Best Linux distributions: advantages of each and which one to choose

Different types of Linux

Depending on our needs, our knowledge, and what we intend to do with the computer, we will find different distributions to choose from. Thus, some of the types that we can find, and within which we can choose, are:

• Simple and easy to use distros . They are usually distros that have a very intuitive desktop, similar to Windows. They usually come with many programs installed as standard, and all the functions of the operating system can be used with a mouse without the need to enter any commands.
• Linux for slow and old computers . Computing is advancing, but not everyone buys new computers often. For this reason, there are distros specially designed to work better on this type of old computer. These tend to use a light (albeit somewhat uglier) desktop, and, at the same time, are usually easy to use. There are some that can even work with ease on computers that are more than 20 years old.
• No errors and always available . In general, Linux is a very stable and reliable system. However, there are distros that take this concept to the extreme. These systems guarantee us that our Linux will always be available, and that we will be able to use it in the long term without a single blockage or problem. Ideal for servers or for more demanding users. Of course, this stability has a price: difficulty.
• My data is mine: the importance of security and privacy . Although Linux is not controlled by any company (unlike Windows and Microsoft), there are some systems that are designed to give maximum importance to this concept. Thus, for example, we have systems specially designed to erase all our traces and provide us with absolute anonymity, and other special systems to carry out security practices.
• Specialized Linux . This operating system can be used for any purpose. But, in addition, we have specialized distros for all kinds of purposes. For example, there are distros designed for multimedia artists, other systems for scientists, for games and entertainment… Thus, as soon as we install them, we will have everything we need to start working with them.

Next, we are going to see the best distros for each of these categories.

Easy to use – ideal for beginners

These distributions stand out for making the process of installing the system on any PC as easy as possible and, furthermore, for prioritizing the graphical environment over everything else. They are ideal systems for users who are taking their first steps in this new world, although it is true that they may fall short for more advanced users who are looking to go one step further. Simple and intuitive desktops, and a good variety of programs are usually its base pillars.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is, without a doubt, the most popular and well-known Linux distro that we can find on the web. This distro, developed by Canonical, uses a GNOME desktop and comes standard with a series of programs, tools, and configurations so that we can start using it from the first moment. Canonical has worked hard to make this system as simple and accessible as possible for everyone, but without closing the door to the most advanced users having full control over it. A perfect balance and the best gateway for those who have never used Linux and want to take their first steps on this system. Their problem: that each normal version has only 9 months of support, so if we don’t use an LTS (which is 5 years old) we will have to update almost twice a year.

Here we can download Ubuntu for free .

Linux Mint

Over time, Canonical has made its fair share of enemies. And it is that the company has carried out certain decisions without taking into account its user community. For this reason, there are many users who have begun to look for a life outside of this distro. And this is how Linux Mint has gained great popularity. This distro is based on Ubuntu, but undoes all Canonical decisions to be the system that the community wants and needs. It has a default desktop, Cinnamon, very easy to use and APT as a package manager. An excellent, very simple, gateway to Linux that we cannot ignore.

We can download Linux Mint from this link.

Zorin OS

This is another distro based on Ubuntu that was born with the aim of making Linux an accessible and easy-to-use operating system. Zorin OS is mainly committed to offering users an interface very similar to that of Windows, with its taskbar and start menu, so that users don’t have any problems when starting to use this system after having been using it the Microsoft system a long time. It has several editions to choose from depending on whether we want the standard experience, a “Lite” edition for less powerful computers, or very complete versions full of software and games, although we will have to pay for them.

Here we can download Zorin OS to install it on our PC.

Basic OS

Just as Zorin OS has an interface similar to that of Windows, in the case of Elementary OS we find an interface clearly inspired by macOS. This distro is also based on Ubuntu, and takes care of even the smallest detail of this interface. This is an operating system that is very pleasing to the eye and easy to use, perfect both for users who have used Linux before, and for those who have never used a PC. Being based on Ubuntu, it is compatible with its repositories, and it has its own package manager, APT, to be able to install what we need.

