In the decades since I started using Linux, I have experienced almost every distribution ever created, some of which are user-friendly, some of which were not. In some cases, I decided to use them only for the bragging rights I installed, and use one of the most challenging operating systems on the planet. Otherwise, I just needed something to get out of the box and work.
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If you’re new to Linux, you’ll probably come across a list of distributions that you should try first, such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Elementary OS, etc. What I haven’t read, however, is a list of distributions that you should avoid until you master the command line and not be afraid to do much manually.
But what is their distribution? Look! list.
1. Linux from scratch
Linux from scratch (LFS) is the most difficult take on Linux you’ll find, as it’s not a distribution in itself. Instead, LFS is a set of instructions for building your own distribution from scratch. That’s difficult. that’s right. One reason LFS exists (other than creating cool Linux distributions) is that it helps people learn three important deep dive concepts.
- Compile the kernel
- Installing the base system software
- Configuring and Installing Hardware Drivers
If you have a solid understanding of these three concepts, Sky is the limit of what you can do with Linux. Plus, when you exit with LFS, you have custom Linux distributions that you can use yourself or distribute to the world.
2. Gentoo
Gentoo Linux It is the most challenging of all available Linux distributions. The reason Gentoo is so challenging is that you need to compile everything from source to OS to apps. If you’ve compiled your app from source, you know how challenging the dependency spiral can be. You try to compile App X, but it makes sure it depends on App y, but App y depends on App z etc. I spent hours trying to solve a dependency problem, but that’s not interesting. Imagine doing that for every app on your system.
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Don’t even think about Gentoo until you feel like you’ve mastered the basics of Linux.
3. Archlux
Arch Linux The installation process is not as user-friendly as the other distributions, so you nod. Unlike some of the Arch forks (such as Manjaro), there is no GUI OS installer. This means that everything is being processed from the command line. That doesn’t mean that installation is impossible for newcomers. The developers have simplified the process somewhat thanks to the ArchInstall command. Instead of creating an installation file first, you can run the command to answer your question.
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Even if ArchInstall is available, we do not recommend Arch to anyone new to Linux.
4. Slackwear
Slackwear It is one of the oldest Linux distributions on the market. Slackware is also one of the most stable operating systems on the planet, but it doesn’t have the standard fare for user-friendly tools and automatic updates. Additionally, Slackware uses the SlackPKG package manager. This requires cleaning up the old packages before installing the new packages. However, the most difficult aspect of Slackware is that it doesn’t provide automated dependency resolution (similar to Gentoo). This can cause problems for new users who are used to using the app store to install applications.
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Using Slackware involves reading many guys pages (and other documents) about what other distributions do automatically.
5. Nixos
If you don’t mind configuring all aspects of the system, nixos It’s a good option. Beyond that, Nixos needs to use a unique package manager to think about how every part of the system (UI, network, security, etc.) works. Another challenging aspect of Nixos is installing non-free software. Luckily, Nixos created it search.nixos.org A site where you can search for apps and display instructions on how to install them. However, for these UNFREE apps, you must set nixpkgs.config.allowunfree = true in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix.
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With a little effort, you can get the Nyxos up and running, but you don’t have to go for a walk around the park.
6. void linux
void linux It is not based on another distribution created from scratch. Like many distributions in this list, Void uses a unique package manager (XBPS) similar to Arch’s Pacman. To install the application, use something like sudo xbps -install -s git. One interesting feature of XBPS is that it can also be installed from source. To do that, clone the repository (or download the source) and build/install the package with the following command:
./XBPS-SRCPKG package
sudo ./xbps-src installation package
A package is the name of the package you want to install. Void Linux includes Flatpak support, so there’s a bit of user-friendly there (no convenient GUI).
Also: I’m a Linux power user. This distribution rethinks what the operating system is
Another problem with VoID Linux is that you don’t use SystemD as a system/service manager. For some people, that’s actually a bonus, but those who are new to Linux will find that much of the information on the web is about SystemD. Finding documentation about OpenRC is not that simple (and its INIT system is easy to use).
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