Check whether Linux is 64 bit

Many times when we are installing and running software in our machines, we find the requirement that we have to have 64-bit machines.

There are two main processor categories:

1. 32-bit
2. 64-bit

32-bit processors were used on early systems though they are still in fair usage currently.

64-bit processors which are currently the most powerful in use are capable of storing 264 computational values, including memory addresses. This means that 64-bit processors are able to access over four billion times as much physical memory than 32-bit processors.

One analogy people use to define the two is to think of a 32-bit processor as a 32 lane highway while a 64-bit processor is a 64 lane highway. Of course the 64 lane highway is better at handling traffic.

A 32-bit processor cannot run a 64 bit operating system but a 64-bit processor can run both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.

To check if your Linux is 64 bit, simply open your terminal and run:

$uname -a

You’ll get something like this:

Linux <hostname>3.10.0-862.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Fri Apr 20 16:44:24 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

If you get a x86_64 suffix, you’re on 64-bit.

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