You can use the following files to find out the kernel version that is currently running:
- /proc/version – This file stores a string which identifies the kernel version. It includes the contents of /proc/sys/kernel/ostype, /proc/sys/kernel/osrelease and /proc/sys/kernel/version.
| Tutorial details | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy (rss) |
| Root privileges | No |
| Requirements | None |
| Time | 1m |
- uname command – Display name and information about current kernel.
- Package manager such as rpm/yum or apt-get provides output information about the kernel.
How to find the kernel version using uname command
Open the Terminal application and type the following command to show you Linux system kernel version:
uname -r
Sample outputs:
2.6.32-431.1.2.el6.x86_64
Where,
- 2.6.32 – Linux kernel version.
- 431.1.2 – Distro specific number for bug and security fixes.
Here is another output from my Ubuntu based server:
uname -r
Sample outputs:
3.2.0-51-generic
The following command gives a little more information about Linux kernel and machine type:
uname -mrs
Sample outputs:
Linux 3.2.0-51-generic x86_64
Printing all information
The syntax is as follows to display all information about the current running Linux kernel:
uname -a
uname --all
Here is what I got from my Ubuntu 20.04 LTS desktop:
Linux nixcraft-wks01 5.4.0-65-generic #73-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jan 18 17:25:17 UTC 2021 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Where,
- Linux – Kernel name (duh!).
- nixcraft-wks01 – My computer name.
- 5.4.0-65-generic – Linux kernel release name.
- #73-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jan 18 17:25:17 UTC 2021 – Kerenl version build date. SMP indicates that mulitple CPU/CORE support.
- x86_64 – My hardware/archicture type.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -a, ---all | View all information, in the following order, except omit -p and -i if unknown. |
| --s, ---kernel-name | See the kernel name |
| --n, ---nodename | Print the network node hostname |
| --r, ---kernel-release | Display the kernel release |
| --v, ---kernel-version | See the kernel version |
| --m, ---machine | Show the machine hardware name |
| --p, ---processor | Pint the processor type (non-portable) |
| --i, ---hardware-platform | Print the hardware platform (non-portable) |
| --o, ---operating-system | Print the operating system |
| ---help | Display this help and exit |
| ---version | Output version information and exit |
How to check kernel version using /proc/version file
Use the cat command to look at /proc/version file:
## display my linux kernel version ## cat /proc/version
Related media
This tutorial is also available in a quick video format:
Video 01: Find The Linux Kernel Version Command Tutorial
Conclusion
This page explained several ways to check kernel version in Linux terminal application. It is important that you keep your Linux kernel updated to avoid security problems.
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Hi,
I always used uname -a on Unix and worked like a charm on Linux too.
Cheers