We can download Elementary OS completely free of charge from its website.

Pop!_OS

A new distro, based on Ubuntu, but with very important changes in its interface. Pop!_OS is developed and maintained by the System76 company and has a look and feel that mixes elements of both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and macOS to make it fast, yet easy to use. The desktop hardly has any distractions so we can be more productive with it. It does not matter if we are advanced users or if we have never used Linux before. This system has everything we may need, whatever our purpose (Deep Learning, engineering, multimedia production and editing, or surfing the Internet).

On the System76 website we can find the download for Pop!_OS Linux .

triskele

Trisquel is a Linux distro created in Spain with the aim of becoming one of the freest that we can find. This distro is designed to be used both at home and at work, offering users a simple desktop to use (in the purest Windows XP or Windows 7 style), while including a large number of packages and software. Of course, all this 100% free. It is based on Ubuntu, so we will have APT as a package manager, and we will be able to choose between an LXDE desktop, a MATE and a KDE.

We can download Trisquel for free from here.

Is your computer slow? There is a Linux for you

Not all systems are going to take up a lot of space on the hard drive or force us to have tens of gigabytes of RAM. Linux has always prioritized stability and performance over many other aspects, and these distros maintain this essence, being able to use them on practically any computer, even if it has more than 20 years behind it.

PuppyLinux

Puppy is one of the smallest Linux distros that we can find. In just 300 megabytes (and even less, depending on the version) we can find everything we need for our day to day. This distro includes all kinds of necessary tools to be able to satisfy any need, as well as being very simple, fast, and versatile. We can find several flavors depending on whether our computer is more or less old, and a large number of derived distros (called puplets) that will allow us to choose the one that best suits us, whether inspired by Ubuntu, Raspbian and even Slackware .

We can download Puppy Linux from its main page.

BodhiLinux

This distro is designed to give a second life to very old computers, especially those that use 256 MB of RAM. Bodhi Linux has a very light desktop, Moksha, and we can find it in two different versions: the 64-bit one, which is based on Ubuntu 20.04, and the 32-bit one (without PAE) which is based on Ubuntu 18.04. It has a very complete Wiki in which we will find everything we need to know about its installation, configuration and start-up of the system, and an application inside (AppCenter) from which we can download all kinds of software, themes and icon sets to be able to customize the appearance of this system in the best possible way.

We can download this Linux from the Bodhi website .

SliTaz

SliTaz is another of the most popular light Linux distros that we can find. This system has a Rolling Release development that we can find in two different branches: on the one hand, the “stable” version, suitable for all users, and on the other hand, the “cooking” version, which is the development version that we allows you to always be up to date. This Linux stands out mainly for being able to work on Pentium III computers with 256 MB of RAM memory, and occupying only 100 MB on the hard disk,

We can download SliTaz for free from its website.

Lubuntu

Ubuntu is one of the most popular and complete distros that we can find, but it is also true that it is one of the heaviest. Luckily, there are many different “flavors” of this distro, each with unique features that seek to gain a foothold within a certain group of users. And one of them is Lubuntu . This distro has a very light LXDE desktop that, together with the Openbox window manager, allows it to run on computers from before the year 2000 without problems, even on Pentium II with 128 MB of RAM. An ideal option to give a second life to that old computer that we have at home without having to use a “difficult Linux”.

We can download Lubuntu from its website.

Damn Small Linux

Although it may seem like a very old Linux, Damn Small Linux is one of the smallest and most functional distros that we can find. This system occupies less than 50 MB and can work on computers that have 16 MB of RAM, so we can literally run it on almost any computer we have, no matter how old it is. It stands out, above all, for maintaining compatibility with all kinds of old hardware and, at the same time, for allowing, among other things, to connect to the Internet. Why buy a computer if the PC from 30 years ago is still running on DSL?

Here we can download Damn Small Linux .

