What does the UserAgent “Linux” mean in web radio logs?

What is the UserAgent “Linux”?

If the UserAgent “Linux” appears in your web radio logs, this means that your stream was played via a device with the Linux operating system.

Linux is a free, open-source operating system that is used in many variants (so-called distributions) – e.g:

  • Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux
  • Raspberry Pi systems
  • Individual setups for embedded devices or servers
  • Smart home or internet radio projects

What does a typical Linux user agent look like?

An example from a browser:

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/537.36...

Or from a terminal-based player:

Lavf/58.29.100

Or simply:

Linux/5.10 (ffmpeg)

This shows that Linux access is diverse – from desktop browsers and terminal tools to automated systems.

Which programs do Linux listeners use?

Linux users listen to web radio in many different ways – often technically flexible:

  • Web browsers such as Firefox, Chromium or Brave
  • VLC, Audacious, QMPlay2
  • FFmpeg, mpv, cURL, wget (command line)
  • Internet radio projects on Raspberry Pi
  • Own player scripts or automations

What does this mean for your logs?

If “Linux” appears as a UserAgent:

  • These are mostly technically savvy listeners
  • Access is often via individually configured systems
  • These can be automated queries, embedded devices or self-built web radio clients
  • Linux listeners often focus on high audio quality

Conclusion: Linux stands for flexible, technical listeners

The UserAgent “Linux” shows that your stream is running on an open, often individually configured operating system. These listeners are rarely mainstream, but loyal and tech-savvy – with a strong interest in stable, reliable streams.