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  1. #1

    What's the difference between linux os and linux server?

    I have been literally searching the net for hours trying to find an answer to this question but I am getting nowhere and I would really appreciate your help. I am new to all of this.

    What I want to know is the difference between the linux os, linux server and apache server. Depending on where I look some people refer to linux as the server (or web server) and some people refer to it as the operating system. So in the web server context is linux the operating system or is it the web server or is it both the os and the server?

    As far as I understand it linux is the os that runs the apache sever but there is even more confusion because when checking out youtube and other help guides there is a command line that is being used. Is this commandline sitting the on the os or is it the os itself?

    I would really appreciate your help. I have been getting nowhere for hours and the fact that linux seems to have over a million different versions doesn't help.

  2. #2
    In very much simplified terms, Linux is an operating system, like Windows. There are several different kinds of Linux, like CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, and so forth. They all use the same base (the Linux kernel), but make their own adjustments to it, and have their own programs, like Apache.

    A Linux server is a physical server (i.e. a box containing hardware) using one of these Linux operating systems.

    Apache is a piece of software available for most Linux operating systems (like you could install, say, Photoshop as a piece of software for Windows). Apache is what's called a web server. It resides on the physical server.

    The command line you mention is part of the operating system.
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  3. #3
    1. Linux is an name of operating system
    2. Linux server is a physical server using Linux operating systems.
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  4. #4
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    Linux is not a operating system. CentOS, Debian, CloudLinux is the operating system. Linux is just a Kernel or the heart of the OS that drives it.

    A OS consist of the Kernel and Utilities which make an OS.

    Apache is a webserver mainly developed to run on Unix/Linux type systems.

    The difference between a server is that it's designed to serve something, hints the word (Serve). Basically not a desktop, but a desktop can play the roll as a server.

  5. #5
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    There is basically no difference between a Linux computer and server. Both of them can be used for running programs, hosting websites etc. The main difference is the software installed on them which makes them different. If you install an HTTP and database server on the OS it can be used for hosting websites. On the other hand, if you take the same computer and install games on it, it will be a perfect desktop computer even though the hardware is the same. For example Ubuntu, a Linux distribution, can be used both as a server and a desktop OS.
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  6. #6
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    The command line is technically a "shell", a small program that gives you command line access to administer all or part of the server. One of the most common is bash, but there are many others.

  7. #7
    Ok so let me see if I have this right. Linux is not an operating system however Debian, CentOS etc which are based on the linux kernal are operating systems. Is that correct?

    A linux "server" is referring to specialist or bespoke hardware in order to support server software for a large site for example.

    I'm going to use youtube.com as an example. So am I correct in saying that a site like youtube would have special hardware that supports for example the Debian operating system that runs server software like apache?

    If I just wanted to create a fansite for something could I turn my desktop pc into a server? Obviously it would be a small website but if my desktop pc was running Debian would my desktop pc then be called a linux server or not?

    If I was to use a web hosting company would they be using a GUI linux based operating system where they can see files and folders? Or would they just be operating everything using a command line with no GUI whatsoever?

    If they do use a GUI type os why then use the command line to give instructions?

  8. #8
    Ok so let me see if I have this right. Linux is not an operating system however Debian, CentOS etc which are based on the linux kernal are operating systems. Is that correct?
    Correct. Though when people refer to 'Linux', they do often mean an operating system, i.e. someone might say 'that PC runs Linux' as a substitute for 'that PC runs CentOS'

    A linux "server" is referring to specialist or bespoke hardware in order to support server software for a large site for example.
    Yup. Mind you, it doesn't have to be specialist hardware, it can be a glorified ten years old laptop just as well.

    I'm going to use youtube.com as an example. So am I correct in saying that a site like youtube would have special hardware that supports for example the Debian operating system that runs server software like apache?
    Yeah. In their case, they don't run Debian or Apache specifically, but, yes. It's worth pointing out the Linux kernel supports the hardware though (i.e. it has code and drivers for specific hardware), not the other way around.

    If I just wanted to create a fansite for something could I turn my desktop pc into a server? Obviously it would be a small website but if my desktop pc was running Debian would my desktop pc then be called a linux server or not?
    You could, yeah, and depending on your exact definition, it could be a Linux server then, yeah. I'd strongly recommend against that though, not in the least because of lots of security issues, and because it'll probably be painfully slow and unable to serve any reasonable amount of users.

