An operating system is something everything in this universe requires. Be it us humans, our fellow animals and our useful and life-altering machines as well. Without it, everything is pretty much dead & non-functional. So today we will talk about an OS that most people either don’t know about or are just less informed of. We are talking about Linux os, which is the third most popular operating system out there. We'll see what it is & what are the top 10 best Linux distros 2022 available to you right now.
About Linux operating system
Linux is an open-source Unix-like operating system or rather a family of such systems which is based on the Linux kernel that was first released on September 17, 1991, that was designed by Linus Torvalds. It has been 30+ years since its inception in the computing world and it still stands firmly with an estimated 2.68% share in the total number of operating systems which makes it the 3rd most used operating system on the planet.
Linux is known foremost for its open-source platform where there aren't any bounds on the developers like there are in terms of traditional windows or mac os. It is highly customisable, so much so that one can tailor-make their pc to suit their specific needs only. Such is the beauty of this os. That is why it is quite popular among web developers and working professionals too.
What are Linux distros?
Linux OS functions by the way of a system called ‘distribution’ system or a distro in short. It is simply a platform on which the Linux OS is operated. These make the OS completely different from windows or mac systems.
It comprises a collection of different software including the Linux kernel, a package management system and other major system software present in any PC.
A distribution system contains all the important programmes and software required to constitute an operating system and give the user a working computer.
At an estimate, there are around 1000+ different distros available for Linux at the given time and this is due to the amazing variety of software & functions it can perform. Personal computers use it most widely but it is also extensively used in servers, supercomputers etc.
Now, I'm sure by now your curiosity for knowing more about Linux OS might've jumped up so without wasting much time let us dive into the list of top 10 best Linux distros 2022 ;
Following are our picks,
- Ubuntu Linux
- Linux mint
- Fedora
- Pop Os
- Garuda Linux
- Manjaro
- openSUSE
- Arch OS
- Zorin
- Ultramarine
Also, we will do a brief comparison between various Linux distros as well for your convenience.
Top 10 Best Linux distros 2022
Ubuntu Linux
This is a very popular and widely recognised Linux distribution and it is based on Debian. It is composed majorly of free & open-source software elements and is a very clean and easily operable distro of Linux os.
It was first released on 20 October 2004 as Ubuntu 4.10. Ubuntu’s new versions release every 6 months and the long term support comes on every 2 years. The latest long term support version of Ubuntu Linux is V.20.04 jammy jellyfish. It is widely used by all kinds of users. It is considered to be one of the best Linux distribution for android development too.
Advantages of Linux ubuntu
- A free and open-source program means no real-time money is required to operate it.
- Well-tailored for desktop computing and much more as well.
- Very user-friendly and greatly customizable too.
Disadvantages of ubuntu
- The functionalities are quite limited due to less software availability.
- An ambient problem of hardware and software compatibility.
- Slowly it is becoming more and more commercial rather than being a true open-source program.
Linux Mint
Next in line with our best Linux distros 2022 list is Linux mint. It is a clean, easy to use and community-driven version in the Linux os family. It was first released on 27 august, 2006 as codename ‘Ada’ & its latest version is called V.20.3 ‘Una’. this distro uses Ubuntu as its codebase.
Pros of Linux mint
- It is free of cost and is very easily operable for beginners.
- It provides full multimedia support out of the box.
- It is unique as it is community-driven meaning that the user feedback constantly reaches the developers and the problems are solved efficiently along with improvement of user experience.
Cons of Linux mint
- Its biggest flaw could be the absence of a device manager in it.
- Along with that, it is very large and thus doesn't run smoothly on older systems.
- There is also an issue of working in harmony with certain features of other distros.
Fedora
This is also a community-supported distribution namely the Fedora Project. It also contains free and open-source software packages and aims to be futuristic with technology. There are thus frequent updates to its software which keeps it up to the mark with the latest trends. It was formerly known as Fedora Core. it is one of the best Linux distribution for gimp and blender like applications.
Advantages
- It is a great distro for Linux for developers as it is fast, reliable & is constantly updated with bleeding-edge software.
- It has a very responsive and intriguing community behind it.
- The integration process with system tools is quite smooth too.
Disadvantages
- Requires a long time to completely set up.
- Isn't very beginner-friendly
- It requires additional tools for the server to work.
Pop OS
Developed by System 76 that is a manufacturer of computer hardware. This Linux distro is also Ubuntu based. It by default available in all system 76 hardware but also available for other devices too. It has the default GNOME Desktop with some perks and configurations. It is one of the most beautiful Linux distros out there.
Pros
- Pop OS is not just another distro, but the features like an application launcher, an application library, a dock, the workspace customizations, and numerous other customisations constitute a next-level desktop experience.
- It comes with the latest Linux kernel as well.
- It has a hassle-free and smooth upgrading procedure.
Cons
- The most important flaw of pop os is that it isn't available in a 32-bit configuration meaning that older devices can not run and install it. Only the users of a 64-bit architecture can use it for now.
Arch OS
Now, this distribution is a little different from the rest as it is a distribution especially fruitful to professional developers who have to write endless lines of code. Arch os is in a way a strictly professional distro of Linux that isn't fit for usage by an average Linux user as it has not much in terms of a UI and graphical aspects of this distribution is also very limited. The bottom line is that it isn't a beginner-friendly Linux distro at all. But if you are a developer, a coder or a professional Linux user it is the right choice for you.
Manjaro KDE Plasma
This one is an arch os based Linux distribution and is one of the better looking and high-performance versions of manjaro os. It has the beauty with it as well as the power that one could ask for.
openSUSE
This is also a distro which is specially meant for developers and system administrators. Further, it is divided into two more distros. The openSUSE Leap & openSUSE Tumbleweed. Both are very nice in terms of usability and they receive regular upgrades and support too.
Garuda Linux
It would've been unjust to leave this one out of our top 10 best Linux distros list. Garuda Linux is an Arch Linux based distribution and brings to you a truly picturesque and eye-catching desktop experience. It has custom-designed icon themes and colour palettes along with the usual desktop features.
Advantages
- It is quite a visual experience to use this os due to its custom themes and colours. Also, the UI is very organised as well as furnished.
- It provides an inbuilt assistant tool called garuda assistant that helps in system maintenance tasks and more.
- It can be customised to suit the gaming requirements of many people.
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for lower-end computers with dated specs.
Zorin
It is one of the most beautiful distributions that are out there and it gives a visual experience that is just worth it. It is fully customisable and it can be made to look exactly like any other os too with the right tweaks. It's a creative playground for you to make your pc as you desire.
Ultramarine
The final entry in our list is the ultramarine Linux os that is based on fedora and is a simple yet very capable distribution of Linux. The main objective of the os is to be safe, and secure while also being lightweight on the user’s device.
Linux distros comparison 2022
- Linux Mint and Ubuntu
Linux mint is easier on the user’s side or more user-friendly as it comes with a lot of pre-installed software that is very useful for a fresh user. Mate and cinnamon are the UI available as the desktop for mint. Whereas, Ubuntu is one step ahead by giving the users the liberty of installing software through advanced techniques like dual booting on windows os. In Ubuntu, the default desktop is called unity.
- Ubuntu and Fedora OS
Ubuntu is a Debian based os and user friendly, also highly suitable for the demands of various users. Not a community-based OS so it lacks instant support.While, Fedora os is a project by red hat. It is a community-based distribution thus it enjoys more user support and technical assistance than ubuntu.
Other than the above list of top 10 best Linux distros we also wanted to share with you some distributions based on certain criteria like type of usage and the hardware capability.
Best Linux distribution for potato pc
- Lubuntu 11.10
- Peppermint OS Two
- Ubuntu Mate
- Zorin OS lite
Best Linux distribution for school
- Endless OS
- Zorin OS 16 education
- Ubermix OS
- Kano OS
Conclusion
We hope that this article helps you to choose your first or your next Linux distribution easily and that you have tons of fun, productivity and creativity with your new desktop. See you soon with new and insightful articles.
image credits; Wikipedia