But Ubuntu remains my first choice.
I’m going to explain why that is and how Ubuntu compares with the other major distros available.
Ubuntu’s developer, Canonical, must be doing something right.
Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
Since its debut in 2024, its creators and fans have citedUbuntu as the perfect beginners' distro.
While it’s still popular, it’s not without controversy.
The change that’s caused the most consternation in the Ubuntu community issnaps, a new package manager.
Users have criticized the performance of snaps with certain applications like Firefox.
Download:Ubuntu
2.
Debian
Debian is one of the oldest Linux distributions that’s still in wide use.
Debian was the basis for Ubuntu.
It also happened to be the first distro I installed on a PC hard drive back in the 2000s.
One key difference from Ubuntu is that Debian is a community project, while Ubuntu is backed by Canonical.
Debian has a reputation for being more difficult to install than Ubuntu.
It seems less polished than Ubuntu and assumes more technical knowledge.
Still, with over 30 years under its belt, Debian maintains a loyal following.
Download:Debian
3.
Fedora
Fedora was created after Red Hat decided to focus its efforts on the enterprise market.
A key feature of Fedora is its rapid release schedule, with a new version every six months.
It’s also known for insisting on free software, refusing proprietary apps and codecs in contrast to Ubuntu.
Download:Fedora Workstation
4.
Arch Linux
Arch has been the hacker’s favorite for some time.
The main reasons for this are twofold: it’s a rolling-release distro and also a minimalist one.
The newer software appeals to developers and power users.
Arch’s minimalism also appeals to Linux experts who don’t need as much hand-holding.
But this very minimalism is Arch’s main disadvantage.
The tradeoff is that you get a Linux system that’s completely customized to your needs.
You have to decide if the payoff rewards the effort in bringing up an Arch system.
Unlike Ubuntu, this distro is poorly suited to beginners.
Download:Arch Linux
5.
Download:Pop!_OS
6.
EndeavourOS
EndeavourOS is a spin on Arch that aims to take the pain out of installing it.
Download:EndeavourOS
7.
Zorin OS
Zorin OS aims to offer Windows and Mac users a friendly on-ramp into the Linux world.
If this idea sounds similar to Ubuntu, that might be because Zorin is based on Ubuntu.
Zorin adds the ability to tailor the interface toward users who are more familiar with the major proprietary OSes.
It even offers a lightweight edition for older machines.
One major difference from Ubuntu is the existence of a paid “Pro” edition.
Download:Zorin OS
8.
OpenSUSE
Like Debian,OpenSUSE is another system that’s been around almost as long as Linux itself has.
It started as a modified version of Slackware, before going into its own direction.
OpenSUSE is the free counterpart to SUSE Enterprise Linux.
OpenSUSE is available in the stable Leap and rolling-release Tumbleweed.
Download:OpenSUSE Leap
9.
Kali Linux
Like Ubuntu, Kali is based on Debian.
But Kali Linux has a much more specialized use case than Debian and Ubuntu.
Kali Linux focuses on security, ethical hacking, and penetration testing.
Download:Kali Linux
10.
Rocky Linux remains a community-based system.
It’s intended mainly for servers and doesn’t have much to offer desktop users.
Download:Rocky Linux
11.
AlmaLinux
AlmaLinux is another free Linux distro that aims to be a free replacement for RHEL.
It’s also mainly geared toward servers, particularly web hosting.
Why has it had this staying power despite so many other distros coming and going?
There are several possible reasons.
Ease of Use
From the beginning, Ubuntu has focused on being easy to install and use.
Back in the days of CD-Rs, you’d just burn the ISO and reboot.
A key thing Ubuntu got right was the ability to try it out without fully committing.
There are several ways to split your machine’s personality.
you could run a live environment from a USB stick or optical disk.
Or you’re able to run a virtual machine.
Or you’re able to install Ubuntu inWindows Subsystem for Linux, and run it alongside Windows.
If you use WSL 2, you’ve got the option to run a real Linux kernel.
Excellent Hardware Support
Another reason for Ubuntu’s longevity is that it supports hardware in current use.
For me, it just works.
It’s the Linux equivalent of a comfortable pair of shoes.
