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Reading an old article from FromLinux, I thought it could be interesting to share with you a list of what in my opinion are the best distributions GNU / Linux «rolling release«.
Don't you know what a "rolling release" distro is? Pass and find out. |
What are "rolling release" distributions?
To understand a bit about what Rolling Release is about, let's take Ubuntu as an example (which obviously doesn't have this feature). Ubuntu has a new version release every 6 months. In that period of time, there is a marathon update of new packages for the later version, and therefore we can present three problems:
- We have to change the repositories every 6 months.
- Installing or updating on the version already installed can cause errors or present problems.
- Packages from the previous version are quickly becoming outdated.
That is why it is always recommended to do a clean installation, from scratch, although in general the most affected are users with versionitis syndrome.
This is precisely what rolling release distributions solve. Let's take Archlinux as an example. A user installs Archlinux for the first time and will not need to reinstall when a new version is released unless there is a very serious problem with the system. Once you install all the packages you need, as they are updated with new versions, you will only have to update them from the repositories, including the system packages such as the Kernel.
Advantages
- You will always have the most up-to-date software (which obviously implies that you will have more "polished" software, with fewer bugs, with more and better functionalities, etc.).
- It is not necessary to reinstall the system to have the new packages. This is especially useful on Linux since many distributions release new versions every 6 months (which is a very short time).
Disadvantages
- The system may be more unstable because, although you have the latest version of all packages, for that same reason they are the least tested versions (especially when interacting with others).
- If the distribution does not release updates followed by the installation .iso, you will have to update a greater number of packages at the end of the distro installation.
The best rolling release distributions
Pure rolling releases, as you see below, are basically derived from 2 distros: Arch and Gentoo.
Arch Linux, very recognized, with tremendous popularity and acceptance among its user community, it is possibly the one that updates its packages to the latest version the fastest.
Arch bang, based on Arch and with a visual style inspired by Crunchbang (another distro based on Debian and that is very light since it uses Openbox).
Parable, try to provide a completely free version of Arch Linux. This is one of the distros recommended by the Free Software Foundation (FSF).
Gentoo, a distro that is difficult to install and is slowly losing acceptance, why? Maybe it's a bit run down.
Sabayon Linux, is clear from Gentoo but with a slightly more pleasant atmosphere.
ForesightLinux, is a rPath-based distro (which has been discontinued). The Conary package management system only updates those specific files in packages that need to be updated, in contrast to other formats, such as RPM and Deb, which download entire packages.
The best "pseudo rolling release" distributions
The "pseudo-rolling release" distros are those that are based on a parent distribution that is not rolling release but that, after applying some changes, can appear that they are. In this section, they are almost all derived from Debian, using the Debian Testing repositories:
Linux Mint Debian Edition, better known as LMDE, is a distribution based on Debian Testing that has the visual aspect of Linux Mint (GNOME 2, MATE / Cinnamon or XFCE).
Aptoside, formerly known as sidux, is a distribution based on Debian Testing.
antiX, is a Linux distribution, fast, light and easy to install, based on Debian Testing and Mepis.
openSUSEIt is not by default a rolling release distribution but by using the Tumbleweed repositories instead of the default ones, it may seem so.
Source: From Linux & COM-SL & Elijah Brasa