Richard Stallman announces the GNU project, aiming to create a complete Unix-like operating system composed entirely of free software.

Initial development focuses on essential components like Emacs, GCC (GNU Compiler Collection), and GDB (GNU Debugger).

The GNU system is combined with the Linux kernel (created by Linus Torvalds) to form a complete and usable operating system, commonly referred to as GNU/Linux.

The GNU project expands to include a wide range of software applications, utilities, and libraries, covering various areas of computing.

The GNU project relies heavily on contributions from a global community of developers and volunteers who contribute code, documentation, and support.

The GNU project continues to evolve and adapt to new technologies and challenges, with ongoing development and maintenance of its core components and new software projects.