Share Your Favorite Linux Distros and Why You Love Them

So we can clearly see the most popular distros and the reasons why people use them, please follow this format:

  • Write the name of the Linux distro as a first-level comment.
  • Reply to that comment with each reason you like the distro as a separate answer.

For example:

  • Distro (first-level comment)
    • Reason (one answer)
    • Other reason (a different answer)

We’re looking to create a comprehensive list of the most popular Linux distributions and the reasons why people use them. Please don’t duplicate options.

kyub, (edited )
  • Arch
  • Debian
    • My favorite overall, they’re community-run, stable, well-maintained, have a rich history of being awesome, and they’re just top quality general-purpose distros. I tend to use Arch for more recent desktop systems and Debian for server systems or older desktops.
  • NixOS
    • What I’m dabbling with currently, the concepts here are amazing but it’s a bit of work at first to truly get value out of it. Still, seems to be a good option for my next notebook OS.
  • Fedora Silverblue (respectively the immutable variants)
    • Also cool, as is Fedora in general, although with the recent Red Hat fiasco and Fedora’s plan to introduce opt-out telemetry I’m more hesitant now. Some time ago I’d have listed Fedora at the top but now it’s slid down a bit.
  • Mint
  • Kubuntu
    • Easy recommendations for new users coming from Windows
  • VanillaOS
    • I like the idea of making it possible to install packages from all distros (they will then run in a distro-specific container). I wouldn’t use it, but it’s cool
  • Kali
  • Tails
  • Alpine
    • From the more specific distros
  • Slackware
    • Honorable mention, because it introduced me to Linux back in the day (yes, I liked starting the hard Unix way). I wouldn’t recommend it these days but it’s kind of like the granddaddy of all Linux distros, and it was awesome in its prime. I’m sure it can still be used today but it’s gotten quite niche.
Leora,
@Leora@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Solus

Leora,
@Leora@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Easily the best distro I’ve used for gaming. No set up was required from me, it just works.

Leora,
@Leora@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Great user forum & support. Everyone I’ve talked with has been super helpful. Solus leads are easy to get a hold of.

jvrava9,
@jvrava9@lemmy.ml avatar

Just switched to Artix after using Mint for half a year

kelroy,

Lubuntu with lxqt desktop environment and i3 window manager.

jaykstah, (edited )

Arch Linux

jaykstah,

Up to date packages

jaykstah,

Pacman package manager works well and PKGBUILD files are simple enough to edit if you want to alter how a package builds

jaykstah,

AUR offers a lot of resources for a straightforward way to install software that isn’t in the main repositories

jaykstah,

Comments in the AUR can be a helpful troubleshooting source or indicate the quality of a package hosted there

jaykstah,

Build the system from the ground up choosing how you want it to work

jaykstah,

Extensive documentation with useful troubleshooting sections for many articles

jaykstah,

Easy config with archinstall script if you want to choose options from a list when installing

tetris11,
@tetris11@lemmy.ml avatar

Incredibly easy to hack with it’s no-security by default policy

tetris11,
@tetris11@lemmy.ml avatar

AUR’s developer change hands faster than british prime ministers that it gets harder and to trust upstream devs

mrv0id,

EndeavourOS

StantonVitales,

I’m on it right now. Got a new Thinkpad a couple weeks ago and just wasn’t in the mood to install Arch the normal way when I finally had alone time at 11pm, gave Endeavour a shot and was like oh, this is convenient 🤩

BeardedBlaze,
@BeardedBlaze@lemmy.world avatar

It’s my first time with Arch based Linux, takes some adjustment, but I’ve been loving it.

arcrust,

Also on endeavor. I like arch, but it’s too much work. Endeavor is good enough for me.

BrokenCanoe,

Endeavour has been my default for a long while now, using Plasma KDE. It supports the flexibility needed to customise and make my own themes for as a low-vision user, and smooths a lot of the rough edges of pure Arch. I had Arch installed previously, but again, having that additional helping hand, coupled with a truly wonderful community, really made all the difference. I left Windows after the mess that was 8, I couldn’t go back…

rfy,

Void Linux

It has it’s own package manager which is nice and performant, it has another script similar to the AUR to an extent, runit is simple and sensible.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

Fedora Silverblue

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

The best thing for an inexperienced user. It’s simply unbreakable. Immutability rocks.

Raphael,
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar

Except it breaks every couple months and the devs have no concept of rolling updates back.

