Linus Benedict Torvalds is a Finnish-American software engineer best known as the creator and lead developer of the Linux kernel. He also created Git, the distributed version control system that has become the standard for source code management.
Early Life and Education
Born in Helsinki, Finland in 1969, Torvalds became interested in computers at an early age. He studied computer science at the University of Helsinki, where he began developing Linux as a personal project in 1991.
Creating Linux
What started as a hobby project to create a free operating system kernel grew into one of the most successful open-source projects in history. Torvalds announced Linux on the comp.os.minix newsgroup in August 1991, famously noting it was “just a hobby, won’t be big and professional like GNU.”
Creating Git
In 2005, after a dispute over the proprietary BitKeeper version control system used for Linux development, Torvalds created Git in just a few weeks. Git’s distributed architecture and performance have made it the dominant version control system worldwide.
Philosophy
Torvalds is known for his pragmatic approach to software development and his direct communication style. He has emphasized that Linux’s success came from solving real problems and attracting talented contributors who shared code improvements.