Fedora Linux
Community Linux distribution sponsored by Red Hat, known for recent software and stock desktops.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Fedora Linux
Fedora is a community Linux distribution sponsored by Red Hat and known for shipping recent software and new Linux technologies early. Its main desktop edition, Fedora Workstation, uses a nearly unmodified GNOME, and a KDE Plasma edition has equal standing; spins offer Xfce, Cinnamon, COSMIC and other desktops, while atomic variants such as Silverblue keep the base system read-only and update it as a single image you can roll back. A new release arrives roughly every six months and each is supported for about thirteen months, so most people upgrade about once a year. Fedora uses RPM packages with the DNF package manager and leans on Flatpak for desktop apps. It's free and open source and, for licensing reasons, leaves out some proprietary codecs and drivers by default, which new users often add from third-party repositories. Many features later seen in Red Hat Enterprise Linux appear here first.
Best for: Developers and enthusiasts who want current software and an unmodified GNOME or KDE desktop.
Pros and cons
What works
- Recent kernels, GNOME and KDE soon after they ship
- Stock desktops without heavy vendor changes
- Atomic editions like Silverblue offer a read-only, rollback-friendly system
- Free and community-run with strong Red Hat backing
Why people leave
- Short support window means upgrading about once a year
- Proprietary codecs and NVIDIA drivers need extra setup
- Less third-party software targets Fedora than Ubuntu
Top Fedora Linux alternatives
See all 3- 1
Ubuntu66.5Longer five-year LTS support and the widest third-party software and driver support.
- 2
Linux Mint62.6Gentler for Windows switchers, with codecs out of the box and fewer upgrades to manage.
- 3
Debian59.6Much slower, very stable releases from a fully community-run project.
Why people left Fedora Linux
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Fedora Linux: common questions
Is Fedora Linux free?
Yes. Fedora Linux is free, open-source software.
Is Fedora Linux open source?
Yes.
What platforms does Fedora Linux run on?
Fedora Linux is available for Linux.
What are the best alternatives to Fedora Linux?
The highest-ranked Fedora Linux alternatives right now are Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Debian. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.