For part 1, see this article
Hello again! And welcome back to my "Leveraging Linux for Development" series. This is part 2, and we'll talk about what Linux distributions are the best option for newbies who want to move to Linux from Windows or MacOS!
So first, let's pick a distro family that is both popular and has wide support. Most people would consider those to be the Fedora and the Ubuntu/Debian (Ubuntu is based on Debian) families.
The key difference between the Fedora and Ubuntu/Debian families is who they are for:
The Fedora family is for developers who need the absolute latest features and are okay with having to update their software really often, the Fedora family is ideal for experimenting with new technologies that involve some risk.
The Ubuntu/Debian family is for users who want a much larger support community (Ubuntu is by far the most popular Linux distro) and long-term stability in their OS. The Ubuntu/Debian family is ideal for production environments and long-term projects that need to be stable for the longest time possible.
Personally, I think the Ubuntu/Debian family is what most newbies would be looking for since it is more familiar to Windows and MacOS users and is more stable and risk-free.
Ubuntu is a child of Debian, but Ubuntu is the most popular distro based on Debian. Which leads many people to call the entire family Ubuntu/Debian.
We'll compare three Ubuntu/Debian-based derivatives to get a clearer view of what we have at hand:
Ubuntu
As I've said, Ubuntu is based on Debian. It's developed by Canonical and has a release cycle of a new LTS (Long-Term Support) Release every 2 years in April and an Interim Release every 6 months between LTS Releases. Interim Releases are "supported for 9 months, with sufficient time provided for users to update, but these releases do not receive the long-term commitment of LTS releases." While LTS Releases are supported for 5 years (and up to 12 years with Ubuntu Pro). This means that you will not have to update very often and can stably use Ubuntu.
Ubuntu supports different flavours. The default "Ubuntu" distribution uses the GNOME desktop environment, while other flavours use other desktop environments: Kubuntu (KDE), Xubuntu (XFCE), Lubuntu (LXQt), etc.
Ubuntu uses the Snap Store (in its own GUI interface called "Ubuntu Software") by default for installing apps. While many people complain that the Snap Store is slowing down their PC, the next article of this series will deal with that.
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu itself, and it has a release cycle based on Ubuntu's release cycle with versions being released a few months after their Ubuntu counterpart. The Linux Mint major version number is based on the XX.04 version number of its underlying Ubuntu Version (e.g. Linux Mint 20 is based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) and the minor version number is based on the underlying Ubuntu point-release version (e.g. Mint 20.1 is based on Ubuntu 20.04.1).
Linux Mint is focused on providing a traditional desktop experience. It uses the Cinnamon desktop environment by default, which is supposed to resemble Windows the most, and also supports MATE and XFCE. Linux Mint uses the Snap Store far less than Ubuntu, its minimal use of Snap packages does degrade performance a little but this will also be addressed in the next article. It also has its own "Software Manager". It's pretty much ideal for users who prefer a more traditional desktop environment and great for users transitioning from Windows due to its similarity.
Elementary OS
Elementary OS is another Ubuntu-based Linux distro, and it does not have a fixed release cycle. Updates are released whenever they are ready, which could be unexpected and chaotic for some people and could cause having to get a fresh reinstall. Since Elementary OS is based on Ubuntu LTS, it has the same stability and long-term support benefits, but the exact support period is usually shorter and not explicitly defined by Elementary.
ElementaryOS is focused on being user-friendly with out-of-the-box usability. It uses the Pantheon desktop environment by default, which is emphasised by aesthetics and minimalism, and does not support any other desktop environments. Elementary uses its own "App Center" by default for installing curated applications. It's ideal for users who value design and people looking for a macOS-like experience on Linux.
All these distributions use the APT (Advanced Package Tool) package manager for installing dependencies on your system.
While Elementary seems promising, Elementary has a more restricted experience which I don't prefer myself.
Mint is too similar to Windows (Which is exactly what I'm running away from) and seems to lack multiple features that need to be installed.
For most newbies, Ubuntu would be the solution as it provides a new interface, but a familiar feel to Windows and MacOS users.
This series will continue using Ubuntu as a demonstration and could get articles for other distros after. Both Elementary and Mint are based on Ubuntu, which means that there should not be too many differences when it comes to applying steps from Ubuntu. You can just do whatever floats your boat!
And that's it for this article, I hope that I've made a proper introduction to reasonable distro options for new Linux users. If you have any suggestions or questions please let me know in the comments!
The next article will be about installing Ubuntu and customizing it to maximally boost the performance and user experience as well as solving common issues such as slow system boot time!
And, as always, Happy Hacking!
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