The history of openSUSE is deeply connected to SUSE Linux, one of the earliest and most prominent Linux distributions originating in Germany.
- Founding: SUSE was founded in 1992 by four German software engineers (Hubert Mantel, Roland Dyroff, Burchard Steinbild, and Thomas Fehr). The name SUSE stands for “Software und System-Entwicklung” (Software and Systems Development).
- Initial Product: SUSE started by providing consulting services and distributing Slackware Linux on floppy disks. They later began developing their own Linux distribution, which eventually became SUSE Linux.
- First Distribution: In 1994, SUSE released its own Linux distribution based on Slackware, then gradually shifted to a more independent approach.
- YAST: In 1999, SUSE introduced YaST (Yet another Setup Tool), which quickly became one of the distribution’s signature tools for system configuration.
- RPM and KDE: SUSE adopted the RPM package format and contributed significantly to the KDE desktop environment, which made the distribution popular among Linux desktop users.
- In 2004, Novell, an American software company, acquired SUSE Linux, integrating it with their network solutions. This acquisition boosted SUSE Linux’s development and made it more enterprise-oriented.
- openSUSE Project Launched (2005): Novell launched the openSUSE Project to open up SUSE Linux development and foster a community around it. openSUSE was born, offering both an open-source community edition and a strong base for SUSE’s enterprise products.
¶ Introduction of Tumbleweed and Leap (2014 - 2015)
- Tumbleweed (2014): SUSE employee Greg Kroah-Hartman introduced Tumbleweed as a rolling release version of openSUSE, providing continuously updated software.
- Leap (2015): openSUSE introduced Leap, a stable release version based on SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE) code. Leap is designed for users seeking long-term stability, while Tumbleweed provides the latest updates.
¶ MicroOS and Kubic (2017 - Present)
- MicroOS: openSUSE MicroOS was introduced as a lightweight and transactional OS, tailored for cloud-native applications, containers, and edge computing.
- Kubic: This variant of openSUSE was designed to support Kubernetes clusters, offering a platform for containerized applications.
¶ Independent Direction and Growth (2020 - Present)
- SUSE Becomes Independent: In 2019, SUSE became independent after being acquired by private equity firm EQT Partners from Micro Focus, which had owned SUSE since 2014.
- Open Build Service (OBS): The Open Build Service has been instrumental in the growth of openSUSE, enabling developers to build, package, and distribute applications for multiple Linux distributions.
openSUSE has had a significant impact on Linux development and enterprise environments:
- YaST is still one of the most user-friendly system configuration tools in Linux.
- Btrfs filesystem, which provides snapshot functionality, is widely used in openSUSE, setting a standard for stability and resilience.
- Contributions to KDE and GNOME: openSUSE has contributed significantly to these desktop environments.
- Open Build Service (OBS) has been adopted by other Linux projects, emphasizing openSUSE’s dedication to cross-distro collaboration.
Today, openSUSE is known for its strong community, robust software management tools, and commitment to stability and cutting-edge features, with Leap and Tumbleweed catering to diverse users and enterprise needs alike.
openSUSE Overview
Package Management in openSUSE
openSUSE FAQ
Support & Service for openSUSE