    If I was to use a web hosting company would they be using a GUI linux based operating system where they can see files and folders? Or would they just be operating everything using a command line with no GUI whatsoever?
    The GUI you're talking about (I think) is what's called the Desktop Environment. Almost all hosting companies will use the command line, because Desktop Environments introduce a security risk, and eat up lots of resources that could be much better used.

    Using, for example, an FTP program, they'd be able to see files and folders on the server from their own PC. Additionally, most hosts install a control panel, like cPanel, which lets them and their customers do things via a web-based GUI. The difference being this web-based GUI is just part of a program running on the server (like a website), and the server isn't actually using up endless resources showing the GUI to the user.

    If they do use a GUI type os why then use the command line to give instructions?
    Because the GUI is usually more limited, and many people find the command line much more convenient to use.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    Ok so let me see if I have this right. Linux is not an operating system however Debian, CentOS etc which are based on the linux kernal are operating systems. Is that correct?
    Correct

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    A linux "server" is referring to specialist or bespoke hardware in order to support server software for a large site for example.
    Not quite. A server is a computer that provides centralised services for a number of computers (as opposed to a personal computer, which is for the use of an individual or group of users). So a web server provides centralised web-hosting technologies that people around the world / in an intranet environment can browse. A DNS server provides DNS services. Whereas your PC is what you use to do your personal computing.

    So a Linux computer is any computer running a flavour of the Linux Kernel (running an OS built around the Linux kernel). A Linux server is one of those where the computer is a server. That need not mean it has anything to do with web hosting; it could a the print server for a company with 100 employees.

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    I'm going to use youtube.com as an example. So am I correct in saying that a site like youtube would have special hardware that supports for example the Debian operating system that runs server software like apache?

    If I just wanted to create a fansite for something could I turn my desktop pc into a server? Obviously it would be a small website but if my desktop pc was running Debian would my desktop pc then be called a linux server or not?

    If I was to use a web hosting company would they be using a GUI linux based operating system where they can see files and folders? Or would they just be operating everything using a command line with no GUI whatsoever?

    If they do use a GUI type os why then use the command line to give instructions?
    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    If I just wanted to create a fansite for something could I turn my desktop pc into a server? Obviously it would be a small website but if my desktop pc was running Debian would my desktop pc then be called a linux server or not?
    Yes, you could install Debian on your home PC, and then install http server software (like Apache on it), and yes you could host a small fansite off it. It's generally a bad idea though. Your electricity bill alone would be more than you'd pay to have it hosted professionally. Your home IP address may be dynamic, which creates (solvable) challenges. Your home ISP may prohibit this. And your connection speed at home will be slow, meaning that visitors to your site will see very slow pageloads, and when they're visiting your home internet will slow to a crawl.

    However, if you did this, yes - you would be using your desktop PC as a Linux server.

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    If I was to use a web hosting company would they be using a GUI linux based operating system where they can see files and folders? Or would they just be operating everything using a command line with no GUI whatsoever?

    If they do use a GUI type os why then use the command line to give instructions?
    The GUI and the command-line are not features of the operating system. They sit on top, and provide ways to send commands to the OS. As I said before, there are several different shell programs; there are also several different desktop-GUI programs as well. Most Linux OS come with one or several shells pre-installed; anyone can install additional ones and/or some GUI software.

    Most hosts would not bother to install a GUI on their servers. It's much faster and more precise to use the command line, and you don't have the system overheads of having a GUI environment running.

    However, if the host uses a control panel like cPanel, that comes with a server-side part as well (WHM, in the case of cPanel) that allows the host to do some administration through a graphical interface. It's not a true desktop environment though (so not a strict GUI for the whole server), because it runs through a browser; you couldn't just log in to the server with it. It's also a control panel for certain functions on the server only, and not a complete server management environment.

    HTH.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    Ok so let me see if I have this right. Linux is not an operating system however Debian, CentOS etc which are based on the linux kernal are operating systems. Is that correct?
    Correct

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    A linux "server" is referring to specialist or bespoke hardware in order to support server software for a large site for example.
    Not quite. A server is a computer that provides centralised services for a number of computers (as opposed to a personal computer, which is for the use of an individual or group of users). So a web server provides centralised web-hosting technologies that people around the world / in an intranet environment can browse. A DNS server provides DNS services. Whereas your PC is what you use to do your personal computing.

