Linux is user friendly but

Top 8 User Friendly Linux Distributions for Beginners

Totally new to Linux, and want to give a try? Here are some of the Linux Distributions friendly to beginners.

Linux is a family of open-source operating systems based on Linux Kernel. As there are so many distributions available, I’ll list the top 8 that are easy to use for beginners.

8. Solus

Solus, formerly known as Evolve OS, is an independently developed OS for 64-bit processor. The system provides 4 desktop editions: Budgie, GNOME, MATE, and KDE.

Its own Budgie Desktop provides the classic Windows look-like desktop appearance, along with settings utility to change themes, fonts, and manage panel items. And it also has a Gnome style ‘System Settings’ to configure many other settings.

Solus ships with a variety of software out of the box. Besides its own package repository, it also support Snap and Flatpak with more choices.

7. Elementary OS

Elementary OS is a Linux system based on Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support). It was marked as the most beautiful Linux Distribution. Now it promotes itself as “fast, open, and privacy-respecting” replacement to macOS and Windows.

The system features Pantheon desktop. Along with the custom apps including Photos, Music, Videos, Calendar, Terminal, Files, and more, it’s ready to use without any customization.

With the benefit of Ubuntu and Flatpak, a huge collection of software packages is available for the system.

6. Zorin OS

Zorin OS is another Ubuntu based system designed especially for those new to Linux.

The system has 4 editions in the download page. While “Ultimate” need to play for downloading, the core, lite, and education editions are free.

It features a customized GNOME desktop, aims to be the alternative to Windows and macOS. Zorin OS is clean and polished. And it has an appearance dialog to change the desktop layout with single click.

Thanks to Wine and PlayOnLinux, many Windows applications can be easily installed on Zorin OS via simply a few clicks.

5. Deepin Linux

Deepin is a Debian based Linux distribution that focuses much of its attention on intuitive design.

Deepin is the most beautiful Linux system as far as I can see. It features Deepin Desktop Environments with its core applications.

Deepin Linux is developed by a company from China. It ships with its own WPS Office with full MS Office file support, as well as CodeWeavers’ CrossOver, the paid, commercialized version of Wine.

Installing Windows apps, e.g., WeChat, QQ, is quite easy in Deepin. It’s the best Linux OS for users from China.

4. Fedora

Fedora is a Linux distribution developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and owned by Red Hat, a subsidiary of IBM.

Same to Ubuntu, Fedora announces new releases every year in April and October. However, each release has only 9-month support. And Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, uses Fedora as his main Linux Distro.

Due to the close relationship between Gnome and Fedora, Fedora Workstation (the desktop edition) is always the first to benefit from the latest Gnome Shell releases.

Fedora Workstation is bleeding edge. It’s always the first to get the new technologies, drivers and package updates. And the desktop appearance is easy to configure via System Settings, Gnome Tweaks, Dconf Editor, as well as Gnome Shell Extensions. However, installing proprietary drivers is not easy for beginners.

3. Manjaro

Manjaro is a Linux Distro based on Arch Linux. It focuses on user-friendliness and accessibility.

Different to other Linux, Arch Linux and Manjaro uses a “rolling release” system. Which means you don’t have to re-install or upgrade the whole system again and again.

It features three desktop editions with XFCE, KDE, and GNOME. The system looks modern and works out-of-the-box with a variety of pre-installed software.

The XFCE and KDE editions has the classic Windows like style layout. And Gnome defaults to top panel with left dock. It however has a settings dialog to the UI layout.

The package manager ‘pamac’ is great, it enables ability to get the latest software packages from either main repository, AUR (Arch User Repository), flathub, or snap store all in one. As well, it has built-in utilities to install the latest Kernels, and proprietary NVIDIA drivers.

2. Ubuntu:

Ubuntu is the top popular Linux Distribution ranked by Google Trends. Not only for the Desktop, but also popular as Linux Server and for clouding computing.

Like Fedora, Ubuntu announces new releases every 6 months. Versions released in April of even-year (e.g., 16.04, 18.04, 20.04) are LTS with 5-year support. All others has only 9-month support.

Ubuntu is based on Debian, and uses GNOME as the default Desktop Environment. The Desktop is not perfect out of the box, the Software Center sucks, media codec is not pre-installed, clicking app icon on dock does not minimize the opened window, and more and more.

However, there are tons of tutorials and answers on the web shows you how to tweak Ubuntu. And you can ask on https://askubuntu.com/.

Ubuntu contains a wide range of software packages. Though the packages in default repositories are always old, many software developers (e.g., LibreOffice, Inkscape) and third-party maintainers maintain PPAs (Personal Package Archive) with most recent packages for Ubuntu users. And Flatpak and Snap is also available for choice.

