Fedora (Linux)
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| Fedora (Linux) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fedora |
| Developer | Fedora Project |
| Family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Source model | Open source |
| Released | 2003-11-06 |
| Latest release | 2024-04 (example) |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Ui | GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce |
| License | Various free and open-source licenses |
Fedora (Linux)
Fedora is a Linux distribution developed by the Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat, aimed at showcasing leading-edge Linux kernel technologies, upstream GNOME Project innovations, and contributions to projects such as systemd, Wayland, Flatpak, and Podman. It serves as a testbed for features that often appear later in Red Hat Enterprise Linux, with participation from communities around CentOS Stream, Debian, openSUSE, and vendors like IBM and Intel. Fedora emphasizes free and open-source software principles championed by organizations including the Free Software Foundation, Open Source Initiative, and projects such as glibc, LLVM, and RPM Package Manager.
History
Fedora's origin traces to the merger of the Red Hat-sponsored Red Hat Linux community and the community-driven Fedora Project after Red Hat repositioned to Red Hat Enterprise Linux in the early 2000s, a transition contemporaneous with events like the launch of Fedora Core and responses to community projects such as Mandriva Linux and SUSE Linux. Early Fedora development saw collaboration with maintainers from Debian GNU/Linux, contributors to GNOME, and developers of the KDE desktop, while integrating kernel advances from contributors associated with corporations like IBM and Intel. Over time Fedora incorporated system-level innovations from initiatives such as systemd (originally led by developers connected to Red Hat), display server shifts exemplified by Wayland advocacy, and packaging ecosystem evolution around technologies including RPM and DNF, paralleling broader shifts in projects like Fedora Core and responses to the community debates embodied by movements such as the CentOS lifecycle changes.
Features and architecture
Fedora combines the Linux kernel with userland components from projects like glibc, systemd, and udev, integrates display stacks from Wayland and X.Org Server where applicable, and supports desktop environments developed by the GNOME Project, KDE e.V., and communities behind Xfce and LXQt. It uses the RPM Package Manager format and dependency solver efforts connected to DNF and YUM histories, supports container runtimes and tooling from projects such as Podman, Buildah, and CRI-O, and embraces sandboxing and distribution technologies like Flatpak and OSTree. Security and reproducibility efforts in Fedora engage with initiatives led by organizations including OpenSSL, GnuPG, SELinux maintainers originally sponsored by NSA research contracts, and supply-chain work influenced by standards like those from the Linux Foundation and the OpenSSF.
Releases and versioning
Fedora follows a time-based release schedule influenced by community project planning practices and enterprise lifecycle considerations similar to release management in Ubuntu and Debian, publishing roughly biannual versions tied to milestones used by projects such as GNOME and KDE. Each Fedora release carries a version number and a support lifecycle policy coordinated by the Fedora Project Council and core teams, mirroring the cadence considerations seen in distributions like openSUSE Leap and downstream tracks like CentOS Stream. Fedora's branching and build processes interact with build systems inspired by Koji and packaging workflows used in repositories maintained by contributors from Red Hat and independent maintainers linked to foundations such as the Linux Foundation.
Editions and variants
Fedora offers multiple editions and spins accommodating use cases championed by communities and organizations such as the Fedora Project contributors, the Fedora Server and Fedora Workstation alignments that contrast with approaches in Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu Desktop, and specialized spins for environments using KDE Plasma, Xfce, LXQt, MATE, and Cinnamon. There are tailored variants for cloud and container deployments reflecting tooling from Cloud Native Computing Foundation projects like Kubernetes and CRI-O, as well as editions for Internet of Things scenarios influenced by ecosystems around Yocto Project and vendor efforts from Intel and NVIDIA.
Development and governance
Development is coordinated by the Fedora Project, governed by bodies such as the Fedora Project Board and the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee, with contributors drawn from organizations including Red Hat, IBM, Canonical, and independent developers formerly associated with projects like Debian and openSUSE. Decision-making follows community processes similar to those used by large open-source projects including the GNOME Foundation and the Linux Foundation, with packaging and tooling maintained in infrastructures like Pagure and build systems comparable to Koji. Policies and trademarks are overseen with legal and governance input linked to corporate sponsors and non-profit entities such as Red Hat and volunteer steering groups.
Community and ecosystem
Fedora's community comprises contributors from diverse projects and institutions including the Fedora Project contributors, upstream projects such as GNOME Project, KDE e.V., systemd, RPM.org maintainers, and organizations like Red Hat, IBM, and the Linux Foundation. The ecosystem includes third-party repositories and tooling developed by communities behind COPR, Flatpak, Podman, and CI/CD integrations used by projects such as Jenkins and GitLab, while outreach, documentation, and events connect Fedora contributors with conferences like FOSDEM, LinuxCon, and Red Hat Summit. Fedora's role in the broader free software landscape intersects with advocacy groups including the Free Software Foundation and standards bodies such as the Open Source Initiative.