Debian, Fedora, and Arch. What is the difference between different Linux distros?
I have always wondered about the differences between Linux distros, which one is the best? is there a real difference between them? So, in this article, we will list some of the pros and cons of every distro and the choice is all yours!
The main difference between all Linux distros is their packages and packages manager, they also have different kernels, Debian packages prefer old and stable kernels, however, Fedora prefers the most up-to-date ones. I don’t think of the GUI as difference, as you are completely free to customize and set up it as you wish whether it is GNOME, KDE Plasma, or Xfce. So, let’s start!
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Debian (dpkg package management)
Debian distributions are the most stable ones or to be more specific, it is the most concerned about stability.
It uses apt and apt-get dependency resolvers.
Some of its distributions are Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Elementary OS, etc.
Pros:
- Stable.
- Follows the ‘OpenSource’ motto strictly.
- Large hardware support(ARM, MIPS, Intel x86-based, AMD64 & Intel 64, …)
- Biggest community support ever.
- A large number of supported packages and development packages.
Cons
- Not a rolling distro, meaning that you have to reinstall a new version every couple of years if you want to stay updated.
- The unavailability of proprietary software which is the opposite of open source software- Like Adobe flash and Microsoft office.
Fedora (rpm package management)
It is a Linux distribution developed by the community-supported Fedora Project which is sponsored primarily by Red Hat. It prioritizes being up to date over stability. It is a fast-moving distribution that stays innovative by developing and integrating the latest free and open-source programs, software libraries, and tools
It uses dnf, yum, and ZYpp dependency resolvers.
Some of its distributions are OpenSUSE, CentOS, etc.
Pros:
- Up-to-date provides the latest versions of software, even its kernel is always the latest one.
- Availability of proprietary software.
- OpenSuse Tumbleweed -the rolling release version of openSUSE- is a rolling distribution.
Cons:
- Fewer number of repositories compared to Debian.
- Doesn’t follow the ‘OpenSource’ motto strictly.
Arch (pacman package management)
It keeps patching to a minimum and is a rolling release distribution. If a new version of the software in the Arch repositories is released, Arch users get the new versions before other users most of the time. Everything is fresh and cutting edge in the rolling release model. You don’t have to upgrade the operating system from one version to another.
Some of its distributions are Manjaro, ArcoLinux, Garuda, Archman, etc.
Pros:
- The fastest update( Pacman is really faster than dpkg or rpm)
- Has the best documentation available in the Linux Community.
- Availability of proprietary software.
Cons:
- Less number of repositories compared to Debian.
- Doesn’t follow the ‘OpenSource’ motto strictly.
- Installation is not easy for beginners.
Final thoughts
Of course, this comparison may not feel fair to some people but, I tried to be objective as much as I could. There may be more cons and prons for every distro than what I have mentioned. So, I would suggest trying some distributions by yourself before deciding on your primary work environment.
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