Is BSD Unix or Linux?

BSD is not Linux. It is based on Research Unix.

Understanding BSD

The Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), as the name suggests, originates from the University of California, Berkeley. According to the reference, it is a discontinued operating system based on Research Unix, developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group (CSRG) at the University of California, Berkeley. This means it has a direct lineage to the original Unix system.

Key Differences Between BSD and Linux

While both BSD and Linux are Unix-like operating systems, they differ in several important aspects:

• Kernel vs. Complete OS: Linux refers specifically to the kernel, the core of the operating system. A Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu or Fedora, combines the Linux kernel with other software like GNU utilities and a desktop environment. BSD, on the other hand, provides a complete operating system, including the kernel, utilities, and other components.

• Licensing: BSD uses a more permissive license (the BSD license) which allows for greater flexibility in using and distributing the code, even in proprietary software. Linux uses the GNU General Public License (GPL), which requires that any derivative works also be open source (with some exceptions depending on the GPL version).

• Development Model: Linux development is generally more community-driven, involving a very large number of contributors. BSD development, while also open source, often has a more centralized structure, with a core team of developers maintaining the base system.

Examples of BSD Operating Systems

Several operating systems are based on BSD:

• FreeBSD
• NetBSD
• OpenBSD
• macOS (partially derived)

In Summary