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Linux is an operating system for system admins, programmers, and coders.
Thats all changed now with beginner-friendly distros.
Linuxs most significant advantage is the customization it offers.
Thats where the distributions come in.
Some distros work best for doing scientific work, which requires a scientific approach and programming.
Also, most of the distros can be used for day-to-day activities.
Currently, there are hundreds of Linux flavors out there.
Not all of them are worth considering as they do not offer any unique features to warrant an installation.
The list here ensures that you get to know only the best Linux distro out there.
Before you decide to install a distro, we recommend you test out the distro.
To install Ubuntu, you need the following hardware required to work effectively.
So, what makes Ubuntu so unique?
First, it is easy to use.
Secondly, it is secure and provides an excellent platform for a newcomer.
Technically, Ubuntu is Debian-based, and it also comes with Long Team Support(LTS).
This means that you’ve got the option to install a stable version for your machine.
Download||Official Page
Arch Linux
Arch Linux is a lightweight, flexible Linux distro.
It offers excellent customization out of the box.
It is best suited for programmers or advanced Unix users.
It is also a lightweight distribution and comes with various customization tools.
Its minimum requirement is 1 GB of disk space, 512 MB RAM, and a 64-bit processor.
Kali Linux
If you are intocybersecurity, then Kali Linux is for you.
It is an advanced Linux distro that offers hundreds of penetration testing tools.
So, if you are interested in pen-testing or cybersecurity, the distro is for you.
Initially, the project was named BackTrack, but it shifted to Kali Linux.
Some of the core pre-installed penetration testings include Nmap, Wireshark, Aircrack-ng, and so on!
Debian
Debian is one of the most popular Unix-based operating systems.
The main reason for being a core component of modern distros is its vast repository.
Currently, it is home to 50,000+ software packages.
The collection of software makes it an ideal place to explore.
The software contains both open source software and
Debian is also very stable, secure, and fast.
Anyone can use it, and it is flexible when choosing the desktop environment.
it’s possible for you to select XFCE, LXDE, and KDE at the boot menu.
It also features an active community that contributes to its repository to make it better every passing day.
Linux Mint
If you are looking for a lightweight Linux distro, Linux Mint is for you.
It is based on Debian and Ubuntu, and it also provides a user-friendly interface.
It is best suited for newcomers, but it is equally helpful for advanced users.
Overall, the Linux Mint provides a solid Linux experience without trying to over-do anything.
Linux Mint, just like most of the distros, is community-driven.
you’re free to use it to do anything you want.
One thing that you will notice about this distro is its performance.
You are also free to choose from a repository of 30,000 packages.
Get it started with this installation guide.
Elementary OS
Another great alternative to your Windows experience is Elementary OS but on top of Linux.
It is a popular distro which is aimed at designers and productivity people.
Elementary OSs initial setup is lightweight as you’re able to install whatever you want later on.
It is also focused on privacy and productivity.
It comes to its desktop environment, Pantheon, which is built on top of Gnome.
This gives the distro good performance, and also, it offers full-fledged customization.
Pop!_OS is workflow streamlined where you get the benefits of maximizing real estate.
you could manage your workflow with the help of workspace, keyboard shortcuts, and navigations.
It also comes with full-disk encryption to protect your important project files and resources.
The distro is developed by System 76.
Also, it requires minimal hardware to run it!
It offers modern toolkits to simplify development.
For instance, you’ve got the option to install Tensorflow with a single line of code.
Summary
OpenSUSE
Another distro that is extremely useful for developers and sysadmins is openSUSE.
If you go to their official page, you will quickly see them offering two versions.
One is Tumbleweed, and the other one is Leap.
Tumbleweed is a rolling release.
This means you get access to cutting-edge Linux packages.
It is tested, stabilized, and fast!
This version is only suitable for people who want to try new things.
For others, there is Leap a more stable openSUSE version for a general audience.
YaST is one of the most exciting tools.
Tails
Privacy has been one of the biggest concerns of online visitors.
If you are using Windows, you are probably sharing too much of your personal information.
To gain that amount of privacy, it tunnels all the traffic through the Tor online grid.
It also features advanced cryptographic tools.
Since many users were relying on the CentOS version, the original developers sensed a need for this community.
And a pre-release version of Rocky Linux has emerged after the development of several months.
Like CentOS, it offers a stable version of Linux thats ideal for server and enterprise environments.
It is also available for both x86-64 and newly popular aarh64 processor architecture.
It is free and open-source Linux distribution that is created by CloudLinux.
It is a free-of-cost downstream fork of the commercial Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
It is available for aarch64 and x86-64 processor architecture.
The default desktop environment is available in GNOME.
The first stable release of AlmaLinux was out on March 30, 2021.
It is user-friendly, comfortable, and uses some of the latest technology in the Linux world.
It is the upstream source of the commercial Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution and consequently for CentOS.
It is a fork of Red Hat Linux since RHL (Red Hat Linux) was discontinued in 2003.
Fedora is known for frequent version updates, sometimes weeks or months apart.
Such rapid updates make the distro unreliable for those testing new products due to short cycles between the versions.
However, its excellent for those who want to be on the leading edge of Linux development.
Fedora spins are another feature of it, which distributes custom variations of Fedora.
It is available for aarch64, armhfp, x86-64 processor architecture.
Its main benefits are:
Zorin OS
Zorinis a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu.
Zorin OS company is Dublin-based and was started in 2009.
This distributions primary goal is to provide the Linux alternative to Windows.
Further, it is available for x86-64 processor architecture & desktop environments available are GNOME and Xfce.
Listed below are some of the benefits offered by this distro:
What about something new?
There are tons of other distros that it’s possible for you to use.
Lets list a few of the other interesting ones below.
MXLinux: MXLinux has become extremely popular distro in just one year of its release.
In fact, it has gained the highest number of hits on DistrWatch.com.
It is based on the Xfce desktop environment and Debian.
It is also easy to use thanks to its familiarity with Mac/Windows.
Deepin: you might also try out Deepin an easy to use beginner-friendly Linux distribution.
It is constantly updated and offers a great user experience.
Conclusion
The open-source nature of Linux is what makes it so amazing!
