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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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What are the differences between linux distributions? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hey guys! Trying to understand what developers actually do to create a yet another distro, or what are the differences between existing distros. Lets say we have ubuntu and fedora. What are the differences? Excluding DE, Installer, theme, installed packages/libs and package manager. They both are FHS compliant, both running systemd what else?

Just wondering if there could be a way to "simulate", lets say ubuntu on fedora. For example providing every program that should be present on ubuntu in fedora. Would it be enough to be able to run .deb packages on fedora? Im not gonna do that though, just curious about this question.

Thank you!

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

You can use distrobox to run ubuntu on fedora and fedora on ubuntu.

Imo the difference isn't too big. If you know what you do, your system will look roughly the same on ubuntu and fedora. Same packages, same workflow etc.

If you keep the base packages constant, i.e. with a immutable distro, you can compare it much better, imo. The experience on Fedora silverblue and opensuse microos will be almost the same for the usual end user. Both are immutable systems, you install packages via flatpack, command line tools via distrobox. System keeps itself up to date. One is standard release, one is rolling.

Flatpak and distrobox offer sandboxing and reproducibility. Imo you want both on a regular install as well which almost make a traditional install like an immutable system, yet you are not as discouraged from installing packages onto the base layer.

If I'd be asked what the difference between fedora and ubuntu is, then I'd say the company behind it from which you get tech support. That's mostly it.