When looking for a Linux distribution for students or students, a wide range of factors are considered. These include ease of use, stability, customization, and the presence of pre-installed apps to help them get started easily.
In this guide, we'll take a look at some of the best Linux distributions that make it easy for Linux students to learn.
1. Linux Mint
Linux Mint is a Linux distribution based on Debian and Ubuntu and is one of the most recommended distributions for students. It provides a very simple and elegant user interface that is intuitive and easy to use for beginners.
It provides 3 desktop environments for download, namely Cinnamon, MATE and XFCE. All editions come preinstalled with a software manager that categorizes applications and makes it easy for users to find the applications they need.
The user interface is strikingly similar to Windows XP or Windows 7 in many ways, and if you're running a Windows environment, Linux Mint is the perfect choice.
Another attribute that makes Mint Linux perfect for students is that it comes with a lot of free and open source applications that students might need out of the box. These include LibreOffice Suite, Mozilla Firefox browser, VLC media player, GIMP and many more.
2. Zorin Linux
Inspired by Ubuntu, Zorin OS is another ideal Linux distribution for students. It is an alternative to macOS and Windows designed to provide a great user experience for beginners and students while keeping your privacy and superior productivity at the same time.
Like Linux, Zorin provides a user-friendly, Windows-like user interface so you don't have to rack your brains on how to get started.
Zorin provides many customization options with the Zorin Appearance app, which allows you to customize your desktop layout to suit your preferences. For example, you can customize your desktop to look like Windows 11, macOS, or whatever desktop layout you're comfortable with.
Out of the box, students also get essential applications such as the LibreOffice suite, Mozilla Firefox, the Thunderbird email client, and many more.
Another reason why students should consider Zorin is its superior performance and speed which helps boost their productivity. In addition, Zorin Lite Edition is designed for older PCs, so students can spice up their old PCs and save money while learning Linux.
3. Academix GNU
AcademiX GNU is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed specifically for educational purposes. It is built on top of Debian Stretch and Buster and comes with free software for all levels of education from elementary to tertiary and/or university.
Academix GNU provides an installation utility that can be used to install a wide range of applications on topics such as mathematics, biology, chemistry, geography, statistics, robotics, and programming. All applications come with virtual interactive labs.
There is a dedicated section dedicated to instructors or teachers which allows them to create articles for students as well as for publication on the web. Most educational programs or applications are distributed under the GNU GPL or BSD licenses. This distribution can be installed on a PC or run as a live media.
4. UberMix
UberMix is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, specifically created with students in mind. It streamlines the learning experience for students by providing the perfect combination of pre-installed learning and creative apps that can be installed with a simple click of a mouse.
In addition, UberMix provides many IDEs that allow you to code in your preferred code editor. Ubermix is easy to install and you can easily deploy it in an educational institution without much hassle.
5. Elementary OS
In addition to the refined and elegant appearance, Elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that aims to help students easily migrate to a Linux environment.
Elementary OS is considered the perfect replacement for macOS and Windows, and rightly so given the intuitive and easy-to-use user interface. Users can easily launch applications from the top left corner of the screen or from the dock located at the bottom of the screen.
Out of the box, you get a lot of applications for everyday use, such as a music player, photo manager, email client, text editor, and many more.
Elementary also provides an App Store called App Center where you can get free and paid apps. Each application has been carefully reviewed by developers to ensure security and privacy.
6. Ubuntu
Ubuntu hardly needs an introduction. It is one of the most popular and widely used Linux distributions, on which the previously mentioned and many other distributions are based. Ubuntu is inspired by Debian and has a robust LTS release cycle meaning it receives features and updates at fixed intervals.
One standout aspect of Ubuntu is its desktop, which has the GNOME desktop environment by default, which is beginner-friendly, intuitive, and effortless to navigate.
Ubuntu also comes preloaded with applications such as the LibreOffice suite, VLC media player, Firefox web browser, document viewer and scanner, and a host of other productivity apps that let learners get started without a hitch.
In addition, Ubuntu provides the GNOME software, a graphical interface for managing software packages that has replaced the Ubuntu Software Center. The Software Center provides an easier way to manage packages for students who are not yet familiar with the command line.
Ubuntu also offers extensive online community support that offers solutions to common technical problems that students may encounter from time to time.
7. Manjaro Linux
Arch Linux is often considered intimidating, especially for beginners and learners. Requires an intermediate or advanced level of command line work to set everything up from scratch. Here comes to the rescue Manjaro Linux.
Based on ArchLinux, Manjaro Linux is a Linux desktop distribution focused on usability and providing students with a seamless Arch Linux experience. It provides a range of desktop environments to choose from, including GNOME, Budgie, Cinnamon, and MATE, just to name a few.
In addition, it offers a wide range of customization options and students can customize just about anything; from themes and widgets to widgets and icons.
8. OpenSUSE Leap
OpenSUSE Another great choice for students. It comes in two flavors, TumbleWeed which is a rolling release and Leap which is more stable and suitable for students.
The hallmark of OpenSUSE is the presence of Yast (another customization tool). It is a front-end configuration and configuration tool that performs many tasks including hardware configuration, firewall and network management, enabling and disabling system services, software updates, package management, and more.
OpenSUSE also provides many ready-made applications such as office tools, multimedia applications, browsers, and games, just to name a few that are used by students as they learn the basics.
This was an overview of some of the ideal Linux distributions for students that can potentially help them get started with Linux without the hassle of setting up everything else from scratch.
They are built to provide a user-friendly user interface and user experience, combined with a set of pre-installed apps that make learning easier for learners or beginners. So, if you're looking for the perfect Linux distribution for your school, any of these might come in handy.
