Linux flavors: choose your favorite!
Looking for a Linux distro to call yours? Don’t you know from where to start? Your problems are over! Today we bring you a little guide to Linux distros to help you find a great Linux option for you!
Hello, people!
The content creator of this blog is kinda crazy (yep, it’s me,) and I decided to talk about one thing we all love so much: Linux!
It’s hard not to love it, right?
Many distros, flavors for all tastes, and more and more, that’s Linux. But while many people know their favorite distro and a few others, very others don’t know the wide range of flavors of Linux. So, today we bring some distros that make success and have a fantastic community to help you.
But before we start, is good to remember… What is Linux?
It is customary to think about an operating system when talking about Linux, but remember, Linux is a kernel. A kernel is the operating system’s brain, running many essential tasks like managing resources and processes. Besides the kernel, an operating system needs other settings and resources to be functional and give the user support suit. Like the Linux kernel is open source, many people with many needs and different ideas begin the development of their versions of ideal operating systems. And like that, born the Linux distributions (yeah, it’s a little way to put it, but it gives you the general idea).
And now, we have more and more Linux flavors that we can remember, so a short manual is a good call.
So, let’s go!
Ubuntu — “New here? I will help you”, said Ubuntu holding your hand.
Based on Debian, Ubuntu is a famous distribution and served as a base to other well-known distros such as Kubuntu, Lubuntu, and Mint. Ubuntu has support for general use, focussing mainly on beginners, and has three versions: Desktop, server, and Core (that last is specific to IoT devices and robotics). A new version is available every six months, and an LTS (Long time support) version every two years.
The name Ubuntu comes from Nguni philosophy and means “humanity” and sometimes is translated as “I am what I am because of who we all are”.
Elementary OS — “Do you like macOS? So I am your Linux flavor!” it says while is doing a heart with hands for you.
Elementary OS comes from Ubuntu and it defines itself as “attentive, able and ethical” than macOS and Windows. The idea is to value the elegant and straightforward interface, providing a soft learning curve. The Elementary OS follows clear design guidelines and keeps consistency among the apps, and provides its interface, desktop, and software. Mainly indicated for macOS users, but works well for Windows users too.
Linux Mint — “I’m refreshing and light”, says Mint and smiles at you.
Mint is another distro based on Ubuntu and its target is Linux beginners. The operating system is beautiful and easy, and it looks to improve some of Ubuntu’s weaknesses as some incompatibilities, so it provides better user support for drives, multimedia, and tools. In addition, the interface is so friendly, mainly to Windows users, that it made this operating system an excellent choice for those who come from Microsoft OS.
OpenSUSE — “Do you need more power and stability? I have it.”, it whispers to you.
The operating system of devs and systems admins. Maybe two more prominent characteristics of OpenSUSE are robustness and community support. The OpenSUSE values the users very much, hearing their opinions and using them to guide the system changes and increases. The OpenSUSE has two versions: the SUSE Leap indicated for ordinary users, companies staff, and testers. Already the SUSE Tumbleweed is significant to advanced users and devs.
CentOS — “Very able and every time updated for your server”, CentOS says while fixing its tie.
Born from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS is an excellent example of stability focused on servers. The RHEL is extensively used in cooperative TI, constantly receiving security fixes and essential changes, and it benefits the CentOS because these changes are often applied in it. So if you need an excellent operating system for your business, think about CentOs fondly.
Arch Linux — “I am direct, powerful, and a little indomitable. I am Arch Linux!” Says the operating system severely.
Ho ho, and here we have a distro more handled for advanced users: Arch Linux. Powerful and efficient, Arch Linux is a base for other distros. One of the ideas here is to avoid the long process of upgrading the operating system, so Arch Linux uses the rolling release model. That is, the updating process is made using minor and frequent changes in a continuous process. To the applications, Arch Linux counts with its office repositories and the community repositories, too, always full of updated packages that provide all types of users applications. Even though Arch Linux was made for advanced users, comprehensive and well-structured documentation is available, and the community gives good support.
Ah, one curiosity: the package manager of Arch Linux is the Pacman, it’s PACkage MANager.
Kali Linux — “Discreet and effective, I’m a ninja! ”, Kali says while crouched in the shadows.
So, now we present a distro focussed on security: Kali Linux. Although this distro type has other examples, we choose Kali Linux because this is a popular and well-known option and a common choice to those who start in network security. Furthermore, Kali Linux received a strong influence from Backtrack, an old operating system with the same purpose. The Kali Linux is highly indicated for forensic analysis and pentests (tests of penetrations in networks), due to many specific applications available here. It’s clear that Kali Linux is focused on advanced users, and different from other cases in which we say to you that tentative is valid, here we indicate to you to read and learn more before testing Kali Linux. And if you go to try the Kali Linux, remember that this operating system is not for general use, and several apps present in another distro can be missing here. Ah, it’s cool that besides the desktop version, Kali Linux has a project compatible with Android, the Kali NetHunter.
Zorin OS — “Are you a Windows user? So, we have much in common”, Zorin gives a high five to you.