MXLinux

This Linux may not be as small as the previous ones, but we should group it as a light distro for less powerful computers. MX Linux is designed for those users who are looking for an elegant and high-performance system without sacrificing stability. This Linux comes by default with an XFCE desktop, for those who are looking for a fast environment with low resource consumption, although we can also find it with a KDE desktop, for those who are looking for something more “pretty”, in exchange for a high use of resources , and with “fluxbox” desktop, the lightest of the three for older machines.

We can download this distro for free from the MX Linux website .

If you are looking for stability, choose these Linux

If you already have a certain level of knowledge, and for you the most important thing is stability and reliability, look no further. These Linux systems are designed, above all, so that the most demanding users have a system that they know will not fail them. And not only that, but they can adjust and configure it to suit you.

ArchLinux

This is one of the distros par excellence for all those users who are looking for stability and performance in the purest Linux style. But it is also true that it is one of the most complicated distros to use. Arch Linux is literally configured from scratch. The installer (which, luckily, now has an assistant) allows us to choose each and every one of the system parameters, from the language distribution to the desktop and the packages that we want to install by default. It is a minimalist system where we will only have installed what we are really going to need, but nothing more. Its update model is Rolling Release, so we will always have the latest version of the Kernel, of the packages, and of the distro in general without having to update anything at all. Its package manager is Pacman.

From this link we can download Arch Linux .

Debian

Although Debian is not the most used Linux distro, at least directly, most of the most popular distributions (starting with Ubuntu) are based on it. Without Debian, the Linux world as we know it today would not exist. It is one of the most stable Linux systems that we can find. It uses a DEB package system and an APT package manager, so if you’ve taken your first steps inside Linux, it’s sure to be familiar to you. In this distro, above all, free software prevails, although, of course, we can install proprietary packages (such as programs, or drivers) if we need it. A system that, although not suitable for inexperienced users, is quite accessible in general terms.

From its website we can download Debian to install it on our PC.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Who said that Linux, being free, can’t make money? Red Hat is one of the companies that earns the most thanks to this operating system. RHEL is one of the distributions that best adapts to all types of companies, both for use in endpoints and in servers. And best of all, Red Hat provides excellent support for businesses so that, with the slightest problem, they can fix these problems. It is not a distro suitable for home use, but it is also a very important part of this ecosystem. It has its own RPM package manager (Red Hat Package Manager).

We can try Red Hat Enterprise Linux for free from its website, and, if we are a company, we can also buy it from its sales department.

OpenSUSE

OpenSUSE is one of the projects that cares most about making Linux accessible. This project is mainly based on three goals: to make it easy to download, install and start using, to take advantage of open source much better to continue growing and improving, and to simplify the development and packaging of programs as much as possible so that Linux can continue to grow. This Linux comes standard with GNOME and KDE desktops, and offers users two of the best tools we can find: its YaST installer and its SaX configuration software.

From this link we can download OpenSUSE to install it on our computer.

Manjaro

As we already said, Arch Linux is one of the best Linux we can find, but also one of the most complicated. Manjaro , on the other hand, brings us the best of Arch Linux in a very simple way. This system, instead of having to install and configure Arch from scratch, brings us a Linux already configured with a graphical installer that is very easy to use. Of course, without ever losing the essence of this system. It is also a Rolling Release distro that we can always keep up to date, and it has a Pacman package manager to install, update and delete all the software on our PC. Ideal for those who want the best Linux, but in a much simpler way.

We can download Manjaro from its website.

fedora

While Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a paid operating system designed for companies, Fedora is the free version of this system. This distro is also developed by the company Red Hat, and uses its own RPM package manager as standard, in addition to including some of the best functionalities and features of its older brother, such as SELinux (“Security-Enhanced Linux”). It is an excellent Linux both for walking around the house and for use in companies, both in terminals and in servers. An excellent, robust, stable and secure system that gives us everything we can expect. Of course, since it is free we do not have the support of Red Hat as it does with RHEL, although it has a large community on the Internet always ready to help.

The Fedora download is available on its website.

