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Linux Distributions: Pick One, Learn It

Here's the thing about Linux distributions: there are hundreds of them. That's overwhelming. But you only need to know a few.

Let me save you time: Pick Ubuntu or Rocky Linux. Learn it well. You can learn others later if you need to.

What's a Distribution Anyway?​

Linux is just the kernel. A distribution is the kernel plus everything else:

  • System tools
  • Package manager
  • Default software
  • Sometimes a desktop environment

Think of it like Android. Android is the OS, but Samsung adds their stuff, Google adds their stuff, OnePlus adds their stuff. Same kernel, different experience.

That's Linux distributions. Same kernel, different packaging.

The Two Families (All You Need to Know)​

Most distributions fall into two families:

Debian Family (apt)​

  • Debian (the parent)
  • Ubuntu (the popular one)
  • Linux Mint (user-friendly)

Package manager: apt

My take: Ubuntu is what you'll use. Debian is what Ubuntu is based on. Learn Ubuntu, and you'll understand Debian.

Red Hat Family (yum/dnf)​

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - commercial
  • Rocky Linux (free RHEL clone)
  • AlmaLinux (another RHEL clone)
  • CentOS (discontinued, but still around)
  • Fedora (cutting-edge)

Package manager: yum or dnf

My take: Rocky Linux is what you'll use. It's free RHEL. Learn Rocky, and you'll understand RHEL.

Ubuntu: The One Everyone Starts With​

I started with Ubuntu. So did most people. Here's why:

Why Ubuntu:

  • Easy to learn
  • Great documentation
  • Huge community (every problem has been solved)
  • Works everywhere (cloud, local, containers)
  • Regular updates

Package manager: apt

When to use:

  • Learning Linux
  • Development
  • Cloud deployments
  • When you want things to just work

Commands you'll use:

sudo apt update          # Get latest package list
sudo apt install nginx   # Install something
sudo apt upgrade         # Update everything
sudo apt remove nginx    # Remove something

My take: Start here. You can always switch later. But Ubuntu is the easiest path to learning Linux.

The catch: Ubuntu updates more often. That's good for new features, but can break things. Use LTS (Long Term Support) versions for stability.

Rocky Linux: The Production Choice​

When I moved to production servers, I switched to Rocky Linux. Here's why:

Why Rocky:

  • Stable (really stable)
  • Enterprise-compatible (matches RHEL)
  • Long support (10 years)
  • Free (no licensing)
  • What companies actually use

Package manager: dnf (or yum - they're the same thing)

When to use:

  • Production servers
  • When stability matters
  • Enterprise environments
  • Long-term deployments

Commands you'll use:

sudo dnf update          # Update packages
sudo dnf install nginx   # Install something
sudo dnf upgrade         # Upgrade system
sudo dnf remove nginx    # Remove something

My take: Use this in production. Ubuntu is fine for development, but Rocky is what you want when things need to work and keep working.

The catch: Rocky is more conservative. New features come slower. But that's the point - stability over newness.

Debian: The Boring One (That's a Good Thing)​

Debian is old. Stable. Boring.

Why Debian:

  • Extremely stable
  • Well-tested
  • Conservative updates
  • Just works

Package manager: apt (same as Ubuntu)

When to use:

  • Servers where stability is everything
  • When you don't want surprises
  • Long-term deployments

My take: Boring is good sometimes. If you need something that just works and keeps working, Debian is your friend.

The catch: It's boring. New features take forever. But if you need stability, boring is perfect.

Amazon Linux: The Cloud One​

If you're on AWS, use Amazon Linux. Don't fight it.

Why Amazon Linux:

  • Optimized for AWS
  • AWS tools pre-installed
  • Maintained by Amazon
  • What AWS expects

Package manager: yum

When to use:

  • AWS deployments
  • When you're on AWS

My take: If you're on AWS, use this. It's what AWS is optimized for. Don't overthink it.

Which One Should You Pick?​

For learning: Ubuntu. No question.

For production: Rocky Linux or Debian. Depends on if you need RHEL compatibility (Rocky) or just stability (Debian).

For AWS: Amazon Linux.

My recommendation: Start with Ubuntu. Learn it. Get comfortable. Then learn Rocky Linux. Those two will cover 90% of what you need.

The Package Manager Difference​

This is the main difference you'll notice:

apt (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install package

dnf/yum (Rocky/RHEL):

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install package

They do the same thing. Different commands. That's it.

My take: Learn one well. The other is easy to pick up. The concepts are the same.

The Honest Truth​

People will tell you to try different distributions. To experiment. To find what works for you.

That's fine. But it's also a waste of time.

Pick one. Learn it well. You can learn others later. But don't spend weeks trying different distributions. Spend that time learning Linux.

Ubuntu for learning. Rocky for production. That's all you need.

What's Next?​

Now that you know about distributions, let's talk about Installation. We'll cover how to actually get Linux running. Or skip ahead to First Steps if you already have Linux installed.

Personal note: I spent way too much time trying different distributions when I started. Don't do that. Pick one. Learn it. Move on. You can always learn others later.