Which Linux to choose for the organization. What distribution of the Linux-based operating system to download and install. Why users are ditching Windows for Linux

There are a huge number of Linux distributions, and they all have their own purpose, their own purpose, in this material I conditionally divided distributions into several types and gave specific examples of distributions that belong to one type or another.

I simply cannot list all Linux distributions, I have included only the most suitable ones, in my opinion and generally accepted opinion.

If you know a Linux distribution that perfectly suits this other type, but I did not indicate it here, write in the comments so that other users can also pay attention to it.

I will tell you a little about each distribution kit, note the features and provide links to the official sites.

You can read about what a Linux distribution is and Linux in general in the material - What is Linux and what is a Linux Distribution?

Linux distributions for home computers and novice users

If you are a regular user home computer and have never worked with Linux, but at the same time you have a desire to switch to this operating system, then the following Linux distributions are suitable for you, they are simple, functional and specifically aimed at beginners linux users.

On a note! Linux beginners I recommend reading my book " "- in it I maximize simple language I'm talking about the basicsLinux and how to use this operating system without command line

Linux Mint

Linux Mint Is one of the most popular free Linux distributions for novice users. It is based on another popular Linux distribution - Ubuntu.

In my opinion, Linux Mint is the best option for users who want to migrate to Linux from Windows, as it is convenient, functional, stable, has a huge community, you can find a lot of information on this distribution, i.e. if you come across a problem, you can easily solve it simply "Googling".

The distribution kit has excellent localization, you will not have problems with Russification after installing the system. Linux Mint is, in my opinion, one of the best software managers, i.e. the component with which the programs are installed; in the Linux Mint distribution, the process of installing applications is reduced to one click, as, for example, on smartphones. In addition, it has everything you need to work by default. software.

Linux Mint offers several default graphical skins to choose from: Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce.

The DEB format is used as a package management system.

Installation instructions using the example of version 19 - Installing Linux Mint.

Opensuse


openSUSE Is also a very popular Linux distribution, many laptop manufacturers use openSUSE as the operating system on their products. The distribution is aimed at regular users, and at the same time is powerful and stable.

The default desktop environment is KDE, but other popular graphical shells can be installed.

The distribution, just like Linux Mint, has good localization and a huge community.

At openSUSE, a very powerful tool, YaST, is responsible for managing the software and the system in general. Unlike Linux Mint, it uses the RPM format as a package management system.

Installation instructions using the example of version 15 - Installing openSUSE

Kubuntu


Kubuntu Is a Linux distribution derived from Ubuntu with the KDE graphical shell. Kubuntu - has all the virtues of Ubuntu and yet has a desktop environment that will probably be more familiar windows usersso I recommend trying Kubuntu first.

Installing Kubuntu

Ubuntu


Ubuntu Is one of the most famous and popular Linux distributions. The development and support of this distribution is carried out by Canonical, which speaks of the quality of the distribution, its reliability and stability. As you can see, many other Linux distributions are based on Ubuntu.

It uses GNOME as a graphical shell. You will not find more documentation and information about any Linux distribution on the Internet than about Ubuntu, Ubuntu probably has the largest community.

Installation Instructions - Installing Ubuntu

Linux distributions for advanced users

If you have already mastered Linux, in particular the distributions for beginners, which we reviewed a little earlier, you know how to work with the terminal, you know the basics of programming and at the same time you want to learn and feel Linux even more, you can try Linux distributions for advanced users, I would say for enthusiasts, for people who are called true "Linuxoids".

With the help of these distributions you will find out the internal structure of the operating room linux systems.

Arch Linux


Arch Linux Is a flexible distribution designed to meet the needs of experienced Linux users. By default, the minimal, basic system is installed, the user does the rest.

It is a very powerful distribution.

Gentoo Linux


Gentoo Linux - another powerful and flexible distribution kit, here almost everything is done manually ( compiling packages and so on). You will spend much more time on seemingly simple actions, but you can fine-tune the system very finely.

