options for Budgie, COSMIC, GNOME (Silverblue), KDE Plasma (Kinoite), and Sway. Each instance remains consistent and unaltered throughout its operation, boosting dependability and facilitating easier testing. This architecture isolates applications and containers from the underlying operating system, allowing for swift updates without installation interruptions and enabling seamless rollback if problems occur.

The long-term vision involves transforming Fedora Workstation into an image-centric platform featuring atomic updates and sandboxed applications. Contributions from Fedora developers, Red Hat engineers, and community members have propelled advancements in technologies such as OSTree, Wayland, Flatpak, alongside integrated support for rpm-ostree within GNOME Software. The Project Atomic initiative introduced enhancements like package layering for rpm-ostree and incorporated rpm-ostree capabilities directly into the Anaconda installation program.

Server

Tailored specifically for server environments, this edition incorporates cutting-edge data center innovations. It does not include a desktop environment by default, though users can install one if desired. Beginning with Fedora 28, the Server Edition implemented Fedora Modularity, enabling alternative update streams for widely used software such as Node.js and Go.

IoT

Fedora Linux offers specialized images optimized for devices within the Internet of Things ecosystem, supporting multiple processor architectures including x86_64, aarch64, and armhfp.

CoreOS

Following Fedora Atomic Host and Container Linux, Fedora CoreOS emerged after Fedora 29 as a streamlined Fedora Linux image containing only essential components required for cloud deployments. It delivers minimalistic images optimized specifically for container workloads. CoreOS succeeded Container Linux after its integration with Project Atomic, subsequent to Red Hat's acquisition of CoreOS in January 2018.

Labs

In a manner akin to Debian blends, the Fedora Project releases customized Fedora Linux variants known as Fedora Labs. These editions come preloaded with software collections focused on areas such as gaming, cybersecurity, graphic design, robotics, and scientific research—featuring tools like SciPy, Octave, Kile, Xfig, and Inkscape.

The Fedora AOS (Appliance Operating System) was a specialized spin designed with a reduced memory footprint intended for use in software appliances—pre-installed and pre-configured system images. Its purpose was to ease the creation and deployment of virtual appliances for developers, independent software vendors (ISVs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Architectures

Fedora primarily supports the x86-64 and ARM AArch64 architectures. As of release 38, additional secondary architectures include IBM Power64le, IBM Z ("s390x"), both little-endian variants of the MIPS-64el and MIPS-el, as well as RISC-V.

Support for ppc64 concluded with Fedora 28; users are encouraged to transition to little-endian ppc64le. The final version supporting the older ARM-hfp was Fedora 36.

Alternatives

The Fedora Project provides additional options such as network installation images and minimal install versions, tailored for advanced users or specialized scenarios requiring custom setups or building Fedora installations from the ground up.

Licenses applicable to Fedora Linux must extend beyond just Red Hat or Fedora themselves, encompassing all downstream users. "Fedora-only" licenses or those containing terms exclusive to Red Hat or Fedora that cannot be fulfilled by others are not permitted.

History

The name "Fedora" is derived from the volunteer initiative "Fedora Linux," which offered supplementary software for Red Hat Linux, as well as from the fedora hat depicted in Red Hat's "Shadowman" emblem. In 2002, Warren Togami launched Fedora Linux during his undergraduate studies at the University of Hawaii with the goal of creating a collaborative repository for thoroughly tested third-party software packages. This community-oriented model was later incorporated into the Fedora Project, primarily supported by Red Hat alongside other contributors.

Originally branded as "Fedora Core," Fedora Linux debuted in 2003 as a fork from Red Hat Linux after Red Hat shifted its focus toward its commercial server distribution, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). While Fedora operates as a community-driven distribution, RHEL represents Red Hat’s commercially supported product line. Each RHEL release is derived from corresponding Fedora versions.

Prior to Fedora 7, the distribution was divided into two components: Fedora Core, consisting of base packages maintained by Red Hat developers, and Fedora Extras, comprised of community-maintained packages. This separation was eliminated starting with Fedora 7.

Beginning with Fedora 21, the project adopted modularization to increase flexibility, introducing three distinct editions: Workstation for desktop users, Server for enterprise environments, and Atomic tailored for cloud-based servers.

The Fedora trademark belongs to Red Hat. A naming conflict involving Cornell University and the University of Virginia Library concerning "Fedora" was settled through an agreement permitting both entities to use the name within their respective open source domains.

In April 2020, select Lenovo ThinkPad models began shipping with Fedora Workstation preinstalled as part of a collaboration. Additionally, Framework Computer officially supports Fedora Workstation on their laptop devices.

Development and community

Fedora's development and its ecosystem are managed by the Fedora Project, which consists of a diverse group of contributors including volunteers, developers, and Red Hat staff. Governance is overseen by the Fedora Council at the highest level. Important committees include the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee that directs technical strategy and the Fedora Mindshare Committee responsible for outreach and non-technical functions such as managing the Ambassadors Program, CommOps team, Marketing efforts, Design work, and Website maintenance.

Releases

Fedora follows a relatively brief support cycle: each release remains supported until one month after the release of the second subsequent version. With approximately six months between releases, this results in support lasting around 13 months or more. Users have the ability to upgrade between releases without needing to perform a fresh installation.

The latest version available is Fedora 42, which was released on 15 April 2025.

Rawhide

Rawhide serves as Fedora's development branch where new software is introduced and evaluated prior to being included in stable releases. It typically features a greater number of functionalities compared to stable versions and is composed of actively evolving source code snapshots. Designed primarily for experienced users, testers, and maintainers, Rawhide operates on a rolling release basis, enabling continuous daily updates without the need for version upgrades.

See also

External links

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