Can You Really Detect the Exact OS Version From a Browser User-Agent?

Detecting the Exact OS Version from a Browser

Determining the exact Operating System (OS) version from a browser using PHP, JS, or ASP can be a challenging task. While it is possible to identify the general OS type (e.g., Windows XP, macOS), retrieving the precise version (e.g., Windows XP Home, Windows XP Pro) proves more difficult.

Limited Access to OS Information

The only information available to you is the HTTP User-Agent header sent by the browser. This header typically contains the OS name and version.

MacOS and Linux: Accurate Detection

MacOS and Linux browsers often provide sufficient User-Agent information to determine the exact OS version. For instance, a User-Agent header might read:

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.0.7) Gecko/2009030423 Ubuntu/8.10 (intrepid) Firefox/3.0.7

This indicates that the browser is running on Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex.

Windows: Vague Information

Windows browsers, on the other hand, generally report only the overall OS version, without specifying the specific package (e.g., Pro, Business). An example of a User-Agent header for a Windows browser is:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:x.x.x) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/x.x

This header indicates that the browser is running on Windows XP, but it does not specify whether it is the Home or Pro edition.

Conclusion

Detecting the exact OS version from a browser using PHP, JS, or ASP is not feasible due to the limited information available through the HTTP User-Agent header. While MacOS and Linux browsers provide more detailed information, Windows browsers provide only the general OS version.

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