Ubuntu vs. Debian: Which one is better?

When con­sid­er­ing Ubuntu vs. Debian, the one you choose ul­ti­mate­ly depends on what you need. While the de­riv­a­tive is up-to-date and user-friendly, the older dis­tri­b­u­tion scores with stability and ded­i­ca­tion to the concept of open source.

What do Ubuntu and Debian have in common?

Linux is a serious al­ter­na­tive to Windows and macOS. However, the in­di­vid­ual operating systems which rely on the Linux kernel and the GNU software palette aren’t one ho­mo­ge­neous group, but rather cater to different re­quire­ments. Among the most popular and well-known Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions are Debian and Ubuntu. Users who are thinking about switching to Linux will def­