Choosing the Right GNU-Linux Distribution

This article aims to help users new to GNU-Linux find a distribution that fits their needs. With around 800 distributions available, the right choice can make all the difference in embracing GNU-Linux.
Why is it Important to Choose the Right GNU-Linux Distribution?
GNU-Linux is a libre operating system that has inspired diverse ideas and led to the creation of hundreds of distributions. Choosing the right one can significantly influence your experience and enjoyment.
My first experience with GNU-Linux was with Ubuntu. While it was okay and I performed some nice customizations, I switched back to Windows after a month. Then in 2014, I decided to give it a second try, and install Debian. I struggled at the beginning, for performing the installation, and setting the Wi-Fi drivers took me about a week, but then, I realized how awsome GNU-Linux is, and I have never switched to another OS.
Overview of Popular Distributions
- Main Distributions:
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- Initial Release: 1993.
- Maintained by: Patrick Volkerding.
- Skill Level Required: Advanced.
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- Initial Release: 1993.
- Maintained by: Volunteers of the Debian community.
- Skill Level Required: Intermediate.
- Targets: Servers & Personal Computers.
- Release Cycle: About every 2 years, interim updates provide only security patches.
- Proprietary Software: Disabled by default, but easy to enable.
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- Initial Release: 2002.
- Maintained by: Volunteers of the Archlinux community.
- Targets: Personal Computers.
- Skill Level Required: Advanced.
- Release Cycle: rolling release.
- Proprietary Software: Enabled by default.
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- Initial Release: 2003.
- Maintained by: Red Hat
- Targets: Servers & Personal Computers. This distribution is popular for being used on private business.
- Skill Level Required: Intermediate.
- Release Cycle: about 6 months.
- Secondary Distributions:
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- Initial Release: 2004.
- Based on: Debian
- Maintained by: Canonical, with sponsorship from Amazon.
- Targets: Servers & Personal Computers.
- Skill Level Required: Beginner, the most popular distribution for new users.
- Release Cycle: every 6 months.
- Proprietary Software: Enabled by default
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- Initial Release: 2005.
- Based on: Ubuntu
- Maintained by: Volunteers of the Kubuntu community.
- Targets: Personal Computers.
- Skill Level Required: Beginner, friendly for new users.
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- Initial Release: 2006.
- Based on: Ubuntu & Debian
- Maintained by: Volunteers of the Mint community.
- Targets: Personal Computers.
- Skill Level Required: Beginner, friendly for new users.
- Release Cycle: every 6 months.
Each category reflects an important aspect of the GNU-Linux experience. While these may not seem critical at first, as you grow more familiar with GNU-Linux, they will play a significant role in determining your satisfaction and productivity.
The following are some comments that may help you analyze the previous categories:
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Initial Release
Older distributions often come with the advantage of stability and reliability. They typically have larger user bases, well-established support systems, and mature development processes. For example, Debian and Slackware, being among the oldest, are trusted for their stability. Additionally, older distributions are less likely to face discontinuation, ensuring a more secure long-term investment of your time and effort.
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Maintained By
The entity maintaining a distribution greatly affects its direction, resources, and philosophy. For instance:
- Corporate-backed distributions like Ubuntu (Canonical) may have better funding, regular updates, and enterprise-grade solutions, but they could prioritize business interests over community needs.
- Community-driven distributions like Debian are often more aligned with free software principles and foster a greater sense of user involvement, but they might lack the same level of resources or streamlined updates.
Consider which approach aligns with your values and priorities.
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Release Cycle
This refers to how often updates and new features are released. Distributions typically fall into two categories:
- Rolling Release: Distributions like Archlinux continually update, offering the latest software. While this is great for staying on the cutting edge, it might require frequent maintenance and troubleshooting.
- Fixed Release: Distributions like Debian or Ubuntu release updates on a predictable schedule (e.g., every 6 months or 2 years). These are more stable and require less frequent intervention but may lack the latest features.
Think about how much time you're willing to spend on updates and whether you value stability or cutting-edge software.
