What linux version to choose

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.

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How to Choose the Best Linux Distro for Your Needs

What to Know

• Major distribution differentiators include architecture support, the init system, the default package manager, and the user interface.
• For new Linux users with modern hardware, Ubuntu Linux, Linux Mint, and Elementary OS are good places to start.
• For advanced Linux users with high-end hardware, Manjaro Linux and Slackware offer greater control over the operating system.

This article explains how to choose the best Linux distribution for your specific needs and use cases. Each distribution features its own under-the-hood architecture with a defined set of tools.

Distribution Differentiators

Although all Linux distributions are based on the Linux kernel, each offers a set of major differentiating criteria that specialize them:

• Architecture: The type of chips that the distribution supports, through the included kernel.
• Init Software: The underlying approach to launching and managing processes.
• Package Manager: The default package-management tool for the distribution.
• Desktop Manager: The graphical user interface for the distribution.

The popular website DistroWatch.org offers a search tool that lets you specify these and other more precise criteria to narrow the list of active distributions from hundreds to dozens or even just a few.

Architecture

Architecture matters because not all Linux distributions support every possible configuration of processors in the world. The reason you cannot run Microsoft Windows on an Android tablet, for example, is because Windows only supports Intel- or AMD-based desktop processors or ARM-based processors on mobile.

It is technically possible, though not easy, run Windows on an Android tablet that has an x86, x86_64 or ARM processor.

Linux supports a wide variety of architectures. If you run a standard desktop computer or a laptop, you’ll likely find nearly every distribution works well on your machine. However, if you’re retrofitting Linux on a very old computer, the processor matters much more. A distribution that only offers 64-bit processor support, for example, will not work on a 32-bit processor.

The most common architectures you’ll need to consider include:

• x86 (or i586/i686): A 32-bit Intel- and AMD-compatible chipset
• x86_64: A 64-bit Intel- and AMD-compatible chipset
• ARM: A mobile-optimized chipset common in tablets and smartphones
• PowerPC: The «old» chipset for Apple’s hardware

Your distribution must be compatible with your chipset, but there’s no «better or worse» distro based on chipset alone. It’s an all-or-nothing compatibility question.

Init Software

Strictly speaking, init software is the very first process that launches when the Linux-based computer boots. It’s a daemon that runs for the entire duration of the system’s uptime; it’s the parent process of every subsequent process that launches on the machine.

The choice of init software is controversial in the sense that different power users argue for-and-against SysV versus systemd. The choice isn’t trivial; this software governs how the system manages processes.

• SysV: A «traditional» init system with roots in Unix SystemV. It’s considered stable, but arguably less-featured than systemd.
• systemd: A more modern, highly integrated init system.

Other forms of init software also dot the market, but SysV and systemd are the heavy hitters. Your choice of init software is largely irrelevant unless you’re a power user who favors one over the other. Most modern distributions have come to rely on systemd, so SysV and alternative inits are increasingly harder to find.

Package Manager

All Linux software ships in the form of a package. Different package managers manage the archiving and management of these packages. Most packages are not interchangeable, although utilities like alien convert among some package types.

Different distributions rely on specific package managers.

• dpkg: Manages Debian-specific (.DEB) packages—common in Debian-based distribuition including Ubuntu and Linux Mint—through tools like APT.
• RPM Package Manager: Installs/manages Redhat Package Manager (.RPM) packages. Uses tools like DNF, yum and zypper.
• flatpak: A sandboxed/containered format that’s cross-platform.
• pacman: Common in Arch Linux and its derivatives.
• portage: Developed for Gentoo Linux, and now also used by ChromeOS and a few other distributions.
• snap: A Ubuntu-specific form of containerized application deployment.

Although you’re free to pick the specific tool for managing packages, the package type is hard-coded into the distribution. Thus, you’ll never see a Ubuntu version that uses RPM files. Different distributions maintain different repositories for available software. Some software authored by independent developers may appear in only one or two package formats. If maximizing access to open-source software matters to you, a distribution that uses DEB or RPM files is likely your best bet.

Desktop Environment

When people think about the major differences between Linux distributions, they tend to think of the desktop environment—but the irony is that most distributions support the installation of most desktop environments.

The «best» desktop environments balance configurability with the relative resource consumption of the DE itself. A brand-new computer, or a computer with high-end specs, can run any desktop environment with the smoothness of melted butter. But on lower-end or older hardware, particularly in the netbook space, the selection of DE can make-or-break the usability of the entire system.

Resource Use

• The high-resource DEs commonly used include KDE and Budgie.
• A medium-weight DE runs well on standard or low-end modern hardware. Gnome 3, Cinnamon, MATE and Pantheon fall into this category.
• A lightweight DE is ideal for older hardware. Pick XFCE or LXDE.

Configurability

The newest DEs tend to be less configurable—they package a specific aesthetic design that doesn’t allow for as much modification as the older DEs still support.

Highly configurable DEs include XFCE, LDXE, Cinnamon, MATE and KDE.

Low-configurable DEs include Deepin, Gnome 3 and Pantheon.

Use Cases

So which distribution is the best one for your needs? It depends on your use case.

If you run older hardware, a «traditional» distribution that uses SysV for init and relies on a 32-bit kernel will likely prove optimal. Pair it with a lightweight DE like XFCE. MX Linux makes a great starting place.

A machine with high-end hardware, run by an eager tinkerer and Linux buff, might work well with Manjaro Linux.

If you enjoy getting deep into the internals of your operating system, try Slackware. It’s built largely by hand, through configuration files, so you have ultimate control over it—but you have to know, or be willing to learn, what you’re doing.

Have modern hardware that «just works?» People new to Linux often migrate to Ubuntu Linux or Linux Mint. For an even more basic, elegant distribution, look to Elementary OS.

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