There are hundreds of Linux distributions out there each varying in their purpose of use and the level of expertise the user needs.
There are too...
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Most people say Ubuntu-like distros, but personally like Manjaro better even for beginners. Ubuntu might have more resources online, but Manjaro has a better out-of-the-box hardware compatibility. It is easier to maintain software updated with its package manager, while repositories in Ubuntu quickly get old.
I started with Mint and even installed it for some non-techie relatives that wanted to try. Mint is really, really good and It's a perfect choice for beginners, but I firmly believe that Manjaro will provide them with the same or more ease at the beginning while allowing them to use the latest software available.
I don’t think recommending an Arch based or any rolling release distro to a beginner is a good idea. These distros are close to bleeding-edge, and if anything goes wrong with an update, it is not going to be pretty. I agree with the majority of the comments, the way to go to get you started is an Ubuntu based distro, maybe something like Pop!_OS or mint are good sweet spots. Then go for other alternatives once you have some familiarity with the system
Well, If anything goes wrong with an update it's not going to be pretty in any distro. I agree as well with Ubuntu being a great start. I just find that Manjaro, even being Arch based, is not as likely to require driver installation or to give you obsolete software.
Manjaro does a pretty good job. But I agree with both sides here. Rolling release will certainly cause issues for you at some point, but I don't think it's as big a deal as it's made out to be. Manjaro does a good job keeping things stable and I think anyone taking their first steps into Linux should expect their first os to be more of a sacrificial learning os than something they can count on (until they get a feel for troubleshooting).
The idea of recommending a "friendly" distro to get started is precisely avoid the "sacrificial learning" part in the beginning, and let the person expand its horizon with time. You cannot expect a newcomer form another OS to stay if you put it to deal with too much stuff from the beginning. Also, a great deal of people just want to "do stuff", not focus on maintaining the system. I am not saying the Manjaro or other rolling-release distros are bad options; I just would not recommend for a beginner unless it has some technical background (which we should never assume is the case), based in the fact the rolling-release concept is something that is not a thing for a common user in other OSS and you have to understand it from minute 1. In those terms, I do believe recommending distros that have similar approaches (and even appearance) to Windows/Mac is often a better advice. Curiosity will come with time and they can eventually move to more "customizable" distros if they want to.
As an aside note, if we are talking about the first distribution for a technical savvy person who wants to really learn, maybe vanilla Arch will be a way better recommendation. But this kind of "beginners" are a minority and the idea is give advice that applies for the majority.
I'm using rolling release for a year and half now, haven't faced a issue with package update, and about manjaro it's pretty beginner's friendly because they make sure packages are stable unlike rolling release.
anyway the best way to learn is to face errors and fix it yourself or if you're too afraid then you can always go the stable distros.
There have better conjectures on whether holding back packages for a week gives that better stability.
Anyway, my experience with Manjaro was so far so good, and it was a few months too; before I switched to vanilla Arch (and sometimes Xubuntu or Mint).
Yes. First time I tried Manjaro an year ago everything worked out of the box. Then an update broke nvidia graphics driver and WiFi driver. I fixed those issues with an Ethernet connection but it will scare away most new users.
Firstly, I do recommend people start with Arch (not Arch-based), if they dare - it's not wrong; and older kernels do have worse drivers, anyway. Also, ArchWiki is so good, if they ran into any probems.
Also, first issues in Linux probably won't be instability or crashes, but rather WiFi and graphic cards. It's more that they will find manuals and helps and communities or not...
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
Great insight, thanks for sharing 😉👍
Most user friendly distro is the one you use the most. Newcomers get stuck up in this silly question but the reality is just this simple, pick up one and use it, open browser and google the issue and get to work. Once you learn the basic on one distro, switching to any distro is really easy.
Personally I started with fedora, because I believe
yum (and now dnf)is much better package manager thanapt-get. These days, I use Pop_OS! for gaming, Manjaro for home use, solus for development. My office had ubuntu-lts, I later got permission for elementary os (The policy allowed for ubuntu lts based only) but since I am working from home, I was allowed to modify script on whatever distro I wanted to use.Bunch of shell scripts customization, a lot of internet search, and a lot of dedication, will be needed no matter what distro one choose to use.
Also, since I distro-hop a lot, I prefer gnome desktop everywhere.
True, even though KDE might be very customizable, or the light weight contenters have their merits, nothing could separate me from Gnome 😏
Thanks for the insight 👍😉
Linux Mint.
