Why do all supercomputers in the world use linux?
In: Technology
Linux isn’t an operating system, it’s a kernel. A kernel interacts with the computer’s hardware, like memory, CPU, etc. An operating system (OS) includes the kernel along with other software that lets users and applications interact with the system. So, when you use Linux as an OS you’re actually using an operating system built around the Linux kernel, which may be completely custom or be based on an existing family.
The Linux kernel is based on very popular Unix specifications (Unix being an older OS that lend many of its design principles to modern OSes) and is developed by a companies and individuals from all around world, as it’s an open-source and free kernel. Being the most popular of its time, it means it had the lion’s share of development effort put in, turning out to be a very robust kernel to be used. It’s also extremely flexible, allowing for the creation of custom OSes, something essential for supercomputers that often use very tailored solutions for their functioning. Once you have the Linux kernel, you can mold your OS around your hardware and software needs.
In the past, companies often built their own custom OSes for supercomputers, each based on different kernels. In fact, nothing prevents any company from doing so today, for example, I’m sure Apple or Microsoft could come up with solutions for their needs based on their custom software, HOWEVER the fact Linux has matured so much, has put so much development into means that there’s often no interest in spending a lot of money when they could take the tried-and-true Linux kernel as a starting point.
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