Slackware Linux


This distribution is for those who want to get exotic in the Linux world. Slackware Linux Is one of the oldest distributions.

There is an expression that captures the essence of this distribution - “If you know Slackware, you know Linux. If you know any other distribution kit, then all you know is any other distribution kit ".

Linux distributions for low-power or "old" computers

If you have a computer with low characteristics, at the same time you are tired of XP and you want to try Linux, then you should take a closer look at the following distributions, which do not require large resources and at the same time work quickly, and have excellent functionality, moreover, they are easy to use. management and use.

Lubuntu


Lubuntu Is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. The lightweight LXDE environment acts as a graphical shell in Lubuntu, just due to this this distribution is not demanding on resources and works even on low-power computers without any brakes. That being said, Lubuntu remains a very functional and stable distribution with a user-friendly graphical interface.

Installation instructions using the example of version 18.04 - Installing Lubuntu

Xubuntu


Xubuntu Is a Linux operating system distribution that is also based on Ubuntu. The desktop environment is Xfce. Xubuntu, like Lubuntu, is a very fast and not demanding distribution kit.

Installation instructions using the example of version 18.04 - Installing Xubuntu

Linux Lite


Linux Lite - this distribution is based on LTS versions of Ubuntu, i.e. on versions with long term support. It is not demanding on resources, it includes all the most necessary software for work. Linux Lite is a great, compact yet functional version of the Linux operating system.

Installation Instructions - Installing Linux Lite

Q4OS


Q4OS Is a Linux distribution based on Debian, which uses the original Trinity graphical shell. The goal of the Q4OS distribution is to provide users with a classic, simple operating system interface, while retaining good functionality.

Q4OS has low system requirements and "Weak" equipment, the system works very quickly, without brakes.

Installation instructions - Installing Q4OS

Linux distributions for server systems

The Linux operating system is also used on servers, more precisely, I will even say more, Linux has been widely used precisely as a system for servers, even more than for ordinary personal computers, due to its stability and security.

All Linux server systems are shipped without a graphical shell, since such an environment consumes a significant part of the server's resources, which, accordingly, makes the server less productive. Therefore, in order for the server resources to be used as much as possible for their intended purpose, the graphical shell is not installed on server systems by default, although, of course, it can be installed, this is the business of server administrators.

If you are looking for a server version of Linux, the following distributions are the best options.

CentOS


CentOS Is a great and very popular server operating system. It is on it that most sites on the Internet work, i.e. it acts as a platform for web servers. It is also actively used as database servers and other types of servers. CentOS is a reliable and stable operating system, and it is free, although it is based on the commercial Red Hat Enterprise Linux project.

Installation Guide - Installing CentOS

Setup Instructions - Web Server on CentOS

Debian


Debian Is one of the oldest Linux distributions and is widely used in the corporate sector as a platform for web servers, database servers, and as a client operating system. It is on this that countless Linux distributions are based, including Ubuntu.

Installation instructions using the example of version 9 - Installing Debian

Ubuntu Server


Ubuntu Server Is the server version of the Linux Ubuntu distribution. Ubuntu Server is a very popular distribution, it is actively used to implement such servers as: web server, database server, DNS server, file server and others.

Installation instructions using the example of version 18.04 - Installing Ubuntu Server

Red Hat Enterprise Linux


The distribution is developed by Red Hat and it is a paid distribution, it is aimed at using in a corporate environment, and therefore is commercial. In the case of RHEL, you will have technical support from the company and will receive critical updates quickly.

By the way, the CentOS distribution we reviewed above is an excellent free replacement Red Hat Enterprise Linux, as CentOS is based on and compatible with RHEL.

That's all for me, I hope the material was interesting to you, so far!


Jack says that in 2017, there was a trend in the Linux world with an increase in the number of distributions. This year, he expects to improve the stability of the ecosystem and increase the prevalence of Linux in both server computing and desktop PCs.

