Built as a slim and secure operating system, this is an option primarily for power users and advanced use cases.
Alpine Linux
Category: Operating System
Arch Linux
A relative new comer to the world of Linux distributions is Arch. Designed to be a lightweight, flexible, and simple option. It’s used as a base to fork other distributions.
openSUSE Linux
Closely linked to SUS Linux, openSUSE has a long history with a dedicated community. It is slightly different from the Red Hat Enterprise and Debian based distributions. For example, the application manager is Yet another Setup Tool (YaST), similar to YUM and APT.
There are two main flavours for this distribution: Leap and Tumbleweed. The numbering scheme was changed in 2017, when the version number jumped from 42.3 back to 15.0.
Example of updating the software repository using YaST
sudo zypper patchFedora Linux
Perhaps the most popular distribution on the “bleeding-edge” of software development is the Fedora Project and it’s operating system (OS). This seems to be a front runner to CentOS and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Many of the features that will eventually end up in these two OS distributions are piloted in Fedora. With this status of being a testing ground, this is probably not a good choice for production environments, or where stability is required. Fedora OS is available in a variety of editions, and can be further broken down into “spins”. This additional breakdown allows for increased customizations in features such as the graphical user interface (GUI).
This distribution is an option for those studying for the CompTIA Linux+ exam. If you are working towards the CompTIA XK0-005, you’ll likely want to use the Fedora 34 Workstation edition.
Fedora Project: https://fedoraproject.org
Ubuntu Linux
Based on the Debian distribution, Ubuntu has become a widely used operating system. Managed by Canonical Ltd., it has been around for over two decades. There is excellent support from Canonical through documentation and forums, and for a fee you can procure additional technical support. This makes the distribution a viable option for commercial operations. Ubuntu comes in many variants including: Server, Desktop, Long Term Support (LTS), and many more. It is wise to become familiar with this operating system for enthusiasts and professional alike.
For those inclined with design, there is a design centre available: https://design.ubuntu.com.