    So a Linux computer is any computer running a flavour of the Linux Kernel (running an OS built around the Linux kernel). A Linux server is one of those where the computer is a server. That need not mean it has anything to do with web hosting; it could a the print server for a company with 100 employees.

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    I'm going to use youtube.com as an example. So am I correct in saying that a site like youtube would have special hardware that supports for example the Debian operating system that runs server software like apache?
    You've picked a massive example; you or I will never run a site on that scale. YouTube will need web server software yes, and they'll run it across a whole "farm" of servers.

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    If I just wanted to create a fansite for something could I turn my desktop pc into a server? Obviously it would be a small website but if my desktop pc was running Debian would my desktop pc then be called a linux server or not?
    Yes, you could install Debian on your home PC, and then install http server software (like Apache on it), and yes you could host a small fansite off it. It's generally a bad idea though. Your electricity bill alone would be more than you'd pay to have it hosted professionally. Your home IP address may be dynamic, which creates (solvable) challenges. Your home ISP may prohibit this. And your connection speed at home will be slow, meaning that visitors to your site will see very slow pageloads, and when they're visiting your home internet will slow to a crawl.

    However, if you did this, yes - you would be using your desktop PC as a Linux server.

    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    If I was to use a web hosting company would they be using a GUI linux based operating system where they can see files and folders? Or would they just be operating everything using a command line with no GUI whatsoever?

    If they do use a GUI type os why then use the command line to give instructions?
    The GUI and the command-line are not features of the operating system. They sit on top, and provide ways to send commands to the OS. As I said before, there are several different shell programs; there are also several different desktop-GUI programs as well. Most Linux OS come with one or several shells pre-installed; anyone can install additional ones and/or some GUI software.

    Most hosts would not bother to install a GUI on their servers. It's much faster and more precise to use the command line, and you don't have the system overheads of having a GUI environment running.

    However, if the host uses a control panel like cPanel, that comes with a server-side part as well (WHM, in the case of cPanel) that allows the host to do some administration through a graphical interface. It's not a true desktop environment though (so not a strict GUI for the whole server), because it runs through a browser; you couldn't just log in to the server with it. It's also a control panel for certain functions on the server only, and not a complete server management environment.

    HTH.
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  11. #11
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    Excuse the double post above; don't know quite what happened there. The second one looks more like what I tie tried to put. I think the forum got confused by something I did putting that multi quote on there.

  12. #12
    From what I understand then in order to replicate a real life professional (as close as) web hosting enviroment I would need the following:

    A linux based opertating system on my desktop pc which is non GUI, non desktop enviroment. I think the term for this is headless but please correct me if I'm wrong.

    Once I have the correct operating system I would then need a GUI control panel to perform admin tasks, view files etc.

    After that I might want server software such as apache installed on the os in order for php code to execute.

    Along side the os I would use the command line that sits ontop of the os to perform tasks such as delete unwanted html files for example. Is this right? I could also use the command line to communicate with the developer machine that might be in a different location in the country. Is that also correct?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by joker-85 View Post
    A linux based opertating system on my desktop pc which is non GUI, non desktop enviroment.
    There's another critical ingredient to a web server -- the commercial Internet connection. You'll need that because you'll need to have certain ports open, and residential Internet accounts normally prohibit operating a server in their TOS. You could get a business Internet connection at your home but it's going to cost you. Business Internet accounts start at around $100/month.

    Most hosting service operators either colocate their equipment at a data center or lease a VPS (virtual private server). Data centers offer features beyond an economical way to have a commercial Internet connection. They usually offer Internet connection redundancy, conditioned power with generator backup, strict environmental controls for temperature & humidity, and often 24/7 staffing of technicians.

    A VPS is a good way to go to start. A VPS is a leased portion of a server hard drive (called a "canister") that has it's own operating system installed. If Linux is installed, it's a Linux server in every sense of the phrase. You can also lease varying amounts of memory & CPU resources. If you are contemplating your own Linux hosting server I suggest you start with a VPS. They start at just a few dollars per month.

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