In this station I look backmost astatine the champion Linux distros of 2022 — and spoiler: they’re not each Ubuntu-based!

I know: I marque the aforesaid gag each twelvemonth I bash this. But hey: I constitute astir Ubuntu. I usage Ubuntu. You may expect maine to support it each astir Ubuntu. But the Linux ecosystem? It’s much than just Ubuntu. There are a ton of top-tier Linux distros retired determination deserving of praise, celebration, and recognition. This database is my tiny mode of giving ’em that!

That said, what follows is not a posit of superiority, nor a ranking of importance. It’s conscionable me, a person, giving a shoutout to some of the year’s champion Linux releases. Is it comprehensive? No. And it’s besides not a critique, truthful if an OS you emotion isn’t featured beneath the omission is not due to the fact that I deliberation it’s awful!

With the SEO gods (hopefully) satiated by that lengthy introduction, lets look astatine my apical 5 Linux distros of 2022!

1. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

A whizz-through what’s caller successful 22.04

Arguably the champion Linux distro merchandise of the twelvemonth for maine was Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, which arrived backmost successful April.

Long-term enactment releases are ever large woody arsenic tens of millions of radical usage them. Thankfully, Ubuntu’s dedicated developers dished retired a merchandise worthy of the attention.

Snap qualms speech (see the video) the Jammy Jellyfish bought GNOME Shell 42, configurable accent colours, Wayland by default, caller multitasking options, caller dock options, a amended desktop icons extension, Linux kernel 5.15, Raspberry Pi 4 support. Plus reams upon reams (upon reams etc) of updated apps, tooling, and packages.

Though I americium an interim merchandise rider — ever person been, astir apt ever volition beryllium — astir folks instrumentality with an LTS release. And with Ubuntu 22.04 they get a merchandise that’s genuinely bully capable to beryllium utilized for the duration of its enactment period, with nary FOMO.

2. Fedora Workstation 37

Fedora Workstation is simply a flagship desktop Linux distro for bully reason: it’s robust, it’s reliable, it’s impeccably produced — it distils what a batch of folks question most: a “pure” GNOME experience, delivered arsenic devs intend, atop a beardown and unchangeable base.

Autumn’s connection of Fedora 37 Workstation features GNOME 43 – an update that majorly improves the GNOME Shell idiosyncratic acquisition with Quick Settings. There’s besides a more-featured Files rebuilt successful GTK4/libadwaita; a revamped Calendar app; a Device Security panel; Raspberry Pi 4 support; GRUB alternatively of syslinux connected BIOS; and more.

Folk often place Fedora Workstation because, arsenic Linux distros go, it’s alternatively understated, unassuming, and drama-free. Yet, it is simply a finessed and functional distro that forgoes fancy flourishes to absorption wholly connected its performance, its integration, and its cohesion.

If you’ve ne'er tried Fedora you’re missing out, truthful benignant it!

3. Manjaro 22.0 ‘Sikaris’

That a mentation of Manjaro had to diagnostic successful this database was obvious. And arsenic Arch-based Linux distros spell Manjaro is 1 of the best. Oh, I know: determination is chatter astir Manjaro wrong the wider Linux assemblage but for me, those storms-in-a-tea-cup ne'er interaction connected the prime (or should that beryllium flavour ☕️) of the distro itself.

Manjaro 22.0 ‘Sikaris’ isn’t conscionable a distro: it’s an experience

Exemplifying that is the Manjaro 22.0 release enactment retired successful December. The “main” favour with KDE Plasma serves up a flawless experience. Everything from the ammunition to the bundle manager to bespoke touches and apps are cohesive, considered, and choreographed.

Manjaro 22.0 isn’t conscionable a distro, it’s an experience.

Manjaro’s desktop-specific “editions” are besides terrifically compiled. They ne'er consciousness similar Manjaro plus Xfce, plus GNOME, etc. Each is simply a cautiously curated and beautifully integrated showcase of their respective desktop’s strengths — oregon to enactment it successful little flowery terms: careless of which Manjaro variation you pick, it ever feels similar the MAIN one.

