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Erlan Akbaraliev
Erlan Akbaraliev

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Linux distros

#beginners #cli #linux
  • Getting started
  • What's the difference between all these distros?
  • What the f*ck is a distro?

Getting started

After installing wsl itself, you will be required to install a Linux distro. If you haven't installed a Linux distro, running wsl on Powershell gives you this result:

wsl
подсистема Windows для Linux не имеет установленных дистрибутивов.
Чтобы устранить эту проблему, установите дистрибутив с инструкциями ниже:

Используйте "wsl.exe --list --online' для перечисления доступных дистрибутивов
и "wsl.exe --install <Distro>" для установки.
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In English:

  • wsl.exe --list --online to list all the available Linux distros
  • wsl.exe --install <Distro> to install a distro

Let's list all the available distros

wsl.exe --list --online
Ниже указан список допустимых дистрибутивов, которые можно установить.
Установить с помощью "wsl.exe --install <Distro>".

NAME                   FRIENDLY NAME
Ubuntu                 Ubuntu
Ubuntu-24.04           Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
openSUSE-Tumbleweed    openSUSE Tumbleweed
openSUSE-Leap-16.0     openSUSE Leap 16.0
kali-linux             Kali Linux Rolling
Debian                 Debian GNU/Linux
AlmaLinux-8            AlmaLinux OS 8
AlmaLinux-9            AlmaLinux OS 9
AlmaLinux-Kitten-10    AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10
AlmaLinux-10           AlmaLinux OS 10
FedoraLinux-43         Fedora Linux 43
FedoraLinux-42         Fedora Linux 42
Ubuntu-20.04           Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Ubuntu-22.04           Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
openSUSE-Leap-15.6     openSUSE Leap 15.6
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What's the difference between all these distros?

Ubuntu (standard choice)

  • Best for: beginners, web developers, and general use
  • Why: The most popular Linux distro, if you run into a problem, solutions can be easily found on Google or StackOverflow
  • Versions: -- Ubuntu (no number): The latest version (always the latest version) -- Ubuntu-24.04: The specific version (uses this specific version even if a new upgrade will be available)

Why you may want to use a specific version?
You want to have the same Linux distro version as the server or you are working in a team and you want to have the same version as your teammates.

Debian (the stable core)

  • Best for: users who want to very lightweight, stable distro
  • Why: The Ubuntu is actually built on top of Debian. Debian is know for being 'rock solid' because it only includes software that has been thoroughly tested, though its packages are slightly older, and not every feature you need may exist there.

Kali Linux (the specialist)

  • Best for: cybersecurity professionals
  • Why: it comes pre-loaded with tools for penetration testing and security auditing. If you are not doing 'ethical hacking', you don't need this

Fedora, AlmaLinux (the enterprise path)

  • Best for: corporate environments or Red Hat (RHEL) ecosystems
  • Why: Fedora is the 'bleeding edge' for Red Hat technologies. AlmaLinux is a stable, free alternative to RHEL, often used for servers.

OpenSuse (the swiss knife)

  • Best for: Sys admins
  • Why: it comes pre-loaded with a lot of configuration tools that make managing the system very easy. Tumbleweed is the rolling disease (always the newest software and sometimes with bugs), Leap is the stable version.

What the f*ck is a distro?

Linux is the engine of a car and distro is everything else (wheels, interface, inside car heating system, cool map showing screen, ai features etc.)

Distro is the ready to use version of the Linux Operating system.
You can't just use Linux, because it's just an engine, you have to build a car around it and include all the things you need (guns like of James Bonds car, I hope not).
Linux is the Kernel which means the engine.

Linux, the engine, is open-source, so anybody can build a car around it, therefore there are so many versions of Linux distros.

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