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Ubuntu vs elementary OS: What are the differences?

1. User Interface: Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop environment with a modified version called GNOME Shell. In contrast, elementary OS comes with its Pantheon desktop environment, designed to provide a sleek, elegant, and efficient user experience with a focus on simplicity and minimalism.

  1. Software Center: Ubuntu utilizes the Ubuntu Software Center for users to manage and install applications, offering a wide range of software choices. On the other hand, elementary OS features the AppCenter, which emphasizes curated applications tailored for a consistent user experience and a more refined selection of software.

  2. Customization: Ubuntu provides a high level of customization options, allowing users to personalize their desktop environment extensively. In contrast, elementary OS values simplicity and coherence, limiting customization options to maintain a consistent look and feel across the system.

  3. Parent Distribution: Ubuntu is based on Debian and has a large community backing it, offering extensive support and resources. In comparison, elementary OS is based on Ubuntu and has a smaller but dedicated community, focusing on delivering a polished and user-friendly experience.

  4. Pre-installed Applications: Ubuntu comes with a wide range of pre-installed applications, catering to different user needs. As for elementary OS, it offers a selection of essential applications to maintain a clean and uncluttered system, encouraging users to explore and add applications as needed.

  5. System Updates: Ubuntu provides regular updates for system maintenance and security patches, ensuring the stability and security of the system. Meanwhile, elementary OS follows a strict release schedule and focuses on delivering major updates through new releases rather than frequent updates, prioritizing system stability and consistency.

In Summary, Ubuntu and elementary OS differ in user interface design, software management, customization options, community support, pre-installed applications, and update strategies.

Decisions about elementary OS and Ubuntu

Ubuntu is much more faster over Windows and helps to get software and other utilities easier and within a short span of time compared to Windows.

Ubuntu helps to get robustness and resiliency over Windows. Ubuntu runs faster than Windows on every computer that I have ever tested. LibreOffice (Ubuntu's default office suite) runs much faster than Microsoft Office on every computer that I have ever tested.

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Jerome/Zen Quah
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UbuntuUbuntu
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CentOSCentOS

Global familiarity, free, widely used, and as a debian distro feels more comfortable when rapidly switching between local macOS and remote command lines.

CentOS does boast quite a few security/stability improvements, however as a RHEL-based distro, differs quite significantly in the command line and suffers from slightly less frequent package updates. (Could be a good or bad thing depending on your use-case and if it is public facing)

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Simon Aronsson
Developer Advocate at k6 / Load Impact · | 7 upvotes · 262.1K views

At the moment of the decision, my desktop was the primary place I did work. Due to this, I can't have it blow up on me while I work. While Arch is interesting and powerful, Ubuntu offers (at least for me) a lot more stability and lets me focus on other things than maintaining my own OS installation.

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Pros of elementary OS
Pros of Ubuntu
  • 5
    Free to use
  • 4
    MacOs like feel
  • 4
    Fast
  • 4
    Stable
  • 3
    Elegant
  • 2
    Excellent replacement for Windows
  • 2
    Good for beginners
  • 2
    Very easy to use
  • 230
    Free to use
  • 96
    Easy setup for testing discord bot
  • 57
    Gateway Linux Distro
  • 54
    Simple interface
  • 9
    Don't need driver installation in most cases
  • 6
    Open Source
  • 6
    Many active communities
  • 3
    Software Availability
  • 3
    Easy to custom
  • 2
    Many flavors/distros based on ubuntu
  • 1
    Lightweight container base OS
  • 1
    Great OotB Linux Shell Experience

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Cons of elementary OS
Cons of Ubuntu
  • 1
    Less customization
  • 5
    Demanding system requirements
  • 4
    Adds overhead and unnecessary complexity over Debian
  • 2
    Snapd installed by default
  • 1
    Systemd

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What is elementary OS?

It is the flagship distribution to showcase the Pantheon desktop environment. The distribution promotes itself as a “fast, open, and privacy-respecting” replacement to macOS and Windows.

What is Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

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What are some alternatives to elementary OS and Ubuntu?
Linux Mint
The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.
Mac OS X
It brings new features inspired by its most powerful users, but designed for everyone. Stay better focused on your work in Dark Mode. Automatically organize files using Stacks.
Manjaro
It is an accessible, friendly, open-source Linux distribution and community. Based on Arch Linux, it provides all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed.
Windows 10
It is the latest iteration of the Microsoft operating systems and has been optimized for home PC performance in a wide variety of applications from serious work to after-hours gaming.
Fedora
Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.
See all alternatives