Plus, the Manjaro assemblage is ample and active. For immoderate contented that arises chances are I tin find a Manjaro forum station astir it (or idiosyncratic consenting to constituent maine successful the absorption of a solution). Community is an important facet of immoderate distro. The Linux kernel is the bosom of astir distros but its assemblage that is the lifeblood.

Manjaro is the afloat package, and a definite distro of the year.

4. Linux Mint 21

Linux Mint 21.1 is the newer and much visually absorbing (cf. caller applets and updated artwork) update, the archetypal Linux Mint 21 merchandise made the biggest interaction this year, of the two.

The oft-promoted “newbie” distro, Linux Mint’s halfway aims of offering a airy and acquainted computing acquisition that stays retired of the mode continues to resonate with users successful tune with the Windows mode of working.

Linux Mint 21 “Cinnamon” is lightweight and efficient, making it a bully prime connected little extremity hardware and older machines. As good arsenic being casual to use, Linux Mint ships with an absorbing enactment of pre-installed bundle that aims to screen astir users’ needs, including immoderate homegrown apps that are alternatively special.

Overall, Linux Mint 21 is the cleanable prime for users wanting a reliable and easy-to-use operating system.

5. Ubuntu 22.10

A whizz-through what’s caller successful 22.10

Ubuntu doubly successful 1 list?! It’s a spot much, but the inclusion of PipeWire means I’m obliged to to see 22.10. Honestly, it’s successful my declaration arsenic exertion of this tract —What? Yes, I wrote the declaration myself… Why’d you ask?

But seriously, Ubuntu 22.10’s aforementioned summation of PipeWire (though overdue) means astir Bluetooth audio devices present “just work” with Ubuntu. That coupled with the audio instrumentality switcher successful GNOME’s Quick Settings means Ubuntu 22.10 hits the close enactment with modern audio equipment.

Secondly, the uplift successful shipping GNOME 43 and a litany of libadwaita ports meant the Kinetic Kudu arrived connected the country with a existent dynamism — it was 1 of the earliest ways to effort GNOME 43, for discourse — that has been missing since the aboriginal Unity days.

Lastly, and without a uncertainty the astir important, critical, and distro-defining constituent was the Kinetic Kudu mascot wallpaper – the champion default Ubuntu wallpaper since the Hardy Heron, imo.

Honourable Mentions

Limiting my enactment to 5 was indispensable different this would’ve conscionable been a precise agelong database of each Linux distro that enactment retired an update implicit the past 12 months.

A fewer other shoutouts: the caller EndeavourOS ‘Cassini’ merchandise makes the perfect hop-on constituent for anyone wanting to thrust a reliable rolling-release distro. The latest Zorin OS is based connected an older Ubuntu basal but the out-of-the-box wow-factor remains invigorating for users caller to Linux.

Gamers, programmers, and creators adore Pop!_OS 22.04, which is the last mentation of System76’s distro to vessel with GNOME Shell by default; and there’s been a batch of emotion astir the lightweight Linux distro MX Linux which injects caller beingness into older hardware.

And a outcry retired has to spell to SteamOS, the Arch-based distro Valve preload connected the Steamdeck console.

Over to You

So that’s my database of champion desktop Linux releases for 2022. I tried to measurement up the assorted diagnostic sets, changes, and cardinal technologies erstwhile selecting them, and support successful caput the entreaty and popularity. Fwiw, MX Linux came *so* adjacent to taking a spot — expect to perceive much astir that and different distros implicit connected our sister tract omg! linux.

Anyway, who the fudge cares what I think?!

I privation to perceive your distro releases prime from the past 12 months. So dive down successful the comments (and tip: the “old” Disqus taxable is disposable to prime from the options again, yay). Try to support takes affirmative wherever imaginable by focusing connected the distros and developments you bash similar alternatively than the ones you don’t.