Although Linux is often considered Windows’ greatest rival, there’s not a single definitive Linux operating system. Rather, there is a complex environment of several Linux-based OSes to choose from. For Linux users who prioritize professional software with the latest features, Fedora is the premiere Linux OS, and it’s primarily used for workstations, servers, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about Fedora.
What is the Fedora distro?
If you’re not super familiar with Linux, you might think it’s just like Windows except open source, but that’s not exactly correct. Instead, there are lots of Linux-based operating systems out there, and they can be completely different from each other. Linux-based operating systems are distributions, or distros, of Linux. And they distribute the Linux kernel, which is what defines a Linux OS as a Linux OS. The kernel is essentially the core of the operating system, but it’s mostly under the hood and not something you interact with directly. It’s the job of the distribution to add a front-end on top of the kernel so that users have something to actually use besides a basic command line terminal.
Ever since its initial release two decades ago, Fedora has been maintained by the Fedora Project, which has received open-source contributions from both the community as a whole as well as Red Hat, one of IBM’s subsidiaries. There are five editions of Fedora: Workstation, Silverblue, Server, IoT (Internet of Things), and CoreOS. Plus, there are some purpose-specific versions via the Fedora Labs bundles. Fedora is also an upstream distro, or a distro that other Linux OSes take and use as a foundation. Notably, Fedora is the upstream distro of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
One of the quirks of Fedora’s development process is its short release cycle. Each version comes out around every six months, and support only lasts for about a year or so. While this is great for people who want to keep updating to get the latest features, the lack of support is going to suck for anyone who would prefer to stick to a single version for a long period of time.
Fedora system requirements
Fedora’s system requirements are pretty lean even by Linux standards, allowing it to be installed on even the smallest and weakest devices. Here are the basic requirements:
- 2GHz dual-core CPU
- 2GB of RAM
- 15GB of storage
Even a PC from nearly two decades ago would fit the bill here, though, for obvious reasons, you probably want to install Fedora on something a little more modern than that. The recommended specs are:
- 2GHz quad-core CPU
- 4GB of RAM
- 20GB of storage
The recommended specs still don’t call for a particularly high-end PC, meaning Fedora can run decently well on almost anything that was made within the past decade.
How to download and install Fedora
Fedora has a detailed installation guide, but before you go try and install it, here are some basic things you’ll need:
- A download of Fedora
- A DVD, flash drive, or some other external storage that’s at least 8GB in size
- Fedora Media Writer
- A computer that meets the requirements mentioned above
The installation process is overall largely the same as Windows or Ubuntu, though apparently, formatting and deleting already existing partitions can be buggy.
The Fedora experience: A Linux-based OS for professionals
Source: Fedora Project
As a Linux-based operating system, Fedora has some inherent pros and cons. What’s nice about Fedora is that it benefits from the wider Linux ecosystem and is open-source, which means you’re not relying on a big corporation to keep Fedora going. On the other hand, there’s a lot of software Linux struggles with, like games, drivers, and niche apps that exist on Windows but don’t have a Linux port or even an equivalent.
The basic UI is pretty similar to mainstream OSes like Windows. You get a desktop, taskbar, and file manager. This is all pretty similar to how it works on Ubuntu since they both use the same software for the desktop part of their respective OSes. However, there are different variants of Fedora called Spins, and these use different desktop layouts and software than the default editions.
As for default apps, you’ll only get basic stuff like LibreOffice, Firefox, and the Flatpak package manager (basically an app store). To install more, you just use Flatpak, or you can install the Snap app store if you prefer that instead. Fedora also uses the DNF package manager, which performs tasks on top of the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM), and you can install applications using it too. For example, to install Python using DNF, do the following:
sudo dnf install python3
Because of Fedora’s accelerated release schedule and focus on cutting-edge features, Fedora is going to appeal mostly to people who actively want the latest software features. For this reason, it’s mostly seen as an OS for enthusiasts and professionals, and while you can game on it, it’s not super ideal. Fedora only comes with open-source graphics drivers, and while this works fine for AMD and Intel, the state of Nvidia’s open-source drivers isn’t great. Official Linux drivers from Nvidia, which may be better in certain cases, have to be installed on your own if you want them.
Can I buy a PC with Fedora?
Most OEMs don’t offer any Linux OS for their PCs, and since Fedora isn’t all that big on its own, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that seemingly no PCs come with it preinstalled. Fedora does, however, have some sort of partnership with Lenovo, and apparently, there were/are Thinkpads shipped with Fedora, but I couldn’t find any on Lenovo’s website that offered Fedora instead of Windows 11. Fedora on the 2022 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 was apparently in “reasonable shape,” according to a Lenovo staff member, but that was posted in a forum thread over a year ago, and the X1 Carbon still doesn’t have Fedora as an option.
The only company that definitely offers a Fedora laptop is Think Penguin. Other than Think Penguin’s laptop (which on paper looks decent enough), it doesn’t seem that you’ll be able to buy one of the best laptops with Fedora preinstalled yet. Ubuntu laptops, on the other hand, aren’t vaporware, and they represent the bulk of the best Linux laptops you can buy today.
A decent OS for newcomers and veterans alike
While Ubuntu and its downstream distros are aimed more at the Windows crowd, distros like Arch Linux are for hardcore Linux fans, Fedora has a middle-of-the-road approach that allows it to appeal to both Linux noobs and seasoned users. While one could argue it isn’t aimed at casual users as much, it uses the same desktop environment as Ubuntu, so it’s definitely a viable alternative.
Realistically, you’ll want to use Fedora if you like that it updates frequently, focuses on new features with every release, and that it’s not as esoteric as other distros. It’s probably not an ideal way to get an introduction to Linux if you’re completely new to the space, but it’s not a terrible way, either.