1.)It is Ubuntu Compatible so anything which works on Ubuntu/Debian works on Mint.
2.)It's based on Ubuntu LTS so it's very stable. 5 years of support is cool
3.)Clem creates forks and maintains software which make sense. Cinnamon & Nemo were created because Upstream GNOME and Files removed features. Likewise Chromium is a native app maintained separately by Mint Team not a snap wrapper like Ubuntu. They didn't bundle Amazon ads when Ubuntu did.
4.)Hardware support. Mint runs on variety of hardware and ships with non-free applications like codecs to make things easier for new users.
Thanks for sharing, I see a lot of love for Mint 💯✨
Hate to jump on the band wagon, but either Ubuntu (or a variation of) or now Deepin. Ubuntu for stability or Deepin for MACOS or even Windows aesthetic familiarity. Ease of use is relative to an individual so I don't see a use in comparing difficulty.
Thanks for sharing 👍😉
Most people who wanna try Linux, does not face technical problem initially but the new UI which they can't able to get used to. and the second one is the software availablity. Almost, all popular linux-based distros are beginners friendly (except fews). So who came from windows, can try linux mint, Kubuntu, ubuntu kyrin etc. And who are from MacOS can try Deepin, elementary os, etc.
But I would recommend using Ubuntu if you can. As it's stable and well documented. And last, try few distro and see which is best for you.
Thanks for sharing 🙏❤
I would recommend every beginner who's switching from Windows OS to start your Linux journey from MINT LINUX which is based on Ubuntu and is a Debian based OS and very smooth and with user friendly interface.
Awesome! Thanks 🙏❤
Manjaro will support your Linux learning from cradle to grave. It's easy out of the box, has the aur for when you're not familiar with building from source, and can let you swap out kernel modules easily. That being said, manjaro will remember and build upon all the little mistakes you make in configurations, and eventually stuff can just start to break.
For this reason I'd like to point out Clear Linux. It won't work as a primary computer for most, but if everything you need happens to be in a flatpak or swupd (or of you don't mind building from source but that's not beginner friendly) it makes for an effortless experience. The stateless design helps prevent the issue of old configs breaking things unnoticed. The containerized apps provides further stability. The automatic updates make life easier and helps Linux feel less like a second tech job. Gnome is user friendly enough, although most windows converts would have an easier time in KDE. Of course the glaring issue of app availability will keep clear os from the limelight, but I was surprised by user friendly it was when I gave it a try. Only technical thing I had to do to my install that I would want a newbie to do is disable the ssh service and socket through systemctl.
Edit: just grab Ubuntu and jump in. Picking distros is not especially important and you'll get the best beginner level advice on Ubuntu. Clear Linux is not going to serve you well if you want to learn about Linux because it's so different from the rest and has a tiny community. It's more of a plug and play distro than one that will help you learn.
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
You're welcome! Just note my edit: if your looking to learn Linux and use a beginner friendly distro, Clear Linux won't help you with the learning part. The rules in that OS don't work the same as almost any other Linux OS and it will almost certainly hinder your learning if you start there.
This is useful, thanks 😉👍
You're most likely going to run into issues at some point, so I recommend using a distro with a good community. Ubuntu-based operating systems have been good to me for well over a decade. I will specifically recommend giving Pop!_OS a try (also Ubuntu-based). They've been doing great work.
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
At first I ask from wich OS he comes. Then I took a desktop, which looks like the old one. So the change isn't too bad for him.
The distro isn't so interesting for non technical people, so if I will get support, I chose a distro, which I am familiar with...
In this case, debian like OS systems...
First, I would ask why he wanted to use Linux, lol.
But I don't know what to say for people who only expect more free beer.
Thanks for this 🙏❤
In my opinion it's Zorin OS Core, 15 or 16 it doesn't matter (even tho I'd rather recommend the 16 one if you'd like to have the new stuff that really is interesting) it's a really beginner friendly distro with the best things from both Windows and Mac, and even if the installation and some details are Ubuntu based it really stays original and completely different from every Ubuntu based distros, if you have a bit of knowledge when it comes up to Linux distros you can for Manjaro it has a better out-of-the-box hardware compatibility, oh but don't even consider any arch Linux based because it is made for professionals and specifically people with a lot of knowledge in coding.
Thanks for sharing 🙏❤
I have a personal love for Solus. The budgie desktop is extremely clean. Plenty of app in their "app store". Everything just works great. Honestly there hasn't been anything yet I have had an issue with. Except zoom and I found easy peasy instructions for installing that through flatpak.Its also booting through secure boot (just have to update the signature each time the kernel updates, which isn't often).