Following the Elementary OS line, the Zorin is the other distro to Windows and macOS users. To be familiar with them, the Zorin allows interface changes to resemble these operating systems. Additionally, it is straightforward to install Wine and run Windows apps. Zorin invested in a completely graphic interface and was very friendly to help the beginners feel at ease. A curiosity that deserves to be cited is that a few years ago, Vicenza, a famous city in Italy, migrated the city administration’s computers from Windows to Zorin OS. The transition left the machines more secure, stable and the change had an excellent reception of the staff.
Puppy Linux — “I can have different origins, but I am always a great boy,” and Puppy Linux asks for your attention.
Light, easy, and with low use of memory, this is Puppy Linux, small, powerful, and delivering a secure and efficient option. Puppy runs from the RAM, and the differential is the Woof-CE. Woof-CE is a set of build scripts that build a Puppy Linux using puppy-specific code, self-compiled packages (pets), or packages from another distro (a binary compatible distro such as Ubuntu, Slackware). Puppy Linux is an excellent option for old technologies, keeping good performance even in outdated hardware.
Manjaro — “Don’t mess with me. My older brother is big and strong” warns Manjaro while calling the Arch Linux.
Based on Arch Linux, Manjaro brings the efficiency and the power but invests in facility and accessibility to users. For instance, the rolling release model is kept here, but the update process in Arch Linux is made through the command-line, and here we have an intuitive and light GUI (the Pamac). Furthermore, besides its repositories, Manjaro has access to AUR (Arch User Repository), giving more application options to users.
Although not suitable for beginners, if you have the patience to learn, this is a good choice (currently it’s my favorite Linux flavor).
Gentoo — “Be different, like me.” says Gentoo proudly.
Sometimes, talking about Linux operating systems can be challenging because in many cases, the differences are internal or much subtle. This is not the case with Gentoo. The objective of this operating system is to be very efficient, even if for that, an effort is needed. The operating system and most of its applications have their source code downloaded, personally set, and compiled (sometimes the process is more long or complex, so Gentoo provides pre-compiled binaries). These actions generate a code personalized to the machine where the code will run, and this process brings efficiency to execution and optimization of the time.
To those who are looking for efficiency, Gentoo is the better choice.
Ah, the name Gentoo comes from Gentoo penguin, known due to its remarkable swim speed.
Slackware — “ I’m hardcore, baby!” said it while jumping to rock music.
Using a simple design and valuing the software's purity and stability, Slackware focuses on staying close to Unix. The Slackware is the older Linux distro receiving maintenance until the moment, and it served as a base on other distros, such as the initial versions of SUSE Linux. An essential aspect of Slackware is that it doesn’t have an automatic resolution of package dependencies. Besides that, the maintainer here is its creator and the community support is restricted because it doesn’t have an open-source repo. Nevertheless, for the historic value, it’s worth taking a look.
Debian — “In a mother’s heart there is always room for one more.”. So Debian looks at pic of the distros based on it.
The mother (or father) of many other distros. Debian is an old and very, very popular distro, and yet is very used in servers. Today Debian counts more than 50.000 available packages, and although it comes just with free software, in repositories, you can find many not-free packages.
To maint the code organization and a release order, the Debian repo contains three big branches: stable, which the code already pass for the tests and receive the fixes; test the branch in development and in some time will become stable; and unstable, the branch to dev use, which are disponibility the more modern technologies.
Fedora — “Eyes in the future, little padawan,” Fedora tells you and sits down with a book about the Internet of Things.
Fedora has a wide and well-structured community made by devs, volunteers, and Red Hat staff.
This operating system is very known for its security features and a robust firewall. Besides, Fedora offers an attractive interface and is easy to use. A differential here is that Fedora has support for many architectures.
The operating system has five versions: Workstation for personal computers, Server, CoreOS with Cloud Computing target, Silverblue for desktops that use the immutable object model, and IoT. Besides that, Fedora encourages, when possible, the devs to apply the increases and changes being made directly in Linux upstream instead of Fedora. Like that, these changes will be available for all Linux distro.
Deepin — “Where is my welcome party?” yells Deepin while filling some balloons.
Deepin is a Linux distro relatively new, and that has good reception in the community. Based on Debian, it brings stability and adds elegance and beauty. Deepin was created in 2004 and is maintained by Wuhan Deepin Technology, but entered the Linux Foundation in 2015. Most of the community is concentrated in China. Deepin developed its desktop environment called DDE (Deepin Desktop Environment xD), using QT and Windows manager, the DDE-kwin. The DDE is also available for Arch Linux, Fedora, and Ubuntu. For those who like a beautiful interface, Deepin is a distro to take a look at.
And here we are.
Uff… the path today was long, and even that we barely scratch the surface of the Linux flavors. There are more and more distros, many of them developed by companies and devs to their use, and more distros born and growing.
Maybe could we bring the second part with more flavors? It’s an idea s2
For now, thanks for your company. Now we stay here.
We’ll see you soon. Bye!
