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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- There are three major bases for Linux distributions.
- Each base has different pros and cons.
- The choice is not nearly as difficult as it sounds.
When you go to select a Linux distribution, you’ll find that the choice can be overwhelming.
There’s Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, Linux Mint, elementaryOS, Manjaro, openSUSE, Pop!_OS, Bodhi Linux, Zorin OS… the list goes on. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of Linux distributions on the market, and each one has its pros and cons.
There’s also the fact that there are different desktops to choose from, different kernels, different curated apps, and different package managers.
There’s one choice you should make at the beginning that will greatly narrow the selection. That choice is the base system you want to use.
What is a base system?
A base system on Linux refers to the distribution on which one is based. There are four different major bases to choose from: Debian, Arch, Fedora, and Linux From Scratch.
You might be wondering where Ubuntu is? Ubuntu is actually based on Debian, so for the sake of simplicity, I’m sticking with the root of that particular distribution tree; otherwise, one could argue that Manjaro could be on the list because there are distributions that use it as a base.
I want to keep this as uncomplicated as possible.
So, we’re sticking with four bases, but I’m only going to discuss the main three (Debian, Fedora, and Arch). The reason for this is that I find most Linux From Scratch distributions aren’t exactly the best fit for new users, so we’ll leave it out. That’s not to say Linux From Scratch distributions aren’t worthy of consideration; it’s just that they are a bit out of the mainstream, so we’ll avoid those for now.
Debian-based distributions
Debian is often referred to as the “mother of all distributions” because it serves as the foundation for so many Linux distros. If you take a look at Distrowatch, you’ll find that an overwhelming majority of distributions are based on Debian. Why?
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First, Debian (and all of its “children” have, by far, the largest overall user base as well as the largest number of resources, guides, how-tos, communities, etc. As well, Debian enjoys the largest number of official repositories from which to install apps and one of the easiest package managers available. There are around 150,000 packages that can be installed from the Debian repositories, which is probably twice the number of packages found in the Fedora repositories and roughly 10 times the number of packages available from the official Arch repos.
On top of that:
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Debian enjoys support from non-Linux developers.
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Canonical has invested considerable time, effort, and money into hardware support.
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Debian is one of (if not the) most stable OS on the market.
More than anything, though, Debian is user-friendly. Take, for instance, the security side of things. With Fedora, you get SELinux. Don’t get me wrong, SELinux is an incredibly powerful and secure subsystem (after all, it was developed by the NSA). SELinux can cause issues for users, such as when installing applications in non-traditional locations. Debian-based distributions don’t use SELinux (opting for AppArmor), which rarely causes issues, while still keeping the system safe.
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Debian is also one of the oldest distributions, which means it’s had more time for maturity. In that time, Debian has developed a predictable and dependable release cycle. The Debian release life cycle spans five years, with the first three years in full support and the last two in Long Term Support (LTS). Unlike most distributions, Debian focuses on an every two years release cycle, which means every release gets more than enough time for testing.
Who is a Debian-based distribution for?
If you want a Linux distribution that offers rock-solid stability, user-friendliness, tons of apps to install, a massive community, and wide hardware support, go with Debian.
Fedora-based distributions
If you were to ask just about anyone in the Linux community about Fedora, their first response would be that this distribution tends to lean into cutting-edge technology. At the same time, Fedora is still very stable and offers solid hardware support.
With recent iterations, Fedora has also become very fast. Unlike releases of old (which tended to be much slower than other distributions), the Fedora developers have done a great job of eking out as much performance as possible.
Fedora-based distributions do tend to be a bit focused on developers, thanks to modern tools (such as GCC, Python, and Podman), containers, and deep ties to Red Hat Enterprise Linux. But don’t think Fedora-based distributions can’t be used as a traditional desktop OS, as it really shines in that arena. In fact, there are Fedora-based distributions that have particular focuses, such as the KDE Plasma Spin (for general usage), Nobara (for gaming), and Kinoite and Silverblue for immutable Linux.
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As I mentioned earlier, Fedora has SELinux, which makes it very secure. SELinx is used for access control and is very good at what it does. Should a rogue application be installed, SELinux can block it from gaining access to specific directories and files. Fedora-based distributions also benefit from Red Hat’s incredible security team.
One thing about Fedora-based distributions is that they tend to integrate new technologies before other distros. Fedora was one of the first distributions to use Wayland and PipeWire by default.
Who is a Fedora-based distribution for?
Yes, developers are a great target for Fedora-based distributions, but they certainly aren’t the only group. Gamers, average users, creators, and so many more can benefit from using a Fedora-based distribution. Although Fedora might not be as user-friendly or stable as Debian, it’s certainly close.
If you want outstanding hardware support, heightened security, and speed, Fedora-based distros are a great choice.
Arch Linux-based distributions
The final option is Arch-based distributions. If we’re talking about just Arch Linux, the target audience becomes considerably narrower. There are two reasons for that: the installation is tricky, and there’s no pre-installed GUI for package management.
However, when you start looking at some of the distributions based on Arch, things get a bit simplified. For example, Manjaro includes the Pamac GUI for app installation. Although Pamac isn’t nearly as user-friendly as either GNOME Software or KDE Discover, it’s still much easier for new users than working with the pacman command-line package manager.
Arch-based distributions are also of the rolling release nature, which means they are always up to date. One of the biggest appeals to rolling release distros is that you install them once and you’re done. Unlike traditional point-based releases, rolling release distributions don’t have major releases. Instead, rolling releases are regularly updated, so you can install the operating system once and you’re set. As long as you keep up with the updates, you’ll always have the most recent version of the OS.
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Some consider rolling release distributions to be less stable than others, because the packages don’t go through the same rigorous testing process. However, even rolling release distros do plenty of testing before a package is made available. I’ve used plenty of rolling release distros and have never found them to be unstable.
Who is an Arch-based distribution for?
If the idea of always having the most up-to-date OS and packages appeals to you, then an Arch-based distribution should be at the top of your list. And if you avoid Arch itself and go with one of its many children (such as Manjaro, EndeavourOS, or Garuda), you’ll find Arch is just as easy as any distribution.
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