Undoubtedly, Linux distributions have got a special place in the hearts of users of their high compatibility and reliability and most users welcome attractive Linux distributions to set up a server. Debian and Ubuntu are two examples of the most popular Linux distributions that users are always in a dilemma when choosing between them.
Debian can be considered the mother distribution of Linux, which is the origin of more than 131 distributions, including Ubuntu, as well as 58 other Linux distributions that are derivatives of Ubuntu. However, these two distributions have fundamental differences in functionality and aspects, and each of these differences makes it challenging for users to decide between Ubuntu and Debian.
Ubuntu is an operating system that attracts new users and new users get better results from Ubuntu. In contrast, Debian is always preferred by professionals and experienced users. Of course, the current version of Debian gives every user full control of the system and makes it possible and easy to use Debian for any type of user, from beginners to professionals.
In general, despite the similarities between these two distributions, their significant differences in installation, package management, and other areas cannot be ignored. Since we compared Debian with CentOS, today’s post aims to compare the features of two working distributions, Debian and Ubuntu, so that you know the differences between Debian and Ubuntu and make the right choice for your server and system.
Debian Linux
You are probably familiar with the famous Debian operating system, and we have already talked about what Debian OS is, but again in this post, we will give a brief definition of Debian; In 1993, Ian Murdoch launched a free and open-source operating system based on the Linux kernel. Due to its long history, Debian’s stable distribution is the choice of many Linux system administrators. Also, the Debian operating system can be used on servers and desktops. Debian is generally not an ideal choice for beginners, but it is more stable, flexible, versatile, and reliable than Ubuntu.
Advantages of using Debian
- Managed and supported by the Debian community, this distribution owes its success and popularity to a growing team of expert developers and programmers worldwide.
- The Debian operating system can be installed by various methods (via CD, etc.) and does not have a complex installation process; This makes it easy to add new tools.
- Debian is a secure operating system due to its security features. Debian, unlike most other Linux distributions, supports more hardware architectures, including amd64, arm64, and PowerPC.
- Debian has low hardware requirements so it can be run on any old device with low power and equipment.
- Using the Debian operating system costs you nothing.
- Compared to other Linux distributions, it has the largest repositories for downloading programs.
Disadvantages of using Debian
- Starting with Debian is challenging for Linux beginners.
- Unlike most Linux distributions, its release cycle is somewhat longer.
- Unlike Linux distributions, Debian does not provide a private package archive (PPA).
- In the Debian environment, most operations require the use of a terminal environment and a simple user interface.
- The enterprise version is not supported.
Ubuntu Linux
Ubuntu is an operating system that most users have experience with or are familiar with what Ubuntu OS is, but we’d like to give a brief explanation to users familiar with Ubuntu for the first time. Compared to Debian, Ubuntu is a newer Linux distribution that is derived from Debian. The Ubuntu operating system is an open-source distribution of Linux released by Mark Shuttleworth in 2004. Ubuntu is designed and made available to the public in three unique official versions, desktop, and server for all users. Hence, Ubuntu runs on any virtual and real machine. Since Ubuntu is based on Debian, they have common features with each other, but they have fundamental differences.
Advantages of Ubuntu Linux
- Unlike Debian, Ubuntu is more user-friendly and ideal for beginners.
- Ubuntu can be run on almost any hardware or virtual system with high flexibility in implementing settings.
- This distribution has regular updates.
- Upgrading Ubuntu versions, especially LTS, is effortless.
- Ubuntu has the best package management.
- Ubuntu caters to both personal and business needs.
Disadvantages of Ubuntu Linux
- Ubuntu is not community-supported, but skilled and experienced developers hired by Canonical make changes to improve the operating system.
- Although Ubuntu has a regular release cycle, it is not as tested as Debian to provide a stable version.
- Ubuntu has not left out users in terms of using free features like Debian as it provides access to free and paid software.
Major Differences Between Ubuntu and Debian
Debian and Ubuntu are free distributions that evolved from Linux, each offering unique features and capabilities. Understanding the difference between Debian and Ubuntu can help you choose the right operating system for your purposes after buying a Linux VPS. First, we present a table summarizing the differences between Ubuntu and Debian. We then examine these two distributions from different perspectives and explain their differences.
1. Basic foundations
Debian is one of the oldest Linux distributions and was launched in 1993. In contrast, Debian-based Ubuntu was released in 2004. Ubuntu and Debian experimental distributions are built on the latest Debian stable distribution packages available to users. Changes made to Ubuntu are automatically reverted to the Debian code base with every update.
2. Release Cycle
The Debian release cycle consists of three types: Stable, Unstable, and Experimental.
Debian stable version: It is the major version of Debian that has been continuously updated and supported for five years (three years by the Debian security team and two years by the Debian LTS team). Although there is no set and definite plan for upgrading Debian versions, updates to stable versions of Debian occur approximately every two years. It should be noted that version 11, often referred to as Bullseye, is the latest stable version of Debian.
Unstable version: This version of Debian contains the latest software and features, but because it has not been thoroughly tested, it is known as an unstable version. Unstable versions are fragile and vulnerable because they are associated with constant change and active development.
Testing version: This version is the next stable branch that goes through development process. The testing version of Debian caters to users who are interested in using the latest features and software. However, there is no ongoing security maintenance and support in the trial version.
Ubuntu has (LTS) long-term support and regular versions.
Versions with (LTS) Long-Term Support: These versions are released every two years with five years of support. After this period, users can enroll in Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) to receive an additional five years of security updates for the original Ubuntu operating system.
Regular Edition: These editions are released every six months and are supported for five years. The regular version offers latest features and applications.
Released on April 21, 2022, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS “Jammy Jellyfish” is the latest LTS release of Ubuntu. Every six months, Canonical releases new stable versions of Ubuntu, and every two years releases new long-term support.