Parabola GNU/Linux-libre

Parabola is another distribution based on Arch whose main effort lies in being a 100% free, free and “hackable” distro. It seeks to become an easy-to-use Arch Linux, offering users a day-to-day system perfect for users who want to take their first steps in Arch, as well as for more advanced users who have been using this system for years and have mastered it. The perfection. It works in Live Mode, and comes with a good variety of packages installed by default so you won’t have any problems using it.

We can download Parabola GNU/Linux-libre from its website.

Privacy and security above all

Are you worried about your data? These Linux will help you to be calm. Thanks to these systems we will be able to connect to the Internet safely, protecting ourselves from all kinds of computer attacks, and, in addition, remaining 100% anonymous on the network. And, if we prefer, we can even test the security of our PC, or our network, to verify that our systems are indeed secure.

tails

Without a doubt, Tails is one of the most complete distros focused on privacy and anonymity that we can find. Even Edward Snowden himself recommended it for all those users who wanted to remain outside the control of the CIA. It is based on Debian, it can be run in Live Mode from a USB or DVD, and it stands out for always prioritizing privacy over everything else. All connections are made securely through the Tor network, and the goal of this distro is that when you turn off your PC, all traces of it disappear.

We can gain privacy if we enter here to download Tails .

KaliLinux

Kali Linux is one of the most advanced distributions for security experts that we can find. This distro has more than 600 programs installed and configured as standard, in addition to offering us the possibility of installing those that we may need if none of the previous ones suits our needs. It is available for both PC and other platforms such as ARM devices, and even smartphones. In addition, it has its Undercover Mode, which allows us to convert it (aesthetically, yes) into a Windows 10, and with Win-KeX, which allows us to run any program of this distro from the Windows Subsystem for Linux, WSL. It also has a good number of desktops to choose from, starting with XFCE and going through GNOME Shell, KDE Plasma and more.

We can download Kali Linux from its page.

BlackArch Linux

This is another of the most complete distros oriented to computer security, but in this case it uses Arch Linux as a base. This has more than 2,750 different hacking tools, in addition to offering us the possibility of installing any other tool that we want, or need, from their corresponding repositories. Although it allows us to choose the desktop we want to use, the ideal one, to keep its use of resources as low as possible, is XFCE. Also, if we have Arch Linux already installed, we can easily turn it into this BlackArch.

We can download BlackArch Linux from its website.

Whonix

This distro is based on Debian, but by default it offers an advanced design in which, above all, the security and privacy of all users prevail. The main objective of Whonix is to mitigate the most common attack vectors at all costs, but without complicating its use. This operating system makes use of Tor to protect user traffic and prevent IP or DNS leaks, it has a Live mode to be able to run it from RAM, hides keystrokes, protects network traffic, improves the entropy of the encryption, isolate applications and much more. Everything we can look for in terms of security is in one place: this.

We can download Whonix here .

Qubes OS

The name of this distro, Qubes OS , is due to the fact that it is designed so that absolutely everything that runs on it is done within virtualized environments with the Xen hypervisor, a kind of container, which is known as “qubes”. It is a totally open source distro and is focused on both personal and professional use. Its developers have used the latest technologies (such as Tor, GPG, U2F, etc.) to provide maximum security to users and thus make this OS one of the best in terms of security. Of course, we must already have a certain level of knowledge to use it.

Go to their website to download Qubes OS for free.

Alpine Linux

Alpine is an independent distro, non-commercial, and designed for all kinds of uses. This is a fairly advanced distro designed with those users who need extra security, simplicity, and efficiency in mind. It is true that it is not the distro that we are going to find installed on any PC, but it is one of the most used in microcomputers, and, above all, in Docker containers when it comes to virtualizing other services.

From here we can download Alpine Linux .

