If you like gaming and aren’t super worried about playing with Linux, Bazzite is pretty good.
I like stock Fedora Workstation (Bazzite uses Fedora Silverblue which is immutable, while workstation isn’t) since it’s pretty stable and the default packages are usually more up to date than Debian.
If you really want to be bleeding edge, the Nix package manager is really expensive. That comes by default in NixOS (but that’s definitely not for beginners), and Arch is pretty accessible through EndeavorOS or CachyOS. Which also has a ton of bleeding edge packages by default, but without having to rebuild your system every time you install one.
Summary:
Immutable: Bazzite/Fedora Silverblue, Nix
This means when you install something or change a config, it creates a restore point on boot so you can roll back if it breaks your system.
If you break it it’s your problem, but since the system isn’t locked down it’s a lot easier to install and configure things that need system access.
Stable: Debian/Ubuntu/Mint
These distros by default will use Debian stable packages (through apt) which are usually 6 months to a year behind.
Updated: Fedora/Bazzite
These distros use the RPM package repos (through dnf) and are usually more up to date than Debian. I also like the way dnf handles updates in one command and will also upgrade your kernel. Honestly this is my personal favorite at the moment.
Bleeding: Arch/Cachy, Nix
These use the AUR and Nix package repositories respectively. Arch uses pacman and allows you to install very up to date packages and has a much larger set of available packages since it’s user maintained.
Nix uses it’s own system for everything through its functional config files. This means you don’t install programs by typing in a command, but by writing the package and it’s version into a config file then rebuilding your system (creating a snapshot in the process). When you boot, you can now choose to boot into the version of your system that has that program or the previous one that doesn’t. It’s a super neat thing that a lot of the Obsidian nerds and people that hate Ansible get away too into.
You have been visited by the hexbear Linux evangelist gang
WOAH I love the hexbear Linux evangelist gang holy shit, thanks! I installed pop on an old laptop once to get it running again but that’s been years at this point. This is super helpful!
Pop! Is Debian based I believe, so anything related to Ubuntu/Debian/Mint will be basically the same. Once you start getting into Fedora, Nix, and Arch is where you get different experiences with package managers.
You can also mess with shell stuff by installing different shells (nu, xonsh, fish, and zsh are the big ones) those don’t require a distro change either, they’re available as packages and you can change your user shell with the chsh command, or just run them and do what you want before dipping out to bash/dash
I really need to switch to Linux huh
If you like gaming and aren’t super worried about playing with Linux, Bazzite is pretty good.
I like stock Fedora Workstation (Bazzite uses Fedora Silverblue which is immutable, while workstation isn’t) since it’s pretty stable and the default packages are usually more up to date than Debian.
If you really want to be bleeding edge, the Nix package manager is really expensive. That comes by default in NixOS (but that’s definitely not for beginners), and Arch is pretty accessible through EndeavorOS or CachyOS. Which also has a ton of bleeding edge packages by default, but without having to rebuild your system every time you install one.
Summary:
Immutable: Bazzite/Fedora Silverblue, Nix
This means when you install something or change a config, it creates a restore point on boot so you can roll back if it breaks your system.
Mutable: Fedora Workstation, Ubuntu, Arch/Cachy/Endeavor
If you break it it’s your problem, but since the system isn’t locked down it’s a lot easier to install and configure things that need system access.
Stable: Debian/Ubuntu/Mint
These distros by default will use Debian stable packages (through
apt) which are usually 6 months to a year behind.Updated: Fedora/Bazzite
These distros use the RPM package repos (through
dnf) and are usually more up to date than Debian. I also like the waydnfhandles updates in one command and will also upgrade your kernel. Honestly this is my personal favorite at the moment.Bleeding: Arch/Cachy, Nix
These use the AUR and Nix package repositories respectively. Arch uses
pacmanand allows you to install very up to date packages and has a much larger set of available packages since it’s user maintained.Nix uses it’s own system for everything through its functional config files. This means you don’t install programs by typing in a command, but by writing the package and it’s version into a config file then rebuilding your system (creating a snapshot in the process). When you boot, you can now choose to boot into the version of your system that has that program or the previous one that doesn’t. It’s a super neat thing that a lot of the Obsidian nerds and people that hate Ansible get away too into.
You have been visited by the hexbear Linux evangelist gang
WOAH I love the hexbear Linux evangelist gang holy shit, thanks! I installed pop on an old laptop once to get it running again but that’s been years at this point. This is super helpful!
Pop! Is Debian based I believe, so anything related to Ubuntu/Debian/Mint will be basically the same. Once you start getting into Fedora, Nix, and Arch is where you get different experiences with package managers.
You can also mess with shell stuff by installing different shells (
nu,xonsh,fish, andzshare the big ones) those don’t require a distro change either, they’re available as packages and you can change your user shell with thechshcommand, or just run them and do what you want before dipping out tobash/dashIf your name is anything to go by, yes.