3. Stability
Compared to Ubuntu, Debian ranks higher in the list of Linux distributions in terms of stability and reliability. Upgrading to Debian only happens when the Debian development team tests and approves new features and the potential for unexpected behavior and bugs are minimized. For this reason, many server administrators prefer Debian as their preferred operating system.
However, you must use older software to benefit from such stability. While using older software isn’t a problem for servers, it can make Ubuntu more attractive to users who want to work with the latest software versions. Therefore, Debian is ideal for users who are looking for stability, and since it focuses more on stability, it prefers to use older versions of software; For example, in the latest Debian version, GNOME 3.38 is replaced by the newer version of GNOME, which is 3.40. Also, there are older versions of other Debian software, such as GIMP and LibreOffice. But the LTS version of Ubuntu focused on stability and offers the latest features and software.
4. Availability of Software
Both Ubuntu and Debian have significant and large software repositories, and both distributions are compatible with a wide range of software. But the software distribution may not run correctly and needs to be modified to optimize it; You can install prerequisites or modify deb packages to make the software compatible with the operating system.
Ubuntu offers PPA as its packaging system and it is easy for users to install new software on Ubuntu because of PPA (Private Packages Archive). But Debian lacks the PPA feature in its management dashboard. Although you can benefit from the PPA on Debian, using it on Debian is not without challenges, you often run into problems.
5. Platform Support
In addition to supporting 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, Debian supports a wide range of platforms such as 64-bit ARM (arm64), ARM EABI (armel), ARMv7 (EABI hard-float ABI, armhf), little-endian. . MIPS (mipsel), 64-bit little-endian MIPS (mips64el), 64-bit little-endian PowerPC (ppc64el), and IBM System z (s390x) are available, so it’s known as a universal system.
Unlike Debian, Ubuntu does not support 32-bit architecture. As an option, it runs on 64-bit x86 and ARM processors.
6. Desktop environment
Debian has no default desktop environment; Instead, you choose your preferred desktop interface during the Debian installation process, from a lightweight minimalist window manager to a full-featured desktop environment. (In Debian, there is no pre-installed desktop environment, but it allows you to specify the desktop interface you want during the Debian installation process among the various desktop environments, from lightweight minimalist window managers to full-featured desktop environments.)
If we want to emphasize Debian’s superiority in this field, we must say that Debian’s environment is lighter than Ubuntu, so it can be run on low-power hardware.
Ubuntu has a preconfigured interface which is presented by default when you install Ubuntu. Ubuntu is known for its easy and user-friendly desktop environment. Earlier versions of Ubuntu used Unity, but since Ubuntu 17.10, Gnome Shell is its default desktop environment.
Perhaps with these descriptions, you can imagine that the user of Ubuntu is limited to using the desktop environment and can only use a desktop environment that is set by default. Conversely, users can still use non-default settings for the Ubuntu user interface and other alternative options, such as Xubuntu for Xfce or Kubuntu for KDE, on top of the settings available for installation.
7. Software, Drives, and Firmware
Debian only includes free and open-source software (FOSS) in its repositories, not proprietary software. Its kernel has no proprietary drivers or operating systems. In Debian, most users prefer to maintain their systems based on open source and have the possibility to manually install additional repositories. In Debian, users who would benefit from dedicated hardware must add a dedicated drive because Debian does not include a closed-source binary operating system.
To focus more on performance, Ubuntu offers proprietary software in addition to free software. This Linux distribution is ideal for people who care about simplicity and is fully equipped for immediate use, thanks to its extensive storage and drive compatibility. Ubuntu makes it easy to add repositories and install third-party applications using PPAs (Personal Package Archives) to expand user software choices.
8. Development
Both Debian and Ubuntu are open sources but they have different development methods. Debian is developed as a community-based project by expert volunteers from around the world and maintained with the help of community programmers. Ubuntu is an open-source operating system developed and supported by Canonical with significant support from an active community of users. Although Ubuntu’s corporate support is limited compared to the community, it offers benefits for business users, including a regular release schedule and official backups.
9. Performance
Both distributions offer excellent performance for Linux-based systems (server or desktop), but the hardware and software you use can make a difference in system performance. Debian operating system distributions are provided by default due to the absence of unnecessary programs in the operating system, are very light and fast, and do not require much power consumption. They work fine, even on older hardware.
On the other hand, Ubuntu requires more system resources due to its more extensive pre-installed software and new features. Although removing unnecessary and unused programs can increase performance, novice users should not remove default programs until it becomes necessary for them as this will cause problems with the installation of the operating system.
10. Installation
Debian’s installation process is more complex than Ubuntu’s, and it is often preferred by experienced users to intervene during installation and control the installation process. Interestingly, the operating system uses an nCurses-based Debian installer that requires more user input and manual configuration.
By downloading the Debian operating system, essential and basic software is provided by default. To use additional software, you need to install it manually, and you may be involved in identifying hardware and network adapters during installation.
Ubuntu has an easy and fast installation method as it has built-in applications designed for users. It does not matter if you are installing the server version or the desktop version. In both cases, it can be installed easily and is convenient for beginners. Ubuntu operating system requires little configuration due to the Ubiquity installer with a modern graphical interface. To speed up the installation process, Ubuntu also offers a dual-boot option that verifies and accepts other operating systems installed on the disk.
11. Security Aspect
Both distributions include security patches in every update and built-in security measures to protect against threats and vulnerabilities. But if we want to compare security. Although Debian has not considered access control management solutions for firewalls. It controls the implementation of user policies with a strict policy. Ubuntu, unlike Debian, includes AppArmor and firewall protection. Ubuntu also benefits from a simple and helpful user interface, so you can easily configure security settings.
