# Samba

> free software re-implementation of the SMB networking protocol

**Wikidata**: [Q1830735](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1830735)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samba_(software))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/samba

## Summary
Samba is free software that re-implements the SMB networking protocol, allowing Unix-like systems to communicate with Windows systems. It was created in 1992 by Andrew Tridgell and is now maintained by The Samba Team. Samba enables file and printer sharing between different operating systems.

## Key Facts
- Inception: 1992, created by Andrew Tridgell
- Developer: The Samba Team
- License: GNU General Public License v2.0 or later (until 2009), then GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 or later from 2008
- Part of: Software Freedom Conservancy
- Website: https://www.samba.org
- Latest versions: 4.3.3 (2015-12-16), 4.3.1 (2015-10-20), 4.2.2 (2015-05-27)
- Operating systems: Linux, OpenVMS, macOS, Unix-like systems
- Implementation of: SMB, NetBIOS over TCP/IP, Windows Internet Name Service, Active Directory
- Programming languages: C, Python
- Man page: samba.7

## FAQs
### Q: What is Samba used for?
A: Samba enables file and printer sharing between Unix-like systems and Windows systems by implementing the SMB protocol. It allows cross-platform network communication and resource sharing.

### Q: Who created Samba?
A: Andrew Tridgell, an Australian computer programmer, created Samba in 1992. He developed it as a free software re-implementation of the SMB networking protocol.

### Q: Is Samba free software?
A: Yes, Samba is free software licensed under the GNU General Public License and later the GNU Lesser General Public License. It's maintained by The Samba Team and hosted by Software Freedom Conservancy.

## Why It Matters
Samba solved a critical interoperability problem in computing by enabling Unix-like systems to communicate with Windows systems using the SMB protocol. Before Samba, cross-platform file sharing was difficult or impossible without expensive proprietary solutions. It democratized network file sharing by providing a free, open-source alternative that works across operating systems. Samba has become essential infrastructure for mixed-platform environments, from small offices to large enterprises, and has evolved to support modern Windows features like Active Directory. Its development has also contributed to the broader free software movement by demonstrating that complex proprietary protocols could be successfully re-implemented as free software.

## Notable For
- First free software implementation of the SMB protocol, enabling cross-platform file sharing
- Successfully reverse-engineered and implemented complex Windows networking protocols
- Maintained by a global team (The Samba Team) under Software Freedom Conservancy
- Supports Active Directory and modern Windows networking features
- Available on major operating systems including Linux, macOS, and OpenVMS

## Body
### Development History
Samba was created in 1992 by Andrew Tridgell as a free software re-implementation of the SMB networking protocol. The project began when Tridgell reverse-engineered SMB while working on a Unix machine that needed to communicate with a DEC Pathworks server. The name "Samba" comes from SMB (Server Message Block) and the dance, reflecting the software's ability to help different systems "dance" together.

### Technical Implementation
Samba implements multiple networking protocols including SMB, NetBIOS over TCP/IP, Windows Internet Name Service (WINS), and Active Directory. It's primarily written in C with some Python components. The software provides file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients, allowing Unix-like systems to appear as Windows servers on a network.

### Versions and Releases
Samba has seen continuous development since 1992, with major version releases including 1.9.17 (1997), 2.2.12 (2004), 3.0.0 (2003), 4.0.0 (2012), and 4.3.3 (2015). Each major version has added support for newer Windows features and improved performance and security.

### Platform Support
Samba runs on Linux, OpenVMS, macOS, and Unix-like operating systems. It's available through package managers on most Linux distributions (Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Arch Linux) and ports systems on BSD variants. The software also has MacPorts and Homebrew support for macOS.

### Community and Governance
The Samba Team maintains the software, with development hosted by Software Freedom Conservancy. The project uses Git for version control with repositories available at git.samba.org and GitHub. Development follows open-source practices with public issue tracking through Bugzilla.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "Samba",
  "description": "Free software re-implementation of the SMB networking protocol",
  "url": "https://www.samba.org",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Andrew Tridgell"
  },
  "license": "GNU General Public License v2.0 or later, GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 or later",
  "operatingSystem": ["Linux", "OpenVMS", "macOS", "Unix-like operating system"],
  "applicationCategory": "Network File System",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q328",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samba_(software)"
  ]
}

## References

1. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/old-versions/)
2. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/devel/copyright-policy.html)
3. [Source](https://openhub.net/p/samba)
4. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/)
5. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.1.16.html)
6. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.2.2.html)
7. [Release Notes for Samba 4.3.1](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.3.1.html)
8. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba1.9.17.html)
9. [Samba 4.3.3 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.3.3.html)
10. [Release Notes for Samba 4.3.5](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.3.5.html)
11. [Release Notes for Samba 4.3.6](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.3.6.html)
12. [Samba 4.4.0 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.4.0.html)
13. [Samba 4.4.2 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.4.2.html)
14. [Samba 4.4.3 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.4.3.html)
15. [Release History](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/)
16. [Release Notes for Samba 4.4.5](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.4.5.html)
17. [[Announce] Samba 4.5.0 Available for Download](https://lists.samba.org/archive/samba-announce/2016/000384.html)
18. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/latest_news.html#4.5.1)
19. [Samba 4.6.0 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.6.0.html)
20. [[Announce] Samba 4.6.0 Available for Download](https://lists.samba.org/archive/samba-announce/2017/000398.html)
21. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/latest_news.html#4.6.1)
22. [Samba 4.6.1 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.6.1.html)
23. [[Announce] Samba 4.6.1, 4.5.7 and 4.4.12 Security Releases Available for Download](https://lists.samba.org/archive/samba-announce/2017/000401.html)
24. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/latest_news.html#4.6.4)
25. [Samba 4.6.4 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.6.4.html)
26. [Samba 4.6.7 Available for Download](https://www.samba.org/samba/latest_news.html)
27. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/latest_news.html)
28. [Samba Release History](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/)
29. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=3bf68e65fe17538e58be86fe8e94ae32269e425f)
30. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=94ec3bd89a2ea1d490af2459c17641c2fcb201ce)
31. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=267a5c7d1b0ef7f554b69357fccc3a45204df21e)
32. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=1f2f62060c81bd2e8283f1f8a46d974315e96c99)
33. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=c4f5686c4107d779cc34ec0a63e495c4df13621e)
34. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.8.0rc2)
35. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.6.13)
36. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.7.5)
37. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.8.0rc3)
38. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.5.16)
39. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.6.14)
40. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.7.6)
41. [Source](https://git.samba.org/?p=samba.git;a=tag;h=refs/tags/samba-4.8.0)
42. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/)
43. [Index of /pub/samba](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/)
44. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba)
45. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/rc/samba-4.9.0rc5.WHATSNEW.txt)
46. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/rc/samba-4.9.0rc4.WHATSNEW.txt)
47. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.8.6.html)
48. [Source](https://download.samba.org/pub/samba/rc/samba-4.10.0rc2.WHATSNEW.txt)
49. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.10.0.html)
50. [Source](https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.10.4.html)