From the course: Choosing a Linux Distribution

Similarities and differences - Linux Tutorial

From the course: Choosing a Linux Distribution

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Similarities and differences

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- [Narrator] When we're deciding which Linux distribution to use, we need to keep in mind the similarities that all distributions share, and where and how they tend to differ. Linux distributions aren't something we should think of as all being completely different from each other, they share many things in common. Most importantly, the Linux kernel, usually the same standard tools like the GNU coreutils and they come with, or we can add, common shells like Bash. Most distributions follow the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, either very closely or to some degree, and that describes where certain files belong on the system's file system. So for example, on most systems we can find system binaries in the same predictable places, configuration files are stored in mostly the same places, our home directory is in the same location and so on, whether we're using Debian, or Fedora, or Arch, or Mint. Distributions are also similar in that we can install nearly any software we want on nearly any distribution we might be using. For example, if a distribution comes with a VIM text editor, or we prefer Emacs or Nano, we can install those instead, either with a package or from source. And if we want to change the desktop environment, or if we don't have a desktop already but our hardware supports it, we can install the desktop environment of our choosing. These similarities don't mean these things are exactly identical, though. Versions of installed or available software often varies between distros, default configurations vary, and so on. The differences between distros though, as we've seen previously, are usually centered around software and system management. So, while all Linux distributions can do basically the same things, they often go about it in different ways. Two other examples of this are firewall software and application-level security. Nearly all Linux distributions use the net filter firewall software, but they offer different programs called front ends to interact with the firewall and set firewall rules. Some use the IPtables command, some use Firewall D, and some use UFW. They work differently but they all do the same thing, they control firewall rules. Application-level security is often handled by AppArmor or SELinux, and while most beginners won't need to interact with those tools, the choice of these tools at the distribution level is important to know about as you learn more about Linux. Ubuntu Server, for example, uses the cloud-init system to define a systems network configuration, and uses systemd-networkd to apply that configuration, whereas other distros use other ways of configuring networking and other settings. Ubuntu Server favors cloud-init because that distro is generally targeted at being installed in an automated fashion by configuration management or orchestration tools. Other distros, like those intended for desktop use, often use network manager to manage network settings. The result is the same. A network interface is configured, either manually or automatically, but how the system goes about doing that is different. Both Ubuntu Server and desktop use the GNU coreutils and systemd, but Alpine Linux, for example, uses BusyBox and OpenRC instead. I don't have enough space here to show a more comprehensive list, but I'll remind you again about the tables on the Wikipedia page for the comparison of Linux distributions. These variations and differences in working with what seems like the same software or operating system on different distros, especially configurations and services, can lead to frustration if we aren't aware that some things may be handled differently when we switch distros. These differences can make it feel like different distributions are entirely different worlds from one another, and understanding where to look to learn about differences will help us get acquainted with a new distribution. Next, let's explore what to consider as we choose our first distribution, or as we consider one we might want to switch to.

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