What to choose for someone who is going to switch to an open source platform this year, or for someone who wants to change what they use to something new? If you go to Distrowatch and look at the rating of distributions, the main thing that you can see there is an unimaginable scope of possibilities. A wealth of choice is good, but it means choosing exactly what you need will not be easy.

So which Linux distributions should you look out for this year? Jack has ideas on this, and he wants to talk about them in this material. As in last year, systems will be discussed here, divided into several categories. Namely, we will talk about distributions for administrators, about lightweight and desktop systems, about Linux for professionals and for IoT, as well as server platforms.

Best distribution for sysadmins: Debian

Debian is not often found on the list of the best distributions. Why? Considering that Debian is the foundation for Ubuntu (which, in turn, is the basis for many other distributions), it becomes clear that Debian, in fact, should be at the top of many ratings. What does this distribution have to do with system administrators? I believe this is for two important reasons:
  • Ease of use.
  • Extreme stability.
Because Debian uses the dpkg and apt package managers, it creates an environment that is very easy to work with. In addition, Debian is one of the most stable Linux-based platforms. As a result, we have a distribution that is perfect for a variety of environments and use cases. For example, here are servers and desktop computers, here - testing and software development. While Debian does not include as many applications as can be found in the admin distribution noted in a similar review last year, Parrot Linux, it is very easy to add everything you need to Debian. The good news is that anyone can install Debian using a suitable graphical environment (Cinnamon, GNOME, KDE, LXDE, Mate, or Xfce). As a result, when choosing Debian, anyone can be confident that the interface will fit their needs.

Debian 9.3 with GNOME Desktop

Debian is currently in second place in the Distrowatch ranking. Download the distribution, install it, configure it according to your needs and enjoy a stable and comfortable work... This system may not look so trendy compared to others, but Debian is just the distribution that turns the dreams of system administrators into reality.

Best Lightweight Distro: Lubuntu

Lightweight distributions serve a very specific purpose - to give a second life to obsolete, usually less powerful computers. But this does not mean that these distributions should be considered only relying on old hardware. If speed is your primary concern, a lightweight distro will come in handy on a modern computer too.

Lubuntu is at the top of the list of lightweight distributions for 2018. While there are tons of options out there, few of them even come close to the ease-of-use of this distribution. And although the system requirements of Lubuntu are not as modest as, say, Puppy Linux, we are facing a member of the Ubuntu family, and the convenience of working with it compensates for some "gluttony". However, do not be afraid that the Lubuntu distribution will be too slow on a less modern computer. Still, the system requirements for Lubuntu are adequate. Namely, we are talking about pentium processor 4, Pentium M or AMD K8, about 512 MB of memory for working with local applications, or about 1 GB - for normal work on the Internet (Youtube, Google+, Google drive, Facebook).

Lubuntu uses the LXDE desktop, which means Linux newbies won't run into problems. The applications included in the distribution (such as Abiword, Gnumeric, Firefox) are fast, convenient and simple.


Lubuntu and the LXDE desktop

Best Desktop Distro: Elementary OS

For the second year in a row, Elementary OS tops my list of the best desktop distros. For many, the leader of the desktop is Linux Mint (and that's understandable). However, in my opinion, it's hard to beat the ease of use and stability of Elementary OS.

This is confirmed by one story that happened to me. I was confident that the release of Ubuntu 17.10 would make me revert to distros from Canonical. Very soon after migrating to the new Ubuntu from GNOME, I found myself missing the convenience and reliability of Elementary OS. As a result, after two weeks with Ubuntu, I returned to Elementary OS.


Panteon desktop in Elementary OS is a real work of art

Anyone who tries Elementary OS immediately feels at home. The Panteon desktop is an example of the perfect combination of attention to detail, user-centricity and convenience. However, with each update, it only gets better.
Although Elementary OS is ranked 6th in the Distrowatch ranking, I believe that this distribution will reach at least third place by the end of this year.

