linux64
Run a program in 64-bit mode
TLDR
View documentation for the original command
SYNOPSIS
linux64 is not a direct command.
It typically appears as a system identifier or architectural tag in various contexts, such as:
uname -m (outputs x86_64 or similar)
/path/to/software-linux64.bin
make target_linux64
PARAMETERS
None
As linux64 is not a standalone executable command, it does not accept command-line parameters or options.
DESCRIPTION
The term linux64 does not refer to a standalone executable command in the way that ls or grep do. Instead, it is a common descriptor used across the Linux ecosystem to denote systems, kernels, or software components compiled for the 64-bit architecture, specifically x86-64 (also known as AMD64).
When you encounter linux64, it typically signifies that the underlying operating system and hardware support 64-bit instructions, allowing for larger memory addressing and enhanced performance. This distinguishes it from 32-bit (i386/i686) systems. It frequently appears in filenames for software packages (e.g., package-linux64.tar.gz), compilation targets, or as output from system information commands like uname -m (which would output x86_64 on such systems).
CAVEATS
linux64 is a descriptive term, not an executable command. Attempting to run linux64 directly from the shell will result in a 'command not found' error unless a specific application or symbolic link has been named 'linux64' on that particular system, which is not a standard practice.
COMMON USAGE CONTEXTS
While not a command, linux64 is frequently encountered when:
Downloading Software: Many software distributions provide separate packages for 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, often indicated by -linux64 in the filename.
System Information: Commands like uname -m will output x86_64 (the underlying architecture referred to by linux64) on a 64-bit system.
Development: Build systems and makefiles often have targets or variables like ARCH=linux64 to specify the target architecture for compilation.
HISTORY
The concept of 64-bit computing in Linux gained significant traction in the early 2000s with the advent of AMD's Opteron and Athlon 64 processors, which introduced the x86-64 instruction set. This architecture, later adopted by Intel (under the EM64T/Intel 64 branding), became the dominant standard for modern PCs and servers. The term linux64 emerged as a clear way to distinguish between operating systems, kernels, and applications designed for this new 64-bit paradigm versus the older 32-bit (x86) standard. Its widespread adoption led to most modern Linux distributions being primarily 64-bit.