Thanks for the share 🙏❤
For me...
Fedora was the winner!
I was fed up with the constant battle of stability vs bleeding edge.
I wanted a solid base with the latest packages.
I was using arch and manjaro as well but sometimes the updates were #$&@.
My recommendation is the following:
Do not listen to the mainstream!
Examples? And as a beginner-friendly and a first distro, is Fedora?
Solid advice 😉👍 Find one that works for you 😉
Ubuntu will be the best choice for beginners.
But Manjaro is 🔥
I really love Manjaro 💚🥰
Thanks for sharing this 🙏❤
I would recommend linux mint for complete beginners, it's an debian based and is lighter when compared to few other distros, though it is having less developers still have almost all the software for everyday usage, and finally it comes with a Lts support,
But if you want a flashy or new kind of os, then I would definitely suggest debain ubuntu, pop os, deepin or arch-based, such as Manjaro, garuda, endeavour os, but these are much resource hungry when compared to mint
If you are planning for hacking, then kali is the better.
These were the stuff I have used, so I am giving these as example, there might be a better os
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
I have tried atleast 10 Linux Distros and my vote is Linux Mint. It is the easiest and similar to Windows. Biginners should begin their Linux journey with it
Thanks for the valuable input 🙏❤
A "friendly" Linux distribution inherently needs to meet some rather difficult criteria, not starting with shinyness or the latest packages. Here are the most obvious ones:
It must be suitable for any normal use, from business to casual users. Technical users should be supported, but not three primary focus.
There must be both paid direct support and community support available.
It must be consistent and straightforward to carry out normal tasks.
It must have a reliable path to updates that are better to avoid problems and be able to receive critical security updates without delay.
It must be able to function without any of the above for extended periods of time without any of the above.
These criteria soundly rule out any distribution not based on RedHat or Debian, and trend towards Debian based heavily since the IBM purchase.
I rule out Mint and Manjaro for reasons that should be obvious if you actually intend the end user to be successful:
Mint is essentially Ubuntu (or Debian if you choose the LMDE release) with Cinnamon as the default desktop, I have used it and still do not understand the point to introducing more points of failure to have a slightly nicer Debian installer.
Manjaro is based on Arch, an otherwise fantastic technical distribution. But Arch is not supported commercially, is a rolling release and it's configuration is simply put of the scope of normal use.
This really only leaves Ubuntu and it's major flavours currently. Despite the drop in fad appeal, it provides everything necessary. I would suggest Debian, but installation is a bit less refined.
Thnaks for the input 👍😉
To me, this is a difficult question, as in my experience, Linux always means some learning curve, and some drop-outs - and eventually some distro-hopping might be inevitable. (And whether you come from Windows or macOS will affect DE choice.)
But if I had to choose - Linux Mint, with that Welcome Screen. I feel it even more friendly than Ubuntu.
OpenSUSE with YaST2 is good too, but there are some multimedia codec issues.
Thanks for sharing 👍😉
Ubuntu: You somehow need to use Linux immediately.
Manjaro: You want to learn and use Linux but you want something that just work.
Arch: You really want to learn Linux hard way.
Edit 1:
More detailed answer.
Ubuntu is ready to use. It requires least knowledge of all distros I mentioned. You can find most answers by searching a bit.
Manjaro is similar to Ubuntu and Arch. It is ready to use. Since it is Arch-compatible, you can find some tutorial better.
Arch is the most difficult among three. However, it's so popular. It even has an official Minecraft launcher installation package. If someone wants to know Linux inside out, Arch is one of the best distro. ArchWiki is filled with information for common problems already. It needs more time to learn anyway.
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
Linux MINT anyday.. I have been using since almost 26 months...
coming from windows, I havent felt alien on any given day, and never felt a need to go back to windows.. i have tried other distros, while some Look great, they r not necessarily new-user friendly..
I am using Linux Mint with cinnamon.
Thanks for the recommendation 🙏❤
I really prefer Ubuntu. But if you are a beginner in Linux environment, you could try Zorin OS. It's great especially if you're a Windows user. Zorin OS is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution designed especially for the beginners. It has a Windows GUI and many programs similar to those found in Windows.The most interesting thing is, Zorin OS comes with an application that lets users run many Windows programs.
