Fedora vs Ubuntu 2021.
There are many flavors of Linux, and some, like Manjaro, are quickly gaining a fantastic reputation as modern alternatives to Windows and macOS.
However, Ubuntu and Fedora Linux are currently the two most popular Linux kernel-based desktop operating systems. The question is, which one is best for you?
Fedora Vs. Ubuntu: Different Branches on the Family Tree
The biggest fundamental difference between Fedora and Ubuntu is the branches of the Unix tree from which they descend. Fedora comes from Red Hat Linux. Hence the name associated with the hat. Ubuntu comes from Debian, a hugely popular Linux branch released on various desktop distributions.
Support and Development
Another major difference between Fedora and Ubuntu is how they are developed and maintained. Although Fedora is a fork of Red Hat, Red Hat does not develop or support Fedora. They offer financial support and some development input, but it is essentially a community-driven project.
Ubuntu is developed and supported by Canonical. While they don’t make money directly from Ubuntu, they accept donations from users and charge a fee to support the enterprise. They are completely dedicated to supporting and developing Ubuntu.
Fedora has a different development philosophy than Ubuntu. Fedora relies on the very latest in the Linux world. He is usually the first to implement important updates to core Linux components such as the GNOME desktop.
Ubuntu, on the other hand, aims to be a more direct Windows alternative. Thus, priority is given to usability, stability, and ease of use. This is not to say that one of them does a poor job of giving priority to the other, they just do not pursue the same goals.
Installation and Ease of Use
We’ve gone far beyond the text-based installation methods that most Linux users have to deal with. When we used Red Hat in the early 2000s, it was an intensive manual process to get everything up and running. Not only did you need to have a working knowledge of the correct partition structure, but you also needed to make important choices at every step, and it is quite possible that the installation would be useless. This meant you had to start all over again.
Both Fedora and Ubuntu use modern graphical installation systems today. None of these are difficult to set up, and every choice you have to make is explained clearly enough to keep things going smoothly. While some aspects of the installation may be better or worse on each side of the fence, overall there is nothing to shake anyone in any direction.
As far as the actual user interface is concerned, there is no doubt that Ubuntu is the operating system of choice for the average user who doesn’t really care about their computers and just wants to use it. Ubuntu is a more direct alternative to Windows and macOS, while Fedora offers something more akin to the classic Linux power user experience. Fedora is more than easy for the average user, but not as user-friendly.
Software Availability
Fedora vs Ubuntu 2021
Fedora and Ubuntu use completely different package management systems. Ubuntu uses Apt and installs the standard .deb packages (Debian). Fedora uses DNF and .rpm packages. These systems are inherited from their respective pedigrees and are unfortunately incompatible.
As you can imagine, there is a lot of debate on the net about which type of distribution management is best, but from the point of view of the average user, they do the same job and basically do it equally well.
The main difference here is that there is simply more Debian software out there. You are more likely to find a .deb version of your application than it is compiled as a .rpm file.
Gaming Support
Let’s face it, if you want the best PC gaming experience, you should go for Microsoft Windows. Native versions of major video games for Linux are relatively rare, and compatibility levels like WINE are imperfect.
That being said, Ubuntu is taking big strides towards becoming a great operating system for gaming. It has built-in support for proprietary hardware drivers, which is essential in most cases for good video game performance. In addition to this, the Steam gaming platform has a robust client on Ubuntu with a Steam Play compatibility layer. This allows you to play many Windows games on Ubuntu Linux, often with full compatibility.
It’s important to note that Fedora also does a great job of running Steam and its compatible games, but Fedora has a little more trouble when it comes to installing them. Not to mention the lack of proprietary graphics drivers out of the box.
Proprietary Software Support
One of the most defining features of Fedora is its complete commitment to open-source software. While Fedora doesn’t stop you from using proprietary software, it doesn’t do anything for it either. That being said, in the latest version at the time of this writing, you actually get a prompt asking if you want to enable third-party repos directly from the Fedora App Store.
This is in contrast to Ubuntu, which has options in the setup wizard to automatically download and install third-party closed source software. You will also find closed source applications in the Ubuntu software repository, and of course closed source hardware drivers.
Ubuntu clearly tells you when software comes with a closed source license, but Fedora is kind of a FOSS (Free and Open Source) fundamentalist. The advantage of this is that you can be sure that you are not running any proprietary software on your Fedora system unless you put it there.
This can be critical for certain organizations or non-profit organizations. Plus, there are many users who care too! Which distribution is the “best” here really depends on your attitude towards open-source software?
It’s Easy To Try Both for Yourself
The discussion above covers the most important differences between Fedora and Ubuntu Linux that matter when choosing which one works for you, but there is no reason to base your decision on the information you read alone.
Since Fedora and Ubuntu are both completely free, you can try them out today. You also don’t need to make any changes to your computer to try them out. There are two ways to try these operating systems without breaking your current system.
First, you can download a Live installation version of any Linux version, burn it to a disk or USB stick, and then boot from it. This will change absolutely nothing in the system itself. Using this option, you can play around with Fedora and Ubuntu and install them permanently only if you like them enough. By the way, a live download is a great tool if you want to safely use a public computer without leaving any traces, or to provide first aid on a computer that is having problems.
The second way to try these operating systems is to use a virtual machine. For this purpose, we prefer the free VirtualBox application. After installing VirtualBox, you only need to create a new virtual machine and point it to the disk image file you downloaded for Fedora or Ubuntu. Install it as you would on a real computer and enjoy a safe environment for learning and experimenting.
Even if you take the plunge and install any of the systems, you can dual boot by choosing the one you like when you start your computer. There is no excuse not to try them!
–
Fedora vs Ubuntu 2021
Fedora vs Ubuntu 2021