Quick Links
Summary
For absolute beginners, Ubuntu is the obvious choice.
Arch is great once you’ve found your Linux sea-legs.
Ubuntu and Arch Linux have staunch and vocal supporters.
Dave McKay/How to Geek
But which is right for you?
The Maze of Distributions
The notion to try out Linux can be spurred by many factors.
Maybe you’ve heard of Linux and just want to find out more.
A typical Arch Linux AUR entry
Perhaps you’re dissatisfied with your current OS and you’re looking for an alternative.
Maybe you find the idea of free and open source software intriguing, and worth investigating.
Whatever the reasons, they’re usually clear cut.
But once that choice is made, you have to choose which Linux distribution to use.
And that’s a question that’s anything but clear cut.
You may have heard that, underneath, all Linux distributions are the same.
That’s true, as far as it goes.
Some even go as far as developing their own desktop environments, likeLinux Mint did with Cinnamon.
The differences between distributions—and the end user experience—can be profound.
A typical Arch Linux AUR entry
The philosophies behind the distributions are completely different.
Arch its own distribution, built from the ground-up.
Ubuntu is derived fromDebian Linux.
Arch aims to give you a lightweight, functional system.
Starting with a minimalist base install, you choose which packages you need or want, and install them.
From first boot, you could be productive in Ubuntu.
The flip side is your machine is loaded with packages you will probably never open, never mind use.
Ubuntu is all about hand-holding and ease of use.
At one time, its strapline was “Linux for human beings.”
Arch is about giving you control.
It doesn’t install anything you haven’t asked for.
Canonical create two Ubuntu releases each year,scheduled for April and October.
Every fourth release is a Long Term Support release, with support and patches guaranteed for five years.
The interim releases are supported for nine months.
Arch uses a rolling release model.
There are no milestone releases.
You plant the latest Arch image, and then patch it so that it is up to date.
You then patch frequently to keep it current.
This can catch you out though.
Cutting edges can draw blood.
Patches and updates are tested, but faults can find their way through the net.
A recent example is the version 2:2.06.r322 update to the GRUB bootloader.
A bug that thousands of Arch computers booted into theBIOS instead of Arch Linux.
There was a workaround, but it required some confidence and knowledge to apply it.
With Ubuntu, anyone can install it and use it to learn about Linux.
With Arch, you better know something about Linux just to get it installed.
How Installing Arch Linux and Ubuntu Differs
Ubuntu has a greatGUI-based installation program.
TheArch installationis much more bare bones.
It is terminal based.There are many steps, some of which can become quite involved.
Setting upWi-Fi, for example, can prove challenging.
The
script is anothertext-based way to install Arch.
It lets you pick from on-screen lists of options for some tweaks, which makes things somewhat easier.
If you’re successful, you’ll have a running Arch Linux system.
You then move on to installing a desktop environment,such as GNOME.
Manjaro,ArcoLinux,Garuda, andEndeavourOSare Arch-based distributions offering GUI-based installations.
But they’re not plain vanilla Arch, although EndeavourOS and ArcoLinux come very close.
Does One Have Better Hardware Compatibility?
There’s noofficial ARM support, for example.
Ubuntu, by contrast, officially supports a wide range of computing platformsincluding the Raspberry Pi.
Most PC hardware compatibility issues are resolved using kernel modules and drivers.
Arch largely leaves it up to you.
What Applications and Package Managers Are Available?
To install and remove software packages Ubuntu has the
command line tool, and Arch has
.
They both have GUI-based alternatives too.
Ubuntu has the
software, and Arch users can install
to have a similar experience.
These tools all reference the official software repositories of the distributions.
To include unofficial software sources, Ubuntu users can enable specificPersonal Package Archives.
These are user-provided wrapped packages that are made available to the Ubuntu community by private individuals.
Once a user hasinstalled its PPA, they can load the software using the standard
tool.
The Arch equivalent is theArch User Repository.
This is a huge collection of user-provided package descriptions.
These automate downloading the source code and building the package on your rig.
Users can do this from within
or in a terminal window using an AUR helper tool such as
.
There are about 60,000 packages in the official Ubuntu repositories.
The Arch repositories and AUR combined amount to about 58,000 packages.
But that’s not the whole story.
Of course,FlatPaks,Snaps, andAppImagesare distribution-agnostic methods of installing software.
A package you’re looking for might be available in one of these formats.
What’s the Community Support Like?
Arch and Ubuntu are well-served with online resources offering information and advice.
Ubuntu users can turn to theAsk Ubuntuwebsite and theUbuntu Forums, and Arch users have theArchWiki.
The ArchWiki is without doubt one of the premier sources of Linux information available today.
It’s accessed by users of all distributions, not just Arch.
However, be aware that it takes brevity to new levels.
Nor does it repeat itself.
Because of that, it takes a little while to acclimatize yourself to the ArchWiki style.
Because it can seem impenetrable to newcomers, they even provide a page onreading the Wiki.
UbuntuandArcheach have subreddits dedicated to them.
These are unofficial, but useful, resources.
Contrary to popular belief they’re pretty friendly too.
Arch vs Ubuntu: Who Wins?
The distribution that’s right for you is best decided by what you want from your Linux.
The installation paradoxically requires a priori knowledge that you only get with some familiarity with Linux.
Get an image file fromthe Arch Linux download page.
Get its image file fromthe Ubuntu desktop download page, and get startedinstalling.
Related:10 Basic Linux Commands for Beginners