Ubuntu is not the best for those totally new to Linux, but it has the largest community base actively participates and provides support to its users.

1. Linux Mint

Linux Mint is the most friendly Linux system for beginners in my own opinion.

It is based on Ubuntu LTS, and feature three desktop editions: Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce. Linux Mint includes a variety of pre-installed software and it’s ready to use out-of-the-box.

All the settings for desktop users are easy to access via all-in-one ‘System Settings‘ tool, including desktop appearances, account, privacy, display, power management, printers, driver, firewall, and more.

Along with Ubuntu package base, Linux Mint also has its own package repository. Apps are easy to install either via Synaptic or System package manager. Kernels are easy to install via its update manager. PPAs and apt repositories are easy to manage via its ‘Software Sources’ utility. Thanks to Ubuntu, the latest NVIDIA drivers are also easy to apply.

As a fast growing Linux Distribution, Linux Mint is a stable, safe, reliable, and extremely easy to use.

At Last

Since there are so many Linux Distributions, I can’t try all of them one by one. Feel free to leave comment if you found a better one.

Источник

Best Linux Distributions That are Most Suitable for Beginners

Last updated March 25, 2021 By Aquil Roshan 326 Comments

Brief: It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the list of Linux distributions available. In this article, we will mention the best Linux distros for beginners.

Let’s face it, Linux can pose an overwhelming complexity to new users. But then, it’s not Linux itself that brings this complexity. Rather, it’s the “newness” factor that causes this. Not getting nostalgic, but remembering my first time with Linux, I didn’t even know what to expect. I liked it. But it was an upstream swim for me initially.

Not knowing where to start can be a downer. Especially for someone who does not have the concept of something else running on their PC in place of Windows.

The first thing that confuses a newcomer is that Linux is not a single operating system. There are hundreds of Linux distributions. We have covered why there are so many Linux in detail, so I am not going to discuss it again.

Here are a few lists of Linux distributions based on different criteria:

In addition to that, there are distributions that cater to the needs of newcomers especially. So, here, we shall focus on those options.

Best Linux Distros for Beginners

Please remember that this list is no particular order. The main criteria for compiling this list is the ease of installation, out of the box hardware support, ease of use, and availability of software packages.

1. Ubuntu

• Easy to use
• Unique user experience
• Huge collection of software applications available through the software center
• Essential tools pre-installed

You must have heard about Ubuntu — no matter what. It is the most popular Linux distribution overall. Not just limited to servers, but also the most popular choice for Linux desktops.

It is easy to use, offers a good user experience, and comes pre-installed with essential tools to get a head start. Of course, Ubuntu managed to “simplify” the Linux experience years back and that is the reason why it is still so popular even with several impressive Linux distributions available right now.

Ubuntu offers a very convenient installation procedure and ensures best hardware compatibility when compared to some other non-Ubuntu based Linux distributions.

The original Ubuntu relies on GNOME desktop. Even though it is easy to use, it may not prove to be a familiar user interface if you’re coming from the Windows platform. In that case, you can try out some official flavors of Ubuntu like Kubuntu, Lubuntu to get a Windows-like user interface.

Ubuntu has a great documentation and community support. Ubuntu forums and Ask Ubuntu provide an appreciable quality support in almost all aspects regarding Ubuntu. You should easily find answers to common issues and even if you notice something new, the community will help you out troubleshooting.

2. Linux Mint

• Familiar user interface with Windows
• Performs great with older hardware
• Some improvements over Ubuntu

Linux Mint is arguably the best Ubuntu-based Linux distribution suitable for beginners. Yes, it is based on Ubuntu, so you should expect the same advantages of using Ubuntu. However, instead of GNOME desktop, it offers different desktop environments like Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE. In fact, Linux Mint does a few things better than Ubuntu.

Not just limited to the familiar user interface, which will be a bonus for Windows users. It provides an impressive performance with minimal hardware requirements, especially with Xfce or MATE desktop environment.

It also uses the same software repository as Ubuntu. You don’t have to worry about the availability of software to install.

Linux Mint is a fantastic Windows-like distribution. So, if you do not want a unique user interface (like Ubuntu), Linux Mint should be the perfect choice.

The most popular suggestion would be to go with Linux Mint Cinnamon edition. But, you can explore whatever you want. Also, you might want to look at our tutorial to install Linux Mint 20 from USB.

3. Zorin OS

• Windows-like user interface
• Intuitive user experience
• Easy to use
• Ultimate edition available with a lot of pre-installed goodies and Lite edition for older computers

Zorin OS is yet another impressive Linux distribution that offers a similar user interface to Windows. It may not be the most popular choice but being an Ubuntu-based distribution, it is perfectly suitable for beginners while offering many cool features as well.

