A Linux-based system is a modular Unix-like operating system, deriving much of its basic design from principles established in Unix during the 1970s and 1980s. Such a system uses a monolithic kernel, the Linux kernel, which handles process control, networking, access to the peripherals, and file systems.

Is Linux based off of Unix?

Linux is a Unix-Like Operating System developed by Linus Torvalds and thousands of others. BSD is a UNIX operating system that for legal reasons must be called Unix-Like. OS X is a graphical UNIX Operating System developed by Apple Inc. Linux is the most prominent example of a “real” Unix OS.

What language is Linux based on?

Linux (the kernel) is essentially written in C with a little of assembly code. The lower layer of userland, usually GNU (glibc and other libraries plus standard core commands) are almost exclusively written in C and shell scripting.