Distro

Last Updated: October 16, 2018

Definition - What does Distro mean?

Distro is IT vernacular for a Linux operating system (OS). It is a shortened version of the term distribution.

The singular and the plural (distro vs distros) are often used synonymously.

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Techopedia explains Distro

In the Linux world, there are hundreds of different flavors of distro. Examples include Debian, Ubuntu and Red Hat (among many others). When referencing a Linux OS, administrators usually ask questions like: Which distro does the application sit on top of? or Which distro are you using?

Technically, a distribution is any deployment of software and isn't specifically Linux. Usually in this case you'll hear it referred to as a "distribution of software." Despite this, the term "distro" is nearly always used in a Linux context. So, while a distribution of software is a generic term for any bundle of software, distro is nearly always a flavor of Linux.

This definition was written in the context of Linux