[Linux] thats_the_guy:
Hello World 🌐,​

I am most definitely not the best person to be writing this but somebody's gotta.This will be my best attempt to create and maintain an ongoing description of different Linux Distributions, starting with the most popular and branching out from there. If you're new to Linux, or are interested in using it, practically the first thing you are expected to do is choose a Distro (shorthand for distribution) of GNU/Linux to use. Well if that's where you're at, or are looking to find out more about Linux distributions in general, I'm here to break down the pieces and start a tour of distros so you can find what beckons to you. This part can get a lot of people caught up thinking there's a right/wrong answer, really though, the joy of Linux is making it your own and once you know what you're doing, the make and breaks of a distribution will mostly be their software manager and it's repositories (database of applications). Unless otherwise noted, be aware that practically all distros are designed w/ daily use in mind and will likely come with or be easy to install a basic suite of software to meet those needs.

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1. A Dirty Introduction to Linux 🐧​

For those regular to the XDA forum, a good point of comparison for a Linux distro would be the custom ROM scene for Android, where we have the OEM stuff like OxygenOS, OneUI, but then we see the custom scene starting from AOSP, and derivative Lineage, AOKP, and more complex derivatives like crDroid and Dirty Unicorns (RIP :cry:). But there is a distinct difference in practice between custom Android ROMs and Linux distros, which is binary (application) compatibility. Just because an application was written/compiled for one version of Linux doesn't mean it won't be compatible with others, but generally speaking, that is not the expectation with pre-compiled apps for Linux. All the major distributions simplify getting the right version of the app through the package manager, the Linux equivalent of the Play Store or F-Droid, unlike Android though, everything is typically free 💸.

For one reason or another, you may find an application is not available, or maybe it's outdated/doesn't work. The good news is because most Linux software is open source, you can just compile the source code within your distribution to make it run. Whereas with Android, there is platform uniformity through unified app stores like the Play Store, Linux is a bit more fragmented, but not in a way that has to affect your usability. It is in part due to the variety in Linux distributions that we find them to be more secure than their closed source conterparts, malware written for Ubuntu for example would have to be re-written to work on or sometimes be completely ineffective against say Fedora- or Arch-based distros.

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2. The Classics​

When getting into Linux, you'll likely find a few very commonly recommended or mentioned distributions, and nearly all other distros are based on these, or based off of the same base in Ubuntu's case. If you're new to Linux, you don't have to use these, but start here so the rest of the distro descriptions make sense.

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3. Debian-based? Debian based 🕶️​

So none of the above caught your attention? Maybe you want the compatibility of Ubuntu but don't want as much proprietary software, or are not comfortable with a large company like Canonical creating and maintaining Ubuntu as they please. Well as stated earlier, Ubuntu is derived from Debian, which provides the base for packages and binary applications to run, meaning anything else based on Debian should have similar compatibility.

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4. Pacman? Waka-Waka​

So a fixed release cycle isn't right for you. Maybe you want all the cutting edge features Linux can offer and you want it now. Or maybe you want the endless user repositories of the AUR without the trouble of setting it up from scratch. If that sounds like you but Arch is still a bit above your head to setup and maintain, well then an Arch-based distro might be for you

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5. Grab Your Hats 🎩​

Stability and reliability is the cornerstone of the workstation orriented distributions based off the same base as RHEL and Fedora.

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6. I Don't Need You, I'll Do It Myself​

If you don't want anybody telling you what you can or can't do with your computer and you're not afraid of getting your hands dirty, check these projects out.

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7. Wait... This Isn't What I Signed Up For​

OS Projects that are open source, potentially POSIX compliant, but aren't Linux. This is by no means complete and be aware many other interesting OS projects exist not listed here

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Final Note:

I'm new to this type of writing and as said a few times, this is a work in progress, so feedback is appreciated. That said, I know this post is a little barebones for now, I intend to flesh it out with pictures, a list of typical unique (or distinct) packages each distro contains, and more. Also be aware I may not be able to update daily as I'd like to, but will do my best to have this fleshed out completely within a couple weeks.