Elementary developers are very aware of what users want. They listen to those who work on their OS and develop the system in the appropriate direction. However, Elementary OS is already in excellent condition. As a result, there is a feeling that the developers can only make minor improvements to the system. Anyone looking for a desktop distro that offers a well-designed interface will have a very difficult time finding something that can outperform Elementary OS. If you are looking for a system that offers remarkable levels of reliability and ease of use, then Elementary OS is just for you.

The best distro for those who know what's what: Linux From Scratch

For a very, very long time, the Gentoo distribution was at the top of the list of distributions for those who are well versed in Linux and are not averse to demonstrating their knowledge and skills to others. However, I think it's time for Gentoo to give way to the true leader in the professional distribution category: Linux From Scratch. You may think that this is not very fair, since LFS is actually not really a distribution, but a project that helps users create their own distributions. However, if you are serious about showing everyone how well you know Linux without reckoning with difficulties, what could be better than creating a distribution yourself? Thanks to the LFS project, you can create your system literally from scratch, build absolutely everything from source code. So, if you really need it, download the LFS manual and start working on your own distribution.

Best IoT Distro: Ubuntu Core

For the second year in a row, the victory in this category goes to Ubuntu Core, I see no other options here. Ubuntu Core is a minimalistic, transactional version of Ubuntu designed specifically for use with embedded systems and IoT projects. The reason Ubuntu Core is so well suited for the IoT is because the system has a special focus on snaps - universal packages that can be installed without interfering with the underlying system. These packages contain everything they need to work (including dependencies), as a result, working with them, you do not have to worry about their installation breaking something in the OS or in any other installed software. In addition, these packages are very easy to update and run in an isolated environment, making them a great IoT solution.

Another security feature of Ubuntu Core is the login mechanism. Ubuntu Core works with Ubuntu One ssh keys, and everything is organized in such a way that the only way to log in is to use the Ubuntu One account and ssh keys. This helps to ensure high level safety when working with IoT devices.


Ubuntu Core screen indicating that remote access is enabled for the Ubuntu One user

Best Server Distribution: Ubuntu Server

In this area, things look a little confusing. The main thing in server distributions is support. If you are looking for commercial support, then at first glance Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the best choice. Over the years, Red Hat has proven that RHEL is not only one of the strongest corporate server platforms, but also the most profitable open source business in the world (with over 2 billion in annual revenue).

However, RHEL is far from the only server-side distribution. In fact, Red Hat is not even the absolute leader in enterprise server systems. If you look at the cloud install statistics only for Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, Ubuntu is far ahead of RHEL. According to Cloud Market, EC2 data indicates that RHEL has fewer than 100,000 deployments, while Ubuntu has more than 200,000. This is a very serious result.

As a result, it turns out that Ubuntu is the undisputed leader in the cloud server space. And when you add in the ease of working with Ubuntu and containers, it becomes abundantly clear that the Ubuntu Server distribution has won a solid victory in the server system category. And if you need commercial support, Canonical can offer the Ubuntu Advantage program.

The only feature of Ubuntu Server that someone might not like is that it uses only a text interface by default. If necessary, you can install a graphical shell here, but working with the Ubuntu Server command line is quite simple (perhaps this is one of those skills that every Linux administrator should have).


Ubuntu Server login screen containing information on available updates

The choice is yours

As already mentioned, the list of promising distributions presented here is based on very subjective criteria. However, if you are interested in a certain area of \u200b\u200bactivity, and you are looking for your first OS in this area - test the systems in question. Each of them is designed for specific tasks, and each solves these tasks much better than many others. While you may question what we've been talking about here, you probably won't argue with the fact that everyone can find exactly what they need in the Linux world.

Dear Readers! Traditionally, we ask you to tell us about what you use and for what purpose, and what Linux distributions you could recommend to others.