Thanks for the input 😉👍
I'll add my 2 cents to the stream of Arch and Ubuntu derivatives recommendations : I personally prefer rolling releases, I use Fedora at work and Manjaro at home. The freshnest is a must for me, and I actually find debugging my system to be somewhat enjoyable from time to time ( don't judge me I know you secretly live it too ).
But for total, non tech-savvy beginners, coming from Windows or Mac, I think the most important features are stability and familiarity. In this case, the DE matters a lot, which is why I would recommend Windowsfx, Elementary OS or anything with deepin on top.
Thanks for the share 😉👍
My advice now is PopOS.
There's a lot.... go through some to know what you like. 20 years using Linux in the desktop and many, maaaany distros after, I circle around Elementary OS or PopOS. Elementary is easy enough that even my mom used without problems, but Pop comes with GREAT laptop support and flathub out of the box for a great app ecosystem.
Thanks for the share 🙏❤
Ever hear about Linux From Scratch ;)? If you want a more Windows looking environment Zorin OS is good. If you're used to Mac OS, elementary OS is good. Both are based on Ubuntu so finding help if you have any problems should be easy. Other than those I would stick to Ubuntu based distros. Try to find an interface that you think you'll be comfortable with, would also look for the inclusion of a graphical package and update/upgrade managers, unless you feel comfortable with using the terminal. The nice thing is that most distros give you the option to try them before installing them on your system. Hope this is helpful, good luck on finding a distro.
Thanks for the share 🙏❤
I'd say definitely give a try to pop os, one of my new favorite, i use it for work , study and some gaming. I found there's good documentation/support out there, easy to use out of the box, and very customizable. Give a try to the built in tiling window option, if you are interested, it helped me a lot with productivity, plus if you learn a couple of keyboard shortcuts you can create nice workflows or layouts. Also has an app-store for .deb and flatpack packages , in case you don't want to install everything through the terminal
Thanks for the recommendation 🙏❤
Linux Mint is the Distro You need , I am using it for past 3 years and it's one of the most stable distros out there. Also it got some well over 30000 repo of packages.
Thanks for the recommendation 🙏❤
I'm impressed by Fedora lately. Took a chance on it since I've always been a Debian/Suse guy but I'm actually impressed by Fedora in terms of speed and stability and ease of use. Kudos to the team.
Thanks for the info 👍😉
One-click install, yast, online package search, intuitive design. Vote for OpenSuse.
Didn't know about that, thanks 👍😉
I would recommend Kubuntu, as it has the KDE environment & has a lot of features and is very user friendly. If you are switching from windows then you would have no problems in adapting to it.
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
My mom has a slightly modified xubuntu that runs since 18.04. and she never had any problems. When she runs windows she gives up after 10 minutes and calls me...
Haha, made my day 😀😀
My choice as beginners Ubuntu, Manjaro
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
As a Web Developer I have always preferred Debian based distros. Over 10 years of distro-hopping I have tried: Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Crunchbang, Suse Tumbleweed, Arch, Manjaro, Elementary, Mint, Zorin, Kali and ParrotOS for testing their penetration tools, and plain wonderful Debian where I tried every WM and DE.
I've riced KDE, Gnome, i3WM, and Awesome.
I have always wanted to try Fedora and Centos, but never got around to it. Maybe on my older Thinkpad T400.
BUT NOW, I absolutely require super solid stability. No more hopping around and ricing my environment. I am in love with Pop OS pop.system76.com/
It's incredibly stable, built by an amazing team of dedicated professionals and the community is so helpful.
My terminal of choice (after using Termite, Terminator, and Tilix for years) now I use Alacritty + tmux. Nvim is installed for quick file edits but I use VS Code 98% of the time.
Feel free to ask me anything ;)
Thank you for sharing, great insight 🙏❤
I personally think that Ubuntu is great, even if you hit a problem, there are just so much resources online.
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
Zorin OS is the best distro for beginners.
Clean, polished and fast. You can choose familiar layout like windows or macos.
Thanks for the recommendation🙏❤
Good idea! 👍
But user should have that much time and patience.
Ubuntu !
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
I would say Debian
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
I'd say Ubuntu, Manjaro, Arch .... in this order.
Thanks for sharing! 🙏❤
Thanks for the share 🙏❤
Thanks for the input 🙏❤
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
Thanks for the insight 🙏❤
Gentoo can be good for any patient beginner who want to learn Linux,
After mastering gentoo, we can try LFS
Thanks a lot for suggestion 🙏❤