Specialized Linux Distros

Although most distributions of this system are generalist, there are some systems specially designed to fulfill a function. For example, we have systems prepared and optimized to play, others to solve scientific problems, others for education, others to function as multimedia servers…

Steam OS

SteamOS is one of the Linux distros that has given the most talk within the gaming communities. This Linux was born as the definitive system to play almost all Valve titles. However, the failure of the Steam Machines caused the project to be temporarily abandoned. Now, Valve seems to be working on it again thanks to the new portable console it is going to launch, and it seems to be starting to gain popularity again and to give hope to the Linux community. This system is based on Debian and seeks to become a solid system specially designed to load Steam’s Big Picture mode when booting from which allows us to access our entire library and even run Linux games (yes, with Proton and Wine).

We can download SteamOS from the Valve website.

lakka

If we are thinking of building a retro machine, Lakka is our best ally. This lightweight Linux comes with everything you need to turn your computer or device (such as the Raspberry Pi) into a complete retro gaming machine. It stands out for being a very powerful, light and robust system, which runs RetroPie natively above all else and to which we only have to introduce the roms to start playing. Of course, the fastest way, and OpenSource, to have our own retro gaming machine to which we can dedicate hours and hours of entertainment.

We can get down Lakka from here.

Ubuntu Studio

Ubuntu Studio is one of the most complete operating systems for creative people. This distro uses Ubuntu as a base, as we may have guessed, but it is optimized, both at the Kernel level and in the programs that are installed by default, to perform audio and video production tasks, graphic design, photo retouching and much more. We can find it by default with XFCE and Plasma desktops, although the installer allows us to choose the environment that we want to use. A system that has passed its pluses and minuses but that, today, is still one of the best options for multimedia editing.

Here we can download Ubuntu Studio .

AVLinux

This distro is specialized, above all, in audio and video production. AVLinux is based on Debian (specifically on MX Linux) and can be run in Live mode both from a USB and from a DVD, as well as installed on a hard drive to function as a general purpose operating system for our day to day. We can find this system with several desktops by default, but the most important thing is the large number of editing, retouching and production programs that are installed by default in this system.

We can download AVLInux at no cost from here.

Fedora Scientific

Fedora Scientific is the perfect distro for those users who need to have at hand the best tools for scientific and numerical work. This system is a “Spin” of Fedora, which has been customized to perform these jobs. It uses a KDE desktop as its base and includes a large number of libraries such as the GNU Scientific library or SciPy, as well as tools such as Octave or xfig, composition or graphics programs such as Kile or Inkscape and much more. A system for a very specific audience but that perfectly fulfills its purpose.

Here we can download Fedora Scientific .

What are the most popular Linux distros?

If you still can’t decide between one distro or another, seeing a list of the most used and the ones that cause the most interest to users can also help us decide between one and the other. In this way, according to the data offered by the DistroWatch portal, the most popular systems and the ones that raise the most interest among users are the following:

• MXLinux . A great project based on Debian with an XFCE desktop that gives us an elegant appearance together with an easy to use system, very stable and light.
• EndeavourOS . Great Linux distro, based on Arch, that allows us to choose to customize all aspects of the system from the installation. An easy and fast way to have Arch Linux on your PC.
• Manjaro . Another excellent Arch-based distro for those users who want all the advantages of this Linux, but that is also easy to use.
• mint . In a short time, this system has managed to gain ground on Ubuntu. Although it is based on it, it changes many internal aspects of it to please the community.
• Pop!_OS. Another Ubuntu-based distro with a custom GNOME desktop designed both to mimic the look and feel of Windows 11 and to allow users to work with it optimally and without distractions.
• Ubuntu . Canonical’s popular distro. One of the best gateways to the Linux world, but which is losing more and more followers.
• Debian . Without a doubt, one of the most important Linux projects. A system where free software prevails and which tends to become the destination of experienced users due to its balance between ease and stability.
• Basic OS . A distro based on Ubuntu, but that includes a large number of changes and graphic improvements to give this system a modern and renewed touch.
• Garuda . This system is based on Arch, but its developers have decided to give greater importance to the graphical interface so that the system is easier to use and more accessible.
• Fedora . This system becomes Red Hat’s “go home” system. It has all the advantages of RHEL, to which we must add the fact that it is a free system, much easier to use, and with a wide variety of “flavors” thanks to Fedora Spins.