Have you heard people say that “all Linux is the same?” Are you unsure how two Linux distributions that share a software base can be different? Let me explain what’s going on, and why developers have made so many distros.
There’s a popular notion that all Linux distributions are essentially the same, and that you can start with one distro andpotentially customize itenough to work and feel like a different distro. While theoretically that is possible, practically it would require weeks of technical troubleshooting—and even then you might fail! Now why would you put yourself through this trouble when somebody else has probably done the work for you and is offering it for free—as a new distro? As such, from a practical standpoint, all distros arenotthe same. Here’s how they differ from one another and why these differences matter.
The Choice of Desktop Environment
I have always said that the choice ofdesktop environment (DE) matters more than the distributionitself, at least for most folks. The DE dictates what you interact with every day—the panels, the menus, the system tray, and the overall vibe. To put this in perspective, look at theUbuntu family. You’ve got standard Ubuntu, which ships with GNOME; Kubuntu, which swaps that out for KDE Plasma; Xubuntu, which uses XFCE; and Lubuntu, which runs LXQt. Under the hood, all these distros use the same Ubuntu core, but the different desktop environments make the overall user experience unique for each.
Now, you might wonder—why not just pick any distro and install whichever DE you want on top? In theory, that’s possible, but in practice, it’s a recipe for trouble. Replacing an already installed DE with another, or living with two different DEs, often leads to technical issues. Troubleshooting or fixing these errors can eat up a lot of time—time that most Linux users, especially newcomers, can’t or simply don’t want to invest.
In fact, I triedinstalling KDE Plasma on Ubuntuand it was an absolute disaster. It’s much smoother and straightforward to use a distribution that’s designed around a particular desktop environment, where everything feels cohesive and works out of the box!
Generally, there might be a developer who likes a distro from a technical standpoint but dislikes the graphical side or interface. So they swap out the default DE for something else and upload the result to the internet, creating a brand-new user experience—a brand-new distro. As a result, we don’t have to worry about the technical setup and just use a distro specifically designed with the base and DE of our choice.
Some distros likeManjaroorLinux Mintsupport multiple DEs. This eliminates the need to switch distros to use a different DE, but that’s not yet the case foralldistros.
Stability vs. Cutting Edge
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, routine updates are the lifeblood of any operating system. They keep your system fresh with new features, bug fixes, and security patches. The main problem with OS updates is that they can arrive unexpectedly and disrupt your routine workflow—a well-known trauma amongWindows users.
Thankfully, Linux gives you full control over how often you want these updates. Do you want new features and software as soon as they’re released? Or would you rather get a big batch of updates every six months or every couple of years? You have this choice with Linux.
Rolling release distributionslike Arch Linux or openSUSE Tumbleweed ship updates for all your apps and system tools as soon as they are made available by the developers. You can set a weekly or bi-weekly routine to install them and keep your system fresh and minty.
On the flip side, you have fixed or stable release distros, releasing major system upgrades after a set amount of time. For example, new Fedora versions drop every six months whereas Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) releases drop every two years. I should mention that these distros will push out bug fixes or security patches promptly—it’s just the major feature updates that you need to wait for.
Now, the reason that stable release distros wait longer is that they test all the system components to ensure optimal system stability. This doesn’t mean rolling release distros are unstable. In fact, I daily driveGaruda Linux, an Arch-based rolling release distro, and it’s more than reliable enough for everyday use. However, stable release distros are just a bitmorestable making them ideal for production-ready environments. Furthermore, the fact that you don’t need to worry about the entire system changing for six months or two years makes it ideal for projects where you need a system to stay consistent for a long time.
While on this topic, I should also talk about the support window. Stable releases have defined lifespans—Fedora is supported for about 13 months, Ubuntu non-LTS releases for nine months, and LTS releases for five years—after which you have to upgrade the system. However, with rolling releases, there’s no set support window and there’s a continuous stream of updates coming your way!
Software Availability
The choice of Linux distro can influence which apps and tools are easily available to you. This isn’t to say that only certain distros can use certain apps. In fact, irrespective of your distro, you can get almost any app or tool you need—it’s just a question of how easy the process will be. Some apps are more readily available on certain distros than others.
For example, Fedora leans heavily intoopen source, so its official repository is packed with open-source tools and developer-friendly software, and it leaves out all closed-source options by default. If you need proprietary apps, you’ll need to enable a third-party repository likeRPM Fusion, which isn’t difficult, but an extra hoop you need to jump through.
In contrast, Ubuntu makes it easier to get closed-source applications, either from its official repos or through Snap packages. However, many people (including me) preferFlatpaks over Snaps, so they need toinstall Flatpak on Ubuntu, which is another step between you and the app you want to use. Linux Mint uses Flatpaks instead of Snaps by default, which makes it a better option for me and folks with similar preferences.
This difference in software availability tends to be found in the central problem the distro is trying to solve and the underlying philosophy of the development team. Some strictly prefer open-source software on philosophical grounds, while others are open to proprietary code. Some are building a distro for general use while others are optimizing it for specific use cases. This preference tips the scales, making some apps easier to install than others, depending on the distro you’re using.
Driver Support and Hardware Compatibility
Sometimes installing Linux on certain hardware can get a little unpredictable. A distribution can work flawlessly on your machine, but when your friend tries it on their laptop or desktop, it might not cooperate. More often than not, the culprit is driver support.
Ubuntu generally has excellent out-of-the-box driver support, which is why it (and its derivatives) have built a solid reputation for working on a wide range of hardware. This is also a big reason why many peoplerecommend Ubuntu for beginners—itjust works, without much troubleshooting.
These driver issues are most common in laptops, especially with niche Bluetooth or Wi-Fi modules. However, the biggest sticking point—common in both laptops and desktops—tends to bedrivers for NVIDIA graphics cards. You need the proprietary NVIDIA driver for optimal performance, but not all distributions include it out-of-the-box. This can even make installing the distro problematic, as you might face graphical issues during installation. For example, my system is running an RTX 3060 GPU and I ran into a lot of issues trying to install Fedora. But both Ubuntu and Garuda Linux Dragonized Gaming Edition installed just fine, since they include proprietary NVIDIA drivers out of the box.
Now, some distros go beyond just driver inclusion—they make kernel-level tweaks and bundle (or leave out) specific tools to optimize compatibility with particular hardware. For example, CachyOS is designed forcutting-edge, high-performance hardware, whereas Xubuntu and Linux Lite are all aboutbreathing new life into aging machineswith limited resources.
Preconfigured for Specific Workflows
The diversity of Linux distributions isn’t simply limited to the filters of appearance, software, and system compatibility, but extends to your specific use cases and workflows. These are distros specifically configured with all the apps and system-specific customization you might want, so you can just dive in and start working.
For example, if you’re into cybersecurity,Kali Linuxships with a dedicated system optimized for pen testing and ethical hacking. If you’re a content creator,Ubuntu Studiocomes packed with all the audio and video editing tools you might need.Garuda Dragonized Gaming Edition, which is what I use, is one of the best gaming distros shipping with all the gaming apps and optimization out of the box.
That said, sometimes it’s less about what you want to do, and more about how you want to do it. Maybe you’re used to Windows and want a user experiencemimicking that of Windows 7 or XP, in which case you have options like Linux Mint and Zorin OS. Whereas, if you want something moreakin to macOS, you may go for elementary OS or PearOS.
Every Linux distro is different for a reason and now that you know thehowandwhy, you’re able to focus onfinding the one that truly fits youinstead of chasing some mythical best distro.