In this article, I would like to review a list of various promising and interesting GNU / Linux distributions for 2019. The list has been compiled based on MY views and preferences, which may differ from yours. This article has been compiled on the basis of current and popular topics.

For convenience, the top will be divided into several categories, from which you can choose the appropriate GNU / Linux distribution for you and your goals.

Desktop

GNU / Linux desktop distributions are designed to be used on both home PCs, laptops and office computers. The main difference between a desktop and a server is the presence of DE (Desktop Environment) - a desktop environment. I tried to find the most convenient and interesting, in my opinion, distributions:

Q4OS

Q4OS - A Linux distribution that uses the Trinity Desktop Environment (TDE), which in turn is a fork of KDE 3. This distribution is based on Debian. It has both x86_64 and i386 editions. The main task of the project is to ensure the appearance of the system similar to windows interface xp. This system has rather low system requirements, namely: Pentium 300MHz CPU / 128MB RAM / 3GB disk. There are also special editions for the Raspberry Pi microcomputer, Pine64 and Pinebook.

This distribution is great for old and weak hardware. You can also install it for people who are used to classic mind Windows.

I would like to warn you right away, he has a problem with switching keyboard layouts. How to fix this is described.

You can download this system from.

Linux Mint

Linux MInt is a distribution based on Ubuntu, which in turn is based on Debian. It’s funny (It also exists). This system supports both x86_64 and i386 architectures. The following environments are officially supported: Cinnamon (Originally developed by the Linux Mint team of programmers), MATE, Xfce, KDE. More lightweight are the MATE and Xfce editions.

The main objective of the project is to ensure stability, reliability, and ease of use of the system. It also has its own application center. The distribution kit also includes a fairly large number of software (including proprietary).

Antergos

Antergos is a GNU / Linux distribution built on arch baseLinux. It is great for people who want to try Arch but are afraid to poke around in the terminal. For installation, one of the following shells is offered to choose from: Base (just a terminal), Cinnamon, Deepin, GNOME, KDE, MATE, Openbox and Xfce. The choice is quite large, considering that you can install a clean terminal and install a shell that is not on the list by hand. So the system requirements also vary quite a bit.

The distribution kit comes with a Numix icon pack. Also, when installing the system, you can choose which components will be additionally installed (Browsers, AUR, LTS kernel, Bluethooth drivers and printers).

openSUSE

openSUSE is also a fairly old distribution. It is currently owned by Novell inc. The distribution kit is actively used all over the world. Older versions (S.u.S.E Linux) were based on Slackware, but they are now a standalone distribution. A new version the distribution kit is released every 12 months.

The package manager is Zypper, the package format, respectively, * .rpm.

Officially

You can download the distribution kit at. (Also available for Raspberry Pi & &).

For pentest

Penetration test is a method of assessing the security of individual computers or entire networks. I did not include Kali Linux in this top, as I consider it too cluttered. In my opinion, the distributions below are among the most promising in this direction.

BlackArch Linux

BlackArch - A GNU / Linux distribution for security testing. It is built on top of Arch Linux, as the name suggests. During installation, you can choose one of the offered window managers, or leave a clean terminal. It can be used as a live system, in virtual machine, install on a computer, or it is possible to turn an already installed Arch into BlackArch (for more details on the office. site * eng). BlackArch has a huge number of pentest utilities in stock.

The package manager is pacman.

You can download the finished distribution kit from.

Parrot Security OS

Parrot Security OS is a distribution based on Debian. Comes with the MATE desktop environment. This OS has a fairly large number in its set for testing the system for penetration. It is being developed by the Frozenbox team. Also due attention was paid to appearance distribution kit.

Supported architectures: i386, x86_64, ARM (Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, Pine64).

You can load the system with.

Wifislax

WiFiSlax is a Slackware-based GNU / Linux distribution. Has the ability to run in Live mode. It is designed for network security auditing. Wifislax includes a long list of pentesting tools. The distribution comes with an Xfce desktop environment.

