The Berkeley Software Distribution, commonly known as BSD, is a Unix-like operating system that originated from the University of California, Berkeley in the late 1970s. It was developed to enhance the original Unix operating system, incorporating new features and improvements. Over time, various versions of BSD were released, contributing significantly to the development of modern operating systems. BSD has influenced many popular operating systems, including FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD. These derivatives are known for their stability, security, and performance. The BSD license, which allows for free use and modification, has also encouraged widespread adoption and collaboration in the software community.