uname

Additional Notes

uname prints information about the running system, especially the kernel name, release, version, and machine architecture.

It is useful for troubleshooting, compiling software, checking architecture, and reporting system details.

Syntax

uname [options]

Parameters

• options: Flags that change how uname behaves.

Common Options

• -a, --all: Print all available information.
• -s, --kernel-name: Print kernel name.
• -r, --kernel-release: Print kernel release.
• -v, --kernel-version: Print kernel version.
• -m, --machine: Print machine hardware architecture.
• -p, --processor: Print processor type when available.
• -o, --operating-system: Print operating system name.

Examples

uname

Print kernel name.

uname -a

Print full system information.

uname -r

Print kernel release.

uname -m

Print architecture, such as x86_64 or aarch64.

Practical Notes

• Use lsb_release -a or /etc/os-release for distribution information.
• Kernel version and distribution version are different things.
• Architecture matters when downloading binaries or building kernels/modules.