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Proprietary Software
This refers to whether proprietary drivers, codecs, and software are included by default. For instance:
- Distributions like Ubuntu include proprietary software out of the box, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware.
- Others, like Debian, prioritize free software and disable proprietary options by default, although they are still available if needed.
Consider your stance on free software ethics and whether you prefer convenience or adherence to libre software principles. Supporting libre software contributes to a movement focused on user freedom, but striking a balance is important—there’s no need to go to extremes unless it aligns with your personal philosophy.
Distribution Comparison
When choosing a distribution, you must balance stability, security, and access to bleeding-edge software. Some people don't understand the trade-offs, but they represent the freedom GNU-Linux gives. While proprietary systems offer no choice, GNU-Linux allows users to decide.
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Hardware: The supported hardware (GPU, Wi-Fi adapters, HDMI, screens printers, etc...).
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Packages: Refers to official repositories containing software and libraries.
You can imagine this like an "App Store" for downloading everything you need. You can also download and install software from the web, but when it is coming from the official repositories, you ensure that it is supported, easy to install and secure.
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Bleeding-Edge: Refers to whether a distribution keeps the software updated and uses the latest version.
Having new features and bug fixes is always good, but unfortunately if the software is updated too often, the maintainers may not have the time to perform extensive tests and ensure that the update will not generate stability or security issues.
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Installation: How easy it is to install the distribution, including configuring necessary hardware.
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Customization: Refers to how easy it is to customize the system, either with plugins, settings or by modifying system files.
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Documentation: How comprehensive the documentation is for new users.
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Community: How well-supported the distribution is, and how friendly is to new users.
Note: The Documentation & the Community fields are kind of tricky for me, because in the previous chart they are rated for new users, but the most complete and interesting ones are written for advanced users. Also, advanced communities expect users to request help on advanced topics, and not something that can be easily found on Google.
Once that you become an advanced user, you will be able to download source code, install your own packages, read documentation of other distributions, request help on the community of your choice and more...
What is KDE, LXDE, XFCE?
When choosing a distribution, you may encounter options like KDE, LXDE, or XFCE, which refer to desktop environments. A desktop environment (D.E.) defines the graphical interface and includes default applications, gestures, and appearance settings.
Some popular Desktop Environments are:
- LXDE: A lightweight environment ideal for older machines.
- XFCE: A simple and customizable lightweight environment.
- KDE: A full-featured, modern desktop environment offering rich visuals, coded with QT and C++.
- GNOME3: Another full-featured, modern desktop environment with rich visuals, coded with GTK and C.
Note: it is possible to install multiple D.E. and switch between them with a Session Manager, but actually almost no one does that because having one D.E. is enough.
Desktop environments (D.E.) are mostly a matter of personal preference. For me, I decided to use XFCE4 for 7-8 years,
and then I decided to switch to something with a more modern look and behaviour.
I don't particularly like KDE, so I choose GNOME 3. However, the default design is quite impractical, so I always customize
it with the Dash to Panel extension. Also, I think that it ships too much software, which is good for new users, but
for me, I rather uninstall most of it.
Final Thoughts on Choosing a Distribution
The choice of a distribution ultimately depends on your experience, goals, and hardware. It's best to start with something user-friendly like Ubuntu or Mint and gradually explore more advanced distributions like Debian or Arch.
And if you still not sure about the first distribution that you want to test, you can download live USBs or install them in a virtual machine, to avoid formatting your computer. Just consider that GNU-Linux will probably run slower.
Finally, have in mind that the first distribution you first use, may not be the one you end up using long-term. If you have the time, don't hesitate to experiment with different ones.
Recommended Articles
- List of GNU-Linux Distros.
- Ubuntu vs. Mint vs. Fedora vs. Debian.
- RedHat Vs Debian.
- Five reasons I roll with Arch Linux, and why you should too.
- Arch compared to other distributions.
- A Slackware Review Ten Years In The Making.
- 10 reasons why you should give Slackware Linux a chance.
Additional Information
- The distributions and the preview image were taken from here.
- The article was published on July 7, 2015, and last updated on Dec 3, 2024.
- The content of this article is released under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.