Zorin OS is an Ubuntu-based distribution but feels highly polished. In my opinion, it is perfectly tailored for former Windows users who want a similar look and feel but something beautiful.

No wonder why Zorin OS is one of the most beautiful Linux distros out there.

The ultimate edition of Zorin OS is worth spending if you need all the pre-installed goodies (fun games, office suite, and some additional features). But, the free edition works like a charm as well.

You will also find a “Lite” edition which is suitable for old hardware that needs to be revived.

4. Elementary OS

Now that I mentioned a beautiful Linux distribution above, elementary OS is actually the most popular good-looking Linux distribution that takes inspiration from macOS.

Even though it is not a “macOS clone” in any aspect, it tries to focus on the user experience similar to how macOS does (or should). If you are coming from the Apple ecosystem, you would love to try elementary OS for sure.

Again, it is based on Ubuntu, so you get all the benefits of it along with a rich user experience.

Elementary OS features the Pantheon desktop environment. You can immediately notice the resemblance to macOS desktop.

The operating system is zero intrusive so you can really focus on your work. It comes with a very small number of pre-installed software. So, any new user will not be repulsed by huge bloat. But it’s got everything you need out of the box. The App Center is also unique when compared to other Linux distributions.

You will find some elementary OS tailored applications and can choose to pay the developer through the software store as well.

Experience wise, Elementary OS is really a great piece of software.

5. Linux Lite

Linux Lite is yet another Ubuntu-based distribution that is easy to use. It is specifically tailored as a lightweight distribution with some pre-installed applications that are not resource-heavy.

Linux Lite is perfectly suitable for Windows users with a similar user interface featuring the Xfce desktop environment. Compared to its previous iterations, Linux Lite has improved the user experience. Even though it isn’t meant to provide you the most modern experience, it still looks great as a desktop OS.

6. Manjaro Linux

• Not an Ubuntu-based distribution
• Arch-based Linux distribution
• Presents a learning curve

If you want to take up a challenge with a learning curve and want to try something else other than a distribution based on Ubuntu, Manjaro Linux is the best bet.

It is based on Arch Linux but tailored as a beginner-friendly distribution. Of course, considering that it follows a rolling release update cycle, you might end up with a broken system (even though that does not happen all the time). But, you have to compromise on the reliability when compared to any Ubuntu based Linux distribution mentioned in this list.

You also get a wide range of choice to install a variety of software tools. There’s also AUR, which is a community-maintained repository for software that may not be available for Manjaro officially.

If you want to know more about it, you may want to check out our detailed review of Manjaro Linux.

Manjaro Linux offers different desktop environments like XFCE, KDE, Gnome, Cinnamon and a host of more desktop environments. So, you get a lot of choices.

7. Pop!_OS

• Improved user experience when compared to Ubuntu
• Extra out-of-the-box features like Auto window tiling to help with fast multi-tasking

Pop OS is probably the best Ubuntu-based Linux distribution if you’re not looking for a lightweight Linux distribution.

It provides a polished and snappy experience when compared to Ubuntu GNOME edition. You also get some interesting features like automatic window tiling, window stacking, and a few more with Pop OS.

You also get a vanilla GNOME experience on Pop OS when compared to Ubuntu. However, unlike some other options, it does not officially support other desktop environments out of the box. So, if you do not like GNOME, you may have to manually try other desktop environments as an experiment. You might find the review of Pop OS 20.04 useful to explore more about it.

8. Peppermint OS

Peppermint Linux is an interesting choice for beginners who prefer to use web applications as local applications using the out-of-the-box integration with Ice.

It is based on Ubuntu, so along with all the goodies of Ubuntu it features a few extra options to give you a head start. It isn’t pitched as a lightweight distro, but it works quite well with older hardware as well.

9. Deepin

If performance or hardware requirement does not bother you, Deepin OS will be an interesting pick. It is known for its eye-candy user interface that is one of the most gorgeous Linux distributions out there.

Of course, it suffers from performance issues if you do not have a decent modern hardware configuration. But, if it works well on your system, it is easy to use and offers plenty of software tools to get started.

Some might mention that just because it is a project with based out of Mainland China, you need to avoid it. So, if you have an issue with that, you might take a look at UbuntuDDE (which is basically Ubuntu + eye-candy visuals of Deepin)

Your choice for the best Linux distro for beginners?

Linux might come with a tiny learning curve, but that’s not something anybody ever regretted. Go ahead, you will love it like I do!

To give you a head start, I would recommend you to follow Ubuntu 20.04 installation guide and refer how to install a distro from USB.

If you are already a Linux user, do share this article and help someone fall in love with Linux. What do you think about the distributions tailored for beginners mentioned above? Do you have a suggestion? Let me know in the comments below!

Like what you read? Please share it with others.

Источник