Are you tired of everyone recommending a new Linux distro claiming it’sthe best? Are you wondering which one of thesebestdistros is actually aligned with your needs and requirements? Well, let me spotlight five popular Linux distros and what they do, so you may finally make your choice!
I firmly believe that there’s noobjectively bestLinux distro, but there certainly is a Linux distro that’ssubjectively bestfor you! The idea behind a Linux distro is to create an optimized Operating System catering to specific use cases. So, if a distro matches your use cases, it will bethe bestfor you. Now, to help you find your match, I’ve narrowed down five popular Linux distros with a quick overview of their pros and cons. This should help you understand what each of these distros has to offer so you’re able to pick the one that’s right for you!
5Ubuntu
The nameUbuntuis almost synonymous with Linux these days and for good reason! It offers a stable and accessible user experience that’s not only user-friendly but also unique enough to feel like you’re using a new OS (Operating System). This is thanks to a customized version of theGNOME desktop environmentwhich delivers a functional workflow focused around virtual desktops.
But one of the best things about Ubuntu is itsLong Term Support (LTS)releases, which come out every two years and are supported for five years. This means you don’t need to worry about updating your OS anytime soon once you have settled in. That said, if you want to upgrade more frequently to access newer technologies, you still can by picking one of the non-LTS releases, which are released every six months with nine months of support.
Download Ubuntu Desktop
4Fedora
Fedorais another super-popular Linux distro that also uses GNOME—similar to Ubuntu—but ditches all the heavy customizations for a vanilla experience. The distro is also committed to delivering a cutting-edge user experience with new versions released every six months packed with all the latest software updates. That said, Fedora explicitly focuses onopen-source software. You can run closed-source proprietary software if you like, but to do that, you’ll need to activate third-partyrepositoriesand might need to do some manual tinkering.
Download Fedora Workstation
3Linux Mint
Linux Mintis one of the top recommended distros for peoplenew to Linux coming from Microsoft Windows. You get a Windows 7-like experience with a traditional desktop layout having a taskbar at the bottom, a Start button-like application menu to the left followed by all your pinned apps, and quick settings in the right corner. The distro is also optimized to be as beginner-friendly as possible, so you can focus on working with the OS instead of learning how the OS works.
Download Linux Mint
2Garuda Linux
Garuda Linuxis relatively new on the Linux scene compared to the other distros on this list, but it has managed to gain a lot of attention and a loyal following. One of the biggest reasons behind its popularity is its bold and beautiful design. The Garuda Dragonized edition brings a KDE Plasma-based, macOS-inspired, neon-infused desktop with loud gamer vibes, while theGaruda Mokkaedition keeps the same layout paired with a more muted pastel-based color scheme. That said, Garuda isn’t merely about the looks, as it packs in powerful graphical tools for system management that willrarely require you to use the terminal.
Download Garuda Linux
1OpenSUSE
If you want a distro that can show you all the colors of Linux, you should go withOpenSUSE—after all, it’s the distro with a chameleon as its official mascot! OpenSUSE is available in both a rolling release version called Tumbleweed, and a stable release version called Leap. This means whether you want a more stable user experience or faster updates won’t require you to completely change distros and enter a new environment, but just switch to a different version of the same distro.
Furthermore, OpenSUSE supports all the popular desktop environments and lets you pick which one you want to use during the installation process. You get an almost vanilla experience with barely any theming or customization. The distro is also loaded with powerful tools like YaST, which makes it an excellent distro for system admins, but at the same time, it’s very user-friendly and something you may use on your home PC.
Which Distro Should You Choose?
If you’renew to Linuxand are looking for a simple operating system for your day-to-day computing needs, both Ubuntu and Linux Mint are excellent options. Mint is slightly better if you are seeking something that feels familiar to Windows 7. That said, if you’re adeveloper or programmer, then Fedora is your best bet. It can be slightly technically demanding and require some terminal tinkering, but you should be able to handle this easily.
Coming to OpenSUSE, I’d recommend the Leap edition as a home server distro, especially thanks to YaST. And finally, we have Garuda Linux, which I’ll only recommend if you have some prior experience using Linux—unless you feel comfortablelearning about Linux, reading wikis, and talking on forums to troubleshoot your issues. With zero knowledge of how Linux works, all the different features and options might overwhelm you, even if they are all graphical tools and not terminal-based.
How to Get Started
I hope you were able to pick your first distro based on the information above. The next step would beinstalling it on VirtualBoxand testing it out. Some heavy distros like Garuda or Ubuntu can lag on VirtualBox, so you’re able to try them bybooting into the Live Environment. If you’re happy with the user experience, you can go ahead andinstall the distro on your PC.
