This page gives a brief overview of the most widely used Linux distributions, including their target use cases and how to check which distro you're running.
APT (.deb packages)YUM/DNF (.rpm packages)pacman| Distro | Stability | Security Features | Release Model | Support Lifecycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Stable | SELinux (opt-in), AppArmor | Fixed (Stable/Testing/Unstable) | ~3 years (LTS 5 years via ELTS) |
| Ubuntu | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stable | AppArmor, Unattended Upgrades | Fixed + LTS releases | LTS: 5 years (10 with ESM) |
| RHEL | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enterprise-grade | SELinux (enabled by default) | Fixed, point releases | 10+ years (5 + 5 extended) |
| CentOS Stream | ⭐⭐⭐ Pre-release RHEL | SELinux (enabled) | Rolling (semi-rolling) | Continuous until next RHEL |
| Fedora | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Modern & Active | SELinux (strict by default) | Frequent (~6 months) | 13 months |
| Arch Linux | ⭐⭐ Cutting-edge | Optional hardening tools | Rolling | Ongoing (rolling forever) |
| Manjaro | ⭐⭐⭐ Balanced | Easy kernel/hardening configs | Semi-rolling | Ongoing (based on Arch) |
| openSUSE Leap | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stable | AppArmor, Firewalld | Fixed | ~18 months |
| Kali Linux | ⭐⭐ Testing-based | Minimal, pentest tools focused | Rolling (Debian Testing) | Short-term, not for production |
🧠 Note:
Rolling releases like Arch and Kali give access to the latest software but may require more frequent maintenance. Stable/fixed release distros like Debian and RHEL are preferred for production.
lsb_releaselsb_release -a