We would have used or come across tech terminolgies Unix and Linux and we know that they are operating systems. We also know that they are open-source and they have many distros. But, the question we should ask is why do we still need them?
To understand this question we must know basic details about them such as,
1. What are Unix & Linux?
Unix/Linux are open source operating systems (OS) that directly manages a system’s hardware and resources, like CPU, memory, and storage. They are set of programs that act as a link between the computer and the user. They make use of comand line interface (CLI).
Unix stands for UNiplexed Information Computing System.
Linux stands for Lovable Intellect Not Using XP and it is a clone of Unix, but doesn’t contain code of Unix.
2. Features of Linux/Unix?
Here are some features of Unix:
- Multitasking: Unix allows multiple programs to run simultaneously.
- Multi-user: Unix allows multiple users to share computer resources.
- Portability: Unix can run on many different systems.
- Hierarchical file system: Unix supports a hierarchical file system for easy maintenance.
- Software library: Unix has a large library of software.
- CLI: Unix has a powerful CLI.
- Networking: Unix has a wide range of networking capabilities.
- Simplicity: Unix is simple.
Here are some features of Linux:
- Open-source: Linux is free and open-source software.
- GUI: Linux has a graphical user interface.
- End-to-end encryption: Linux has end-to-end encryption.
- Keyboard configuration: Linux can configure keyboards into different languages.
- Updates: Linux has frequent updates.
- Infrastructure: Linux has a lightweight infrastructure.
- Multi-user support: Linux supports multiple users.
- Security: Linux is secure.
- Customizable: Linux is customizable.
- Live CD/USB: Almost all Linux distros provide live CD/USB so that users can run/try it without installing it.
3. Architecture of Unix?
The main concept that unites all the versions of Unix are the following four basics −
- Kernel − The kernel is the heart of the operating system. It interacts with the hardware and most of the tasks like memory management, task scheduling and file management.
- Shell − The shell is the utility that processes your requests. When you type in a command at your terminal, the shell interprets the command and calls the program that you want.
- Commands and Utilities − There are various commands and utilities which you can make use of in your day to day activities. cp, mv, cat and grep, etc. are few examples of commands and utilities. There are over 250 standard commands plus numerous others provided through 3rd party software. All the commands come along with various options.
- Files and Directories − All the data of Unix is organized into files. All files are then organized into directories. These directories are further organized into a tree-like structure called the filesystem.
4. What is CLI and GUI?
CLI is a command line interface. This user interface enables the user to give commands to interact with the device.
GUI is a graphical user interface. This user interface enables users to interact with devices with the help of graphical icons and visual indicators.
5. Why should we use CLI over GUI?
- CLI gives better control to the user.
- CLI is a best option for professionals who work on more programming languages.
- It required less memory as compared to GUI.
- The speed of the CLI is faster than GUI.
6. Comparison
7. Conclusion
So, arriving back to our main question we can conclude —
- Unix Vs Windows:-
Windows is a closed system without portability and limited programming facility. While it requires 12 MB of RAM for booting and has a single advantage of being user-friendly.
- Linux Vs Windows:-
Windows is more expensive without free technical support, Kernel source code, Telnet server access, without X Window Server, C and C++ compilers and Perl 5.0. Although, Windows is famous for it’s GUI it has only one GUI, whereas Linux has 4 GUIs! Linux supports 32 file systems, whereas Windows supports only 3.
- Unix Vs Linux:-
Linux is open-source and free to use, it is widely used in desktop, servers, smartphones to mainframes and provides variety of GUI, cheaper to install, provides more flexiblility and scalability. Unix is licensed, not open-source, widely used in workstations, servers and PCs, provides more stablity, portability, interoperability and security.
Hence, Unix/Linux are best suited for individuals with programming knowledge, whereas operating systems like Windows and MacOs don’t require users to have technical knowledge making it user friendly.
I hope I have provided an introductory idea about Unix/Linux. Stay tuned for my next post on Unix/Linux commands and Shell scripting.
