Linux‘s shadow is long. And it is that, although the most important thing is the development of Kernel (since it is the main part of the ecosystem) there is an increasing number of distributions to choose from. Each of them also has different characteristics to offer the best possible experience to a specific group of users. Ubuntu is the best known distro within this ecosystem. However, times change, and 2020 has been a strange year in every way, so much so that it no longer even occupies the podium among the three most used distributions.
Distrowatch is the most complete Linux distros search engine that we can find. In it we can find any distribution that exists, whether popular, such as Ubuntu, as new or less known distros that do not have more than a dozen users. For users who want to always try something new, or keep up to date with new versions, this website is the header of your browser. In addition, it has a complete metric system thanks to which we can know which have been the most searched distributions in the last year. And, therefore, which ones have generated the most interest.
The three most used Linux distributions
Although we could expect to see Ubuntu here, the Canonical distro is only losing followers, more and more. Instead, there are other excellent alternatives that are gaining the trust of more and more users. For example, the most sought after distro in all of 2020 has been MX Linux . This distro, based on Debian, offers us an elegant and functional desktop, showing excellent performance and great stability. For this reason, more and more users find their home within MX.
Another of the most sought after systems in 2020 has been Manjaro . This system is not based on Debian like most, but on Arch Linux. The difference is that while installing and using Arch Linux is a real nightmare, Manjaro simplifies all this for us, allowing us to enjoy all the benefits of Arch Linux without the headaches.
And thirdly we have Mint . This Linux, based on Ubuntu, was born as an alternative to correct all the problems of this distro (which were not few). And although its take off has been very slow, today it is more popular than Canonical’s distro, developing the system that users really want, without experiments, proprietary packages or advertising.
Other distros that allow us to savor this operating system
In fourth place, finally, we find Ubuntu . The Canonical distro loses more and more users and more followers, and no wonder. Canonical is not interested in it, offering poor updates and no news, dismal support of 9 months (except LTS) and never the latest version of the kernel. Ubuntu is less and less Linux, and people seek more and more purity in this sense.
Debian occupies the fifth place in the ranking of most used distros, one of the best experiences and best support that we can find. In sixth place we find Elementary OS , one of the distros that takes care of every last detail. Pop! _OS , in seventh place, is one of the few distros that has gained popularity throughout 2020, a minimalist and fully functional system, ideal for those who want to experience the purest Linux.
And the eighth, ninth and tenth places are occupied by the Solus , Fedora and Zorin distros. Without a doubt, 2020 has been a very busy year in every way. And everything indicates that 2021 is going to continue to be a strange year, at least in terms of interest and use of Linux distros. And who knows, maybe 2021 gets to be the famous “year of Linux on the desktop” that all the webs talk about every year.