Since this is Slackware, all additional packages will have to be built manually.

Only x86_64 architecture is supported.

Subgraph OS

Subgraph OS is a Linux distribution based on Debian. The key idea of \u200b\u200bthe project is launch custom applications in isolated sandboxes. All application traffic is also passed through Tor. The DE is again GNOME. Despite all the changes made to the distribution, working with this OS is practically no different from any other GNU / Linux distribution.

The package manager is apt & apt-get, the package format, respectively, * .deb.

Only x86_64 architecture is supported.

QUBES OS

QUBES OS is a Linux distribution whose main task is user security through isolation. Virtualization is done with Xen. The graphical front-end here is KDE. Since many distributions, whose goal is user security, pay little attention to appearance, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that QUBES OS is quite beautiful.

Applications in QUBES OS are installed and run from templates, so there is no binding to package managers (for example, yum is used to install applications from Fedora, and apt is used from WHOINIX).

Only x86_64 architecture is supported.

Lightweight

This section is pretty topical. After all, I think many have an old and weak laptop or computer (I generally have an IBM on a Pentium II \u003d)). And there are just those who are used to saving every megabyte). In general, I tried to collect in this section the most interesting and promising distributions in this direction.

Puppy Linux

Puppy Linux is a distribution that has editions for Ubuntu and Slackware (there are unofficial forks based on other distributions, such as Arch). This OS tries to be as compact and not demanding as possible. It was developed by Professor Barry Cowler, who is now retired. The distribution is named after the professor's puppy. The JWM window manager is used as a graphical environment. Basically, this distribution is designed to boot from a flash drive into rAM, but it is also possible to install it on hDD.

A separate graphical utility is used to install applications.

Supported architectures: i386, ARM (There is a version for Raspberry pi).

You can download the system image at.

Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core is a minimalistic Linux distribution that aims to provide a complete OS in a minimal size and low system requirements... The distribution kit stands out for its very low weight (Core - 11MB, TinyCore - 16 MB, CorePlus - 106 MB). Lead Developer - Robert Schingledecker. To lighten the distribution, instead of a full-fledged X server, it uses the light version of Xvesa.

The software can be installed via the AppBrowser package manager.

Supported architectures: i386, x86_64, ARM.

You can download the distribution kit from.

ArchBang

ArchBang is a distribution based on Arch Linux. Its main goal is to provide users with a simplified and ready-to-use version, while adhering to all the basic principles of Arch. The working environment here is the Openbox window manager. Yes, this distribution is not as lightweight as the previous 2, but it has more functionality. Currently the developer is Stan McLaren.

The pacman package manager is used to manage the software.

Only x86_64 architecture is supported.

You can download the image from (There are 2 editions. The first on systemd, the second on openrc).

For geeks

Well, or as my friend said: “Not for geeks, but for red-eyed, bearded, pot-bellied penguins” \u003d). The distributions below are some of the most difficult for beginners.

Arch Linux

Arch Linux is an independent general purpose GNU / Linux distribution. Optimized for i386 platform. Supplied without any WM, let alone DE. Installation is done by hand from the terminal. Someone will say that this is not the most difficult distribution kit, but still, for most beginners, it is difficult to learn. As you may have noticed, I have mentioned Arch-based OS more than once in the article, as it is my favorite distro.

The package manager is pacman. But it contains quite a few programs. To fix this, you can add an AUR (Arch User Repository) which can be managed via yaourt for example.

Download latest version may with .

But since support for i386 systems has been discontinued, it can no longer be downloaded from the official site, but this version is actively supported by the community. You can download it.

There is also an unofficial port.

Gentoo Linux

Gentoo is a GNU / Linux distribution with a distinctive feature that is optimized for specific hardware. It is considered the most difficult, since the user needs to assemble most of the system components himself. Frequency of release updates ~ once a week. Due to the flexibility of the system, you can configure it either as a server or as a workstation. In general, you can do quite a lot with this distribution, the main thing is to have patience and experience \u003d).

