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Linux Mint

beginner

Linux Mint is a user-friendly and easy-to-use distro, developed by the community and based on Ubuntu. It's a nice entry point for beginners.

Technical Specs
Base
Debian (Stable), Ubuntu (LTS)
Package Manager
Init System
Latest Version
22.3
Release Model
fixed release
Release Date
January 13, 2026
Architecture
x86_64
Desktop Environments

About Linux Mint

Linux Mint is widely known for its familiar Windows-like interface and experience, which makes it a good candidate for those transitioning from Microsoft's ecosystem. Cinnamon desktop provides a familiar environment, snappy performance, and a range of customization options. It's widely considered the absolute gold standard for a traditional, reliable desktop experience. While the developers are progressively modernizing the core with native Wayland support, the current desktop remains highly optimized, idling at modest hardware requirements. One of the main differences between Ubuntu and Mint is a Snap store which is disabled by default. Instead, Mint relies on a deeply integrated combination of traditional native .deb packages and a fully sandbox-supported Flatpak ecosystem. Besides its Ubuntu-based version, the project also produces a separate "Debian" edition, based on the latest stable Debian version. Last but not least, has three different editions: the main one with the Cinnamon desktop, a MATE edition for older hardware and an Xfce edition for even more resource-constrained machines.

Highlights

  • -Complete absence of forced Snap usage.
  • -Features the native Cinnamon desktop environment, providing a familiar workflow for Windows migrants with nearly zero learning curve.
  • -Includes custom system utilities (like MintBackup, Timeshift integration, and Software Manager) designed for hassle-free maintenance.
  • -Offers a secondary official version called LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) built directly on Debian stable