Source: Silverblue user for 2 years.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

My wife has been using Fedora Silverblue for almost 4 year on two laptops. There were no issue, nada, what so ever. It really just works. Yes, some bug could occur. And Fedora bug tracker is an awesome place for dealing with that. I believe, nobody will roll back a change just because of a single bug report but in my experience most bugs are being fixed pretty quickly if a reporter provides info to do that.

Raphael,
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar

Flatpaks were impossible to install JUST THE OTHER DAY.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

This is a random hearsay. Please, show a link to the bug report.

Raphael,
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar

Sure, why not?

github.com/flatpak/flatpak/issues/5452

Before you get all semantic, despite being on “flatpak” github page, the problem only affected Fedora.

Should I also link to the time where rpm-ostree could not update or install anything? Which of those times should I link?

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

Ok. Bug was fixed. Bugs happen. I guess a regular user will get the fix eventually.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

Also, that didn’t break the system. Sure, a new app wouldn’t be possible to install but the system worked overall and users were able to perform their tasks;)

Raphael, (edited )
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar

Ohhh, the narrative is changing, previously you were denying any bad things. Progress, perhaps?

Keep in mind it was impossible to install the distribution when rpm-ostree broke and it would be useless when flatpak broke. Of course, you could check the forums and see workarounds but that’s not very different from downloading an older ISO in any distribution.

Alas good luck being a normal user when you decide to install something because… well, it’s your computer. And then it doesn’t work. Repeat this for multiple days several times a year because Fedora devs have no concept of rolling back updates and you got yourself a problem.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

Fedora Workstation

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

The official repo provides all Python versions. No need to use pyenv.

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

It just works. Seriously:)

lig,
@lig@social.fossware.space avatar

Flatpak is awesome! I don’t like snaps. 🤷‍♂️

atmur,

Fedora Workstation on desktop, perfect mix of stability and up-to-date packages.

Unraid on the NAS, does pretty much everything I need and haven’t put any thought into using something else.

Ubuntu Server on a few VMs, although I’ll probably look into different options in the future as I’m not a huge fan of Ubuntu.

Arch/SteamOS on Steam Deck, of course.

Debian for anything that I just need to run forever.

juliette,

Linux From Scratch

juliette,

Puts you in control of everything

bslinux,

I did that once, probably 20 years ago now. Never again.

peterjsefton,
@peterjsefton@mastodon.social avatar

@InternetPirate I've been happy with Ubuntu since 2007, I don't always like Canonical's choices, but they're easily changed. Recently tried Vanilla OS, easy install and seems solid, good alternative to Nix I think.

manpacket,

undefined> Ubuntu

With each release unsnapping gets more annoying... Now I have to get Firefox from alternative sources...

peterjsefton,
@peterjsefton@mastodon.social avatar

@manpacket I prefer Flatpak, but Snaps do seem to be getting better, then again I have a history of foolish optimism 🤔

manpacket,

https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/using-flatpak.html

$ flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP

They still haven't figure out how to make console experience not miserable, maybe one day...

StantonVitales,

how is that miserable?

manpacket,

From what I understand from this page and other sources - you have to type that to run gimp or other app. At least that's the impression I'm getting from the documentation. I run most of my stuff from the console and don't like to use aliases.

Raphael,
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar

Fake news.

flatpak install gimp, in terminal, try it.

Fafner,
@Fafner@yiffit.net avatar

YiffOS

Cralex,

PostmarketOS

Cralex,

• Android-free Linux distribution specializing in supporting older smartphones.

• Up-to-date software based on Alpine Linux and focused on privacy and security.

• Highly portable construction centered around a single software base regardless of what device it’s running on.

  • Goal of keeping a given device running and updated until it physically falls apart.
CalcProgrammer1,
@CalcProgrammer1@lemmy.ml avatar
  • Has the widest supported device list of all mobile Linux projects, supports a ton of old Android phones to varying degrees.
tetris11,
@tetris11@lemmy.ml avatar

Runs all your favourite programs, on your phone, bells and whistles included

Cralex,

Manjaro

Cralex,

• Supports a wide variety of hardware, including ARM devices such as the Pinebook Pro.

• Up-to-date rolling release.

• Multiple DE’s available with customized, clean interfaces.

Raphael,
@Raphael@lemmy.world avatar
  • Recommends rolling back system clock when they forget to update security critical website components.
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