These are the only Linux distros I recommend for developers

Linux is popular with developers, and for good reason. This system offers the largest selection of software tools, but it can be difficult to choose a distribution. Here are some of the best for coders, from beginners to experts.

Ubuntu is the first introduction to Linux for most aspiring developers. There are many good reasons for this. It has some of the best hardware support, so it will work on most users’ PCs. It’s already one of the most well-known distributions, so it already has a lot of developer spirit.

If you’re starting with Ubuntu, you’ll probably be in good company. You don’t even need a full desktop computer. Ubuntu is the default distribution for WSL.

Ubuntu also offers the broadest support for commercial desktop applications, including Steam and GoG games, so if you need a break from coding to play some games, you can do so without having to restart.

If you don’t like the vanilla Ubuntu experience, there are other variations you can choose from. One of the most popular is Linux Mint, which offers a “batteries included” approach. Kubuntu uses KDE instead of the default GNOME desktop.

Debian

Debian is one of the oldest distributions still in wide use, dating back to 1993. There’s a reason it’s been around for so long. Where Ubuntu is a commercial product created by Canonical, Debian is a community project. This means that the community will make development decisions in the best interest of its users.

Debian also popularized the package manager in the Linux community, making it easier to install software. It’s an idea that has evolved into modern app stores. Even Windows now has a package manager.

Debian also supports a wider variety of CPU architectures than Ubuntu. A modified version is the default operating system for the Raspberry Pi. Debian is also the basis for many other variants, including Ubuntu.

You can also choose different versions of Debian. The default version is the “stable” version. That’s fine for a machine you have to rely on, but many users opt for the “test” distribution for newer software, and some are brave enough to use the “unstable” version.

These are all reasons why Debian is my Linux distro of choice.

OpenSUSE

OpenSUSE, like Debian, is also one of the oldest distributions still in use. Its lineage dates back to the early 90s. Its developer was one of the first to see the potential in selling Linux as a commercial product. Even though SUSE has focused on enterprise server installations, it continues to give back to the open source community in the form of OpenSUSE.

There are two main versions of OpenSUSE: the stable Leap version and the mobile Tumbleweed version. The latter releases software much more frequently. This means developers have access to newer versions of their tools.

Historically, one of the distinctive features of OpenSUSE has been YaST, a centralized management tool, similar to the Windows Control Panel, although it is being phased out.

Nonetheless, OpenSUSE would be a great starting point, along with Ubuntu, for those new to Linux.

ArchLinux

While other Linux distributions like Mint pride themselves on the “batteries included” approach, Arch Linux is famous for taking the “some assembly required” route. When you download the installation image, you are transferred to a console with a shell. You must install the system from the command line, manually installing and configuring your partitions and other tools using the Arch Wiki installation guide. The result is that you get a personalized system that includes only what you want or need. You will be able to brag about having “led Arch from elsewhere”.

The process is educational, because you learn how a distribution is created. The Arch Wiki is so good that people who use other distributions check it regularly.

Besides its manual installation process, Arch is also known, like OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, for its rolling release approach. As new components are released, they will appear in the Arch package list. The Arch User Repository, or AUR, also hosts user-created packages. This means you will have the latest stable software.

Gentoo

Gentoo, named after a breed of penguin, takes the Arch installation process even further. Not only do you have to install it manually, but you will also have to compile it from source. This means you can optimize the code for your processor.

Fortunately, there are precompiled “binary” packages available for convenience. Large programs like GNOME desktop would take a long time to compile normally. A Gentoo installation, as with Arch, is a rite of passage for many Linux users looking to delve deeper into the technical details of the system.

Felt

Fedora Linux is another major developer favorite. This is the cast of choice from Linus Torvalds himself. One reason for this is that it contains new software. This appeals to developers, especially people working with the kernel like Torvalds.

It is also backed by Red Hat, named after the company’s iconic logo. It’s actually a replacement for the desktop version of Red Hat Linux when it was discontinued so the company could focus on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or RHEL. It is available in different versions with different desktop environments available.

From hobbyists to people who deploy software for a living, these are the distributions that should be your first choice when setting up a development desktop system.