Display Linux version – this is how it works

You can display the Linux version directly via the terminal. Several commands are available for this purpose

Displaying the Linux version: This is how it works via the terminal

The Linux terminal helps you to find the version of the operating system installed on your system. You open it with your keyboard using the key combination [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[T].

• Open the terminal and enter the command cat /etc/*release. The asterisk will list all distributions that you have installed. So don’t be surprised if you see several files with the extension “release”

• Then look for the Version item in the terminal. This indicates the current version number.

• Under PRETTY_NAME=, on the other hand, you will find the distribution currently in use, including the version number. This is usually the most secure version display.

• Alternatively, you can use the command cat /etc/os-release, which performs the same function. If you only want to display the current version and distribution instead, use one of the following commands: cat /etc/issue or lsb_release -d.

• Note: Do not be confused if lines or names appear twice. The content of the files with version information is not standardized. The content of the relevant files may look slightly different for each distribution.

Alternative: Display Linux version via hardinfo

If you prefer a GUI instead of the terminal, simply install hardinfo. The package shows you the system information in a clearly arranged window, just like under Windows or macOS.

• First download the package from the official Github download page. The current version is called hardinfo2.

• You can then install hardinfo using a package manager of your choice. The program can then be used on your system.

• You will find it under the name System Information and Benchmark. Open it and navigate to the Computer and Summary tab.

• You will find the Operating system item there. The current distribution and version are displayed under this item.