Package managers: portage & pkgcore & paludis.

Supported architectures: x86_64, i386, alpha, ARM, hppa, ia64, ppc, sparc (and experimentally s390, sh).

You can download the Gentoo Linux version you need from.

LFS

Linux From Scratch is a book describing the process of building your Linux-based operating system distribution from source codes. Yes, yes, this is a book, or as it is also called "paper distribution". You can do whatever you want, if you can ... Which packages will be included in your system is up to you. The main author is Gerard Beekmans. Recommended for everyone, from beginners to avid Linux users. Although not many will be able to build their distribution, it's worth reading for general development.

About package management. You collect everything by hand. There is even an instruction on how to attach apt.

Architecture? Under which one you collect, it will work on that one (the instructions are for i386, but if you can, you can at least for ARM).

You can download the LFS book and others related to it at.

conclusions

In this article, we examined the most promising and relevant, in my opinion, distributions for 2019. In the end, I would like to highlight which distributions and from which category I would give preference: Desktop - Q4OS, Server - CentOS, For pentest - BlackArch Linux, For security - Subgraph OS, Lightweight - Puppy Linux, “For geeks” - Arch ( for personal use) and LFS (for study).

If you want to try Linux, then you have to decide on the most suitable distribution kit. There are several hundred different Linux distributions. Some of them make it easier for users to adapt to an unfamiliar operating system, while others can be quite difficult for newbies.

"Linux" is just the kernel, the main part of the operating system. The graphical environment, command line utilities, and other parts of the operating system are separate projects. Linux distributions combine components with an open source source code from various projects in a ready-made operating system that you can install and use.

Moving to Linux is easy enough these days. You need to download the image and create bootable USB media or DVD. After restarting the computer, you can boot from the created media to use Linux in Live mode (without installing on the computer).

In Live mode, the Linux distribution will start from the boot device without creating potential conflicts with the real system. If you decide you want to install a Linux distribution on your computer, you can do so directly from the Live environment.

New computers may need to disable Secure Boot. However, some Linux distributions may boot normally on computers with the Secure Boot option enabled.

"Try Ubuntu or Mint" is a very common tip. Indeed, these are excellent Linux distributions to get started and learn. If you're looking for something a little different, then Fedora might be the way to go.

Fedora has several philosophical differences from Ubuntu, Mint, and many other distributions. Unlike others, Fedora is only very sensitive to open source software. For example, the system does not include closed source hardware drivers. You must find them yourself if required.

The Fedora developers work directly with open source projects such as GNOME, make small changes, and deliver modern insights to their users. This distro brings you the freshest and greatest community projects.

The Fedora desktop is known as "Fedora Workstation" and is great for developers, providing quick access to the tools and features they need. On the other hand, anyone can use Fedora.

Fedora is the base for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat's commercial long-term support product. The Fedora Project releases new versions approximately every six months, and each release is supported by security updates for approximately 13 months. If you want to get free version Red Hat Enterprise Linux Red Hat, you can use CentOS. The differences lie in branding and commercial support.

What else can you try

There are many other reliable Linux distributions you can try. The DistroWatch website provides a rating of popular distributions with user ratings. Projects with good rating are probably great products.

Some Linux distributions are developed and maintained by small development teams such as. Elementary OS offers a simple and easy-to-use desktop based on its own Pantheon environment. It looks good, but it is seriously different from other Linux desktops.

Thanks to the large Linux community, numerous and constantly updated distributions exist and are supported for free download. The DistroWatch website has published a rating of the most popular of them. Among them, of course, there are many perennial favorites like Ubuntu or Linux Mint, but there are also many lesser known good versions.

In any case, all these assemblies have in common a detailed documentation on the Internet, so that even non-professionals will quickly get answers to all questions. In addition, many distributions can be installed side-by-side with Windows or run in real time from a DVD or USB drive without installation. We recommend ImgBurn to burn ISO to DVD and Linux Live USB Creator to run directly via USB stick.

Currently, the most popular Linux distribution is not Ubuntu or its famous spin-off Linux Mint. Manjaro Linux wins the race - it is he who, according to the site Distrowatch, is now in the first positions.

Rank # 1: Manjaro Linux

New number Ranked # 1 is Manjaro Linux, which is very easy to use for beginners thanks to the many preinstalled programs. An Arch Linux-based distribution elegantly balances good customization capabilities and ease of use.

However, Manjaro does not come up with additional innovative features for Linux, as the main focus of the system is on the already proven features.
Download: Manjaro Linux (XFCE version)
Download: Manjaro Linux (KDE version)

Runner-up: Linux Mint

Linux Mint is built on top of Ubuntu. With this build you will get several desktop environments on your computer at once: Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce and KDE.
It is easy to use for beginners and beautifully designed. With support for proprietary software such as Adobe Flash, the distribution does an excellent job of handling multimedia content.

Third in the ranking: Ubuntu

Ubuntu, like Linux Mint, is easy to use and well supported multimedia content... In addition, Ubuntu is very stable and is considered the mainstream in the distribution market for good reason. Particularly useful for newbies is the Software Center, which allows many free programs to be installed in just a few clicks and without a terminal.

By the way, Ubuntu is also available as a dedicated server option that doesn't require a GUI. Regular users can access the following downloads:

Rank 4: Debian

In third place is Debian, a system developed for a long time and tested over the years, which is considered the most popular linux server in Germany. With its various interfaces and fairly simple installation, Debian can be adapted to almost any need - with some basic knowledge of Linux.
Debian supports many architectures and has many uses. The graphical user interface includes KDE, Gnome and Xfce.
Download: Debian

Fifth place in the ranking: Elementary OS

Elementary OS looks like macOS. The distribution comes with a small selection of software that covers many day to day use cases. Music and video players, image and document viewers, as well as browsers and instant messengers are included. New software can be installed with just a few clicks through the Software Center. There are numerous well-known open source tools and freeware available for free download here.

Sixth in the ranking: Solus

Solus bills itself as a distro for everyone: with a minimalist design, the distro should be easy to use and offer a wide range of features. The build uses the Budgie desktop environment developed by the Solus team.

It uses Gnome software and is based on the GTK + graphical toolkit (GIMP Toolkit).

Rank 7: MX Linux

MX Linux is based on Debian and antiX. The latest distro ensures that you can easily install MX Linux on older PCs because the hardware requirements are very low.

If you just want to look at the system, you can test it in virtual environment... Like other distributions, MX Linux offers everything you'd expect from a complete operating system: Firefox, LibreOffice, Thunderbird, and VLC are standard programs that come bundled with the OS. Unlike many other distributions, MX Linux comes in both 32 and 64 bit flavors.

Position 8 and 9: Fedora & Antergos

If you want to work with free software, you should take a closer look at Fedora, since the distribution built from Red Hat is based solely on open source software.

Fedora has made it a goal to always maintain the most innovative and exciting concepts, so anyone who wants to join the development of free software will have many exciting features with Fedora.

Antergos build comes with six different working environments: Cinnamon, Gnome, KDE, Mate, Openbox, and Xfce. The Live ISO lets you try out the Gnome environment, and the rest of the environments are available to choose from during installation.

Visually, the distribution makes a strong impression. Antergos focuses on ease of use. After installing the OS, you can get started right away as the software is already installed on Antergos. However, the developers have taken care to deliver only the most necessary programs and present the user with a clean and fast distribution.

Ranked number 10: TrueOS

TrueOS is a Unix-based Operating System (FreeBSD) that is intuitive and easy to use. In addition, the operating system also has a graphical user interface based on the Lumina environment.

By the way, earlier TrueOS was called PC-BSD.