Find out my Linux Distribution Name and Version

This blog shows you how to find out Linux distributions and version you are running. How can I tell my Linux distribution name and version?

You can use any one of the following method to find out your Linux distribution and name:

1. Use /etc/*-release file

To find out what version of Linux (distro) you are running, enter the following cat command at the shell prompt:

$ cat /etc/*-release

Sample outputs from CentOS 7.6.1810 server

CentOS Linux release 7.6.1810 (Core) 
NAME="CentOS Linux"
VERSION="7 (Core)"
ID="centos"
ID_LIKE="rhel fedora"
VERSION_ID="7"
PRETTY_NAME="CentOS Linux 7 (Core)"
ANSI_COLOR="0;31"
CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:centos:centos:7"
HOME_URL="https://www.centos.org/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.centos.org/"

CENTOS_MANTISBT_PROJECT="CentOS-7"
CENTOS_MANTISBT_PROJECT_VERSION="7"

CentOS Linux release 7.6.1810 (Core) 

Sample output from my RHEL v5.x server

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5 (Tikanga)

Sample outputs from my Ubuntu Linux v7.10 server

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=7.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=gutsy
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 7.10"

2. lsb_release command

The lsb_release command displays certain LSB (Linux Standard Base) and distribution-specific information. Type the following command:

LSB is followed only by few Linux distributions like Ubunutu, RHEL, Debian, SUSE Linux and few more.

$ lsb_release -a

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Debian
Description:	Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.1 (squeeze)
Release:	6.0.1
Codename:	squeeze

3. hostnamectl command

For GNU systemd based distro this is the best option:

$ hostnamectl

4. /proc/version file.

Get kernel and gcc version

Execute following command to see kernel version and gcc version used to build the same:

$ cat /proc/version

Sample output from CentOS 7.6.1810 server

Linux version 4.9.125-linuxkit (root@659b6d51c354) (gcc version 6.4.0 (Alpine 6.4.0) ) #1 SMP Fri Sep 7 08:20:28 UTC 2018

Get Linux kernel version

Type the following uname command

$ uname -a
or 
$ uname -mrs

Sample output from CentOS:

Linux 4.9.125-linuxkit x86_64

Where:

• Linux – Kernel name
• 4.9.125-linuxkit – Kernel version number
• x86_64 – Machine hardware name (64 bit)