Coding Linux

[Muscovy]

What language is Linux coded in? If I were to try and make a distro, what coding would it use?

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

The kernel is mostly written in C. I'm assuming that is what you are asking since you posted in the kernel forum.

Lots of other languages are used for other parts of Linux.

Best of luck coding your new distro.

[Muscovy]

I'm still learning about the process.
I may have placed this in the wrong forum- do you need to modify the kernal in building a distro? I suppose so, but I can only see one needing to change names and directories there.

Edit: Also, where can I find a good C tutorial? I can only find C++ ones that are any good.

[Rubberman]

No, you shouldn't need to modify the kernel to create a new distribution, unless you are planning on supporting some unusual hardware or a new platform. Usually, a distribution will install some customized software, such as audio-video processing tools for distributions aimed at audio and video production, or system and network security tools for distributions aimed at security professionals, etc. For the most part, they will be a branch off a mainstream distribution, but with some extras.

[Muscovy]

What exactly do you mean by new platform?

[Muscovy]

Would that mean building Linux system called X versus doing something like a _buntu build?

[Rubberman]

By new platform, I mean something like going to an x86_64 from an i386 processor family, or supporting a different processor family such as ARM, PPC, or Sparc chips.

As for distribution X vs. a ___buntu build, many distributions can use the same kernel as long as the target processor family is the same. You can take any current distribution and create your own from it as long as you change any logos and make the source code available on request. That is how CentOS works - it is based directly from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution with only logo changes made. Although they rebuild the system, mostly that is to change logos and such. They also provide attribution to Red Hat as the source of the distribution and free access to the source code.