Ubuntu Vs Debian Vs Linux Mint

2020-06-26

When I was a newcomer to Linux, I remember having the typical issue of picking a distribution. Ubuntu is the typical answer with Linux Mint coming in second. It gets confusing when you try to figure out what they do differently from each other since they're based off each other. I'll do a quick overview of how the distributions(distros) are related and the major differences between them.

Debian is the farthest upstream. Many decisions they make flow down to Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Debian Stable is the recommended branch. It is very reliable, but software only gets security updates between releases so software becomes quite dated between releases. Releases happen roughly every 2 years and 1 release is offically supported at a time.

Ubuntu builds off Debian's packaging infrastructure to create its own distro. When its time to release, Ubuntu grabs packages from Debian's Unstable branch and ensures they're in working order. It's installer is a bit prettier, but the main difference is that it makes installing non-free drivers easier with an automatic tool. It releases on a set schedule with LTS coming out every 2 years and a non LTS releasing every 6 months in between. The LTS releases are supported for 5 years. Software and kernels are updated during release. This means fairly fresh kernels are available in case you need them for new hardware.

Linux Mint builds from Ubuntu by releasing based off their LTS releases. Their Cinnamon Desktop Environment is very easy to understand and people coming from Windows and is the main reason to consider it. It contains easy to use graphical tools for package management(program installation and updates) and a desktop that has items in the same positions as Windows.

Beyond theses major differences there's often smaller changes to defaults that can make Ubuntu or Linux Mint a better choice for beginners.

You may find Linux Vs Windows Should You Switch useful if you're looking to switch from Windows.