[[Linus Torvalds]] is a Finnish-American software engineer who is best known for creating the Linux kernel. Born on December 28, 1969, in Helsinki, Finland, Torvalds developed an interest in computers and programming from a young age. In 1991, while studying at the University of Helsinki, Torvalds started working on his own operating system kernel as a hobby project. He named it "Linux" by combining his first name "Linus" with "Unix," as the project was inspired by the Unix operating system. Linux is an open-source operating system kernel that serves as the foundation for numerous Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian. It became immensely popular due to its stability, security, and flexibility. Today, Linux powers a wide range of devices including servers, smartphones (Android), embedded systems, and supercomputers. When it comes to GNU software and Linux, they are often mentioned together because Linux distributions typically include various [[GNU]] software utilities like GNU Bash shell and GNU Core Utilities. The combination of the Linux kernel and GNU software forms what is commonly referred to as a "GNU/Linux" operating system. As for [[Git]], Linus Torvalds created it in 2005 to serve as a distributed version control system for managing source code development efficiently. Git revolutionized collaborative software development by allowing multiple developers to work on projects simultaneously without conflicts. It quickly gained popularity among developers worldwide due to its speed and flexibility. In summary, Linus Torvalds is the creator of the Linux kernel and had a significant impact on the development of GNU/Linux operating systems. Additionally, he created Git, which has become an essential tool for version control in software development.