FreeBSDs

FreeBSD is a free and open-source Unix-like operating system descended from BSD Unix and maintained by The FreeBSD Project. The name FreeBSD is standard; “FreeBSDs” is not a common term, and when referring to multiple installations or systems the phrasing is usually FreeBSD installations or FreeBSD systems.

The project provides a complete operating system with a monolithic kernel and userland tools. It emphasizes performance, advanced networking, and security. A core feature is the Ports collection, a large tree of Makefiles and patches that simplifies building software from source. The modern package management system, pkg, offers binary packages and dependency handling for convenient installation and updates.

FreeBSD includes a mature networking stack and enterprise features such as support for ZFS, jails for lightweight system virtualization and process isolation, and bhyve for hardware-assisted virtualization. It supports a wide range of hardware architectures, including amd64, i386, arm64, armv7, powerpc, and riscv, among others. The system is known for stability, long-term support for major branches, and extensive documentation.

Release and update model combine stable releases with ongoing development. Major versions are maintained for several years with security and bug-fix updates, while the Ports collection and pkg provide ongoing access to software. The FreeBSD ecosystem also includes a global community, extensive man pages, and the FreeBSD Foundation, which supports development, advocacy, and infrastructure.

FreeBSD is widely used on servers and data centers due to its reliability and networking capabilities, while also running on desktops, embedded devices, and virtualization environments.