Flavours of Linux

 

Hello my Friends… this time I’m up with a rather popular but interesting topic, so as we all know Linux is an operating system, which also has various distributive versions from the start of its era, its like having tea in a container… But of different varieties ( although its just a normal tea ,it has many flavours) well well….. now I’m about to get hungry lets stop talking about food flavours and press the green button with the technical stuff because like tea ,the Linux operating system has lots of different types of flavours like the ones I’m going to mention below ,its compatible and works with almost all hardware systems used by desktop or by home users to enterprise environments.

Burp..!! that was a bit boring… now lets see something interesting.. shall we…

Lets start checking the linux distributions for now.

1.DEBIAN

If linux is the ancestor , then Debian is the mother of linux distributions like Deepin, Ubuntu and Mint which have been a great source of performance, stability, reliability, security and unparalleled user experience. However the newest version of stable release is Debian 10.5, which is an update of Debian 10 which is also called as Debian Buster… sounds like preparation of a mushroom soup using mixer right ? (Buster..!!) however its only a update of buster with the newest updates that were added software applications, some other things which are also included are stuff like security fixes that addresses the security issues which already existed, if you have a buster system no need to remove or discard it.

All you can do Is simply perform a system upgrade by using the APT package manager

Debian Testing is a leading release and offers software versions that will be adopted for stable release. It’s the development phase of Debian’s next stable release. It is often fraught with problems of instability and can easily break down. Also, it does not receive its security clips in a timely manner. The latest release of Debian Testing by Bullseye.

Unstable distro is an active stage of Debian development. It is an experimental distro and serves as a complete platform for developers who actively contribute to code until it reaches the 'Test' phase.

Overall, Debian is used by millions of users because of its rich package and packaging that it offers especially in manufacturing areas.

Download Debian ISO Images: http://www.debian.org/distrib/.

2.Gentoo

Gentoo is a distro built for the use of technology and professionals who look at what packages they work with from the word go. This category includes engineers, program managers & network operators. As such, it is not good for beginners on Linux. Gentoo comes recommended for those who want a deeper understanding of the entry and exit of a Linux app.

Gentoo ships with a port management system known as portage also come from other distros such as Sabayon, and Gentoo-based Calculate Linux and back compatible. Based on Python and based on the concept of port collections. The port collections are sets of dots and form files provided by BSD-based distros such as OpenBSD and NetBSD.

Download and Installation of Gentoo: http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/where.xml.

3.Ubuntu Linux

By default, Ubuntu runs the GNOME desktop environment with all out-of-the-box applications such as Firefox, LibreOffice, and image editing apps like GIMP, music players, and video players like Audacious and Rhythmbox. Thanks to its easy-to-use interface and beautiful UI, Ubuntu is ideal for desktop users and newcomers who are trying to wrap their heads around Linux. They can easily get started with default Apps as mentioned earlier as they work to gain a better understanding of Linux.

It is worth mentioning that Ubuntu Studio is designed for multimedia production. It is aimed at founders who want to work on graphics production, photography, audio, and video production.

Download Ubuntu ISO image: https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop.

4.Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a community-run Linux distro based on Ubuntu. It is too late to provide the best, most convenient assignment that desktop users and professionals alike can enjoy.

To enable snap support, simply use the instructions:

Based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Mint 20 is available in 3 desktop editions - Cinnamon, XFCE and MATE editions. Mint has lost 32-bit version support and is only available on 64-bit.

New features include Warpinator, a file-sharing program running on LAN and a rating feature that is part of HiDPI ads to enjoy sharp and fun images. You will also find other apps for everyday use such as Firefox, LibreOffice, Respected Music Player, Timeshift, and Thunderbird.

If you want a fast and stable Linux desktop to perform daily desktop tasks, listen to music, watch videos, and play, Mint is the go-to distribution. Mint 20 is a long-term release and will be supported until 2025.

Download Linux Mint ISO Image – https://linuxmint.com/download.php

5. Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Abbreviated as RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a Linux distro designed for Enterprise or commercial purposes. It is one of the leading open source software for Microsoft. Red Hat is usually the top choice for server locations given its durability and standard security patches that enhance its overall security.

 

RHEL Linux Distribution

You can easily set it up on portable servers, virtual environments like VMware, HyperV, and the cloud. Red Hat has done a great job in containerization technology thanks to OpenShift PaaS (platform as a service), a hybrid cloud environment built around Docker containers and owned by Kubernetes.

Traditionally, Red Hat and its derivatives like CentOS have used a yum package manager. Things have changed now and the latest release - RHEL 8 (Ootpa) - now uses DNF as its default package manager. RHEL is still deployed using 2 major depots - the AppStream repository and BaseOS.

The AppStream repository (Application Stream) provides all the software applications you want to install on your system while BaseOS provides the only applications running the program.

6. CentOS

The CentOS Project is a viable community-based program that aims to create an open and reliable open source environment. Based on RHEL, CentOS is a completely different alternative to Red Hat Enterprise Linux because it is free to download and install. It gives users the stability and reliability of RHEL while allowing them to enjoy free security and feature updates.

 

CentOS Linux Distribution

The latest version is CentOS 8.2 which is the third iteration of CentOS 8.

Download CentOS 8 – https://www.centos.org/centos-linux/.

7. Fedora

Fedora has enjoyed a reputation for being one of the easiest and most convenient distros now for its easy-to-use and out of the box making it easy for newcomers to get started easily.

It is a powerful and flexible application designed for desktops and laptops, servers, and natural IoT systems. Fedora, like CentOS, is based on Red Hat and is actually a test site for Red Hat before switching to a business class. As such, it is often used for development and learning purposes and assists engineers and students.

Fedora Linux Distribution

Fedora has recently used the DNF package manager (and still uses it as its default package manager) and offers the latest and most advanced software packages. The latest Fedora is Fedora 32.

Download Fedora Linux – https://getfedora.org/.

8. Kali Linux

Developed and maintained for offensive security, Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distro designed for testing of entry and digital forensics. It comes with out-of-the-box tools designed for entry tests such as Nmap, Metasploit Framework, Maltego, and Aircrack-ng to name a few.

 

Kali Linux Distribution

Kali Linux is designed for Cybersecurity professionals and students who want to enter an entrance exam. In fact, Kali offers standard industry certificates such as Kali Linux Certified Professional entry exams.

 Download Kali Linux – https://www.kali.org/downloads/.

9. Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a lightweight and flexible geeky Linux distro designed for advanced users or Linux professionals who care deeply about what features and services are in place. It gives users the freedom to customize or configure the program, of their choice. In a nutshell, Arch is designed for users who are well versed in and out of work with Linux.

Arch is a roll-out that means you are constantly updating to the latest version and needing to update packages to the terminal. It uses Pacman as an automatic package manager and uses AUR (Arch User Repository) public to install software packages and the latest version is 2020.09.01.

 

10. OpenSUSE

The OpenSUSE project is a modern and comprehensive community project that offers 2 major SUSE branches: SUSE Leap point releases aimed at desktop users and business development and testing purposes. This makes it a good choice for open source developers and program managers.

 

On the other hand, it has SUSE Tumbleweed, a roll-out package that packs the latest software stacks and IDEs and is the closest you’ll find at a bloodthirsty distro. TumbleWeed is any power user or software user due to the availability of up-to-date packages such as office applications, GCC compiler, and kernel.

OpenSUSE relies on the Yast package manager for software package management and is recommended by developers and program managers.

 

Conclusion

Of course, that’s just a handful of the available Linux distributions out there and is by no means an exhaustive list. There are over 600 Linux distros and about 500 in active development. However, we felt the need to focus on some of the widely used distros some of which have inspired other Linux flavors.After understanding the concept about different types/flavours of linux operating systems, by the use of internet surfing ,online practices and various other means of knowledge.