Linux adoption is the adoption of Linux-based computer operating systems (OSes) by households, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and governments.
Android, which runs on Linux, is the world's most widely used computer operating system. As of October 2024[update], Android has 45% of the global operating system market followed by Windows with 26%.[1]
Linux runs almost every type of device, all the top 500 most powerful supercomputers in the world, desktop computers, laptops, the International Space Station, smartphones, smartwatches, TVs, and cars. Additional large systems like The New York Stock Exchange, the Pentagon, and social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) all run on Linux.[2][3] Microsoft's cloud service depends on Linux.[4]
In August 2010, Jeffrey Hammond, principal analyst at Forrester Research, declared, "Linux has crossed the chasm to mainstream adoption," a statement attested by the large number of enterprises that had transitioned to Linux during the late-2000s recession. In a company survey completed in the third quarter of 2009, 48% of surveyed companies reported using an open-source operating system.[5]
The Linux Foundation regularly releases publications regarding the Linux kernel, Linux OS distributions, and related themes.[6] One such publication, "Linux Adoption Trends: A Survey of Enterprise End Users," is freely available upon registration.[7]