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Linux i386 Architecture
What is Linux i386 Architecture?
In Linux, i386 is not a command itself, but rather an identifier for the 32-bit Intel 80386 microprocessor architecture and its compatible successors within the x86 family. This includes CPUs like the 486, Pentium, and newer Intel/AMD processors when operating in 32-bit mode.
You might encounter i386 as an output or a parameter in various system contexts, particularly when checking system architecture or managing multi-architecture support.
Checking System Architecture
To check your system’s architecture, you can use commands like uname -m or arch.
uname -marchIf your system is 32-bit, the output might be i386, i686, or similar. For a 64-bit system, it would typically show x86_64 or amd64.
Managing Multi-Architecture Support
Modern 64-bit Linux systems (x86_64 or amd64) can often run 32-bit (i386) applications by enabling multi-architecture support. For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems, you can use dpkg:
To enable the i386 architecture for package installation:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386To remove the i386 architecture (you typically need to remove all i386 packages first):
sudo dpkg --remove-architecture i386After adding or removing an architecture, it’s often necessary to update your package lists:
sudo apt updateRunning Programs in a Specific Architecture Environment
The setarch command can be used to run a program in a new program environment, potentially changing the reported architecture. For example, on an AMD64 system, running setarch i386 program will cause the program to see i686 instead of x86_64 as the machine type.
setarch i386 <program>Related Linux Commands
You can read tutorials of related Linux commands below:
Summary
In this tutorial we learned about the i386 architecture in Linux and how it relates to system commands and multi-architecture support. Visit our Linux Commands guide to learn more about using command line interface in Linux.