Written 31 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

See kernel name and architecture

After id, print kernel name and architecture with uname so you know what kernel is running. You don't need extra software for this.

See user number and groups printed uid, gid, and groups. Tonight you check the kernel name and architecture: uname. Uname prints the kernel. You are still only practicing in home on the computer. It does not need extra system software, htop, Grafana, or a NAS for this one job.

Skip until SSH already works

SSH from the couch should already get you a prompt. If user number and groups are what you want, that is see user number and groups. If OS name (Debian or Ubuntu) is what you want, that is see which OS the computer is already running. If a hostname is what you want, that is give the computer a name that sticks. If hardware is what you want, that is see what computer you already have.

What this is

uname prints kernel name. You type uname. Default print is the kernel name, often Linux. -r is kernel release. -m is architecture (x86_64, aarch64). -a is a longer dump. It is not OS name. OS name is /etc/os-release. It is not hostname. Hostname is the name on the house network.

Practice uname in home

SSH in. Make sure home is where you sit:

pwd

You want a path that ends in your login name. If not:

cd ~

Ask for kernel name:

uname

You want a short name, often Linux, then the prompt back. That is enough for tonight. Practice only in home.

Debian and Ubuntu usually already have uname. Don't make apt the job. If uname is missing:

sudo apt install coreutils

Then stop. That install is not the lesson.

Useful extras, still home only

Kernel release:

uname -r

Architecture:

uname -m

Optional longer dump:

uname -a

Don't make -a required. You can stop at uname.

What this is not

This is not OS name. That is see which OS the computer is already running. It is not hostname. That is give the computer a name that sticks. It is not hardware. That is see what computer you already have. It is not worker count. That is see how many workers the computer already has. It is not a VM feature. That is see if the computer can run a pretend computer. It is not printenv. That is see HOME and PATH. It is not opening SSH to the internet. That is keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

What next

Need HOME and PATH? See HOME and PATH. Need user number and groups? See user number and groups. Need OS name? See which OS the computer is already running. Keep SSH on the house network: keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

Skip

Skip if SSH still fails. Finish SSH from the couch first.
Skip OS name, hostname, hardware, CPU, and virt as tonight's job. Those pages already exist.
Skip treating uname as the distro name. Distro name is os-release.
Skip files under /etc, SSH folders, or paths you don't own. Practice only in home.
Skip rm -rf. Careful delete only: delete a file carefully.
Skip opening SSH to the internet so you can do this from a coffee shop. That is keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

Sources

Debian: uname(1). Ubuntu: uname(1). Official pages only. For the login, see SSH from the couch. For OS name, see see which OS the computer is already running.

Also on this topic

SSH from the couchType commands on the computer from your laptop, on the house network. Password login first. Don't open this to the internet. See user number and groupsAfter whoami, print user number and groups with id so sudo and file ownership make sense. You don't need extra software for this. See the login nameAfter SSH works, print the login name with whoami so home and sudo make sense. You don't need extra login software for this. See which OS the computer is already runningAfter SSH works, see which OS the computer is already running. You don't need extra software for this. Give the computer a name that sticksPing and SSH are easier if the computer has a short name. lab works. Set it so the name survives a reboot. See what computer you already haveAfter SSH works, see what computer you already have. You don't need extra software for this. See how many workers the computer already hasAfter SSH works, see how many workers the computer already has. You don't need extra software for this. See if the computer can run a pretend computerAfter SSH works, see if the computer can run a pretend computer. You don't need extra software for this. Delete a file carefullyAfter SSH works, delete one file with rm -i. Ask first. Skip rm -rf. You don't need a NAS for this. See HOME and PATHAfter uname, print HOME and PATH with printenv so login environment makes sense. You don't need extra software for this. Turn off password login once the key worksAfter the laptop key login is boring, tell SSH to stop accepting the password. The key is how you get in. A keyboard on the computer is the backup now. Keep the computer on the house networkSSH and Pi-hole belong on the house network. Skip this if you never opened the router settings. Don't forward port 22.