How to check your Linux version (and which distro you're on)
Whether you're following a tutorial, filing a bug report, or just inherited a machine, the first question is always the same: what exactly is running here? Three commands answer it completely.
1. Which distro and version? cat /etc/os-release
This is the most reliable, works almost everywhere. The line that matters is PRETTY_NAME — e.g. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Fedora Linux 40. That's your distribution and release in one line.
2. Which kernel? uname -r
The kernel is the core of Linux, versioned separately from your distro. uname -r prints something like 6.8.0-31-generic. Use uname -a for the full picture including your CPU architecture (x86_64, aarch64, etc.).
3. The friendly all-in-one: lsb_release -a
On Debian/Ubuntu-family systems this prints distributor, description, release and codename together. If it's missing, /etc/os-release from step 1 always works.
apt, Fedora uses dnf, Arch uses pacman). Knowing your distro tells you which guide to follow.New to the terminal generally? Start with our essential Linux commands. Picking a machine's specs? See how much RAM Linux really needs. And for tech reading beyond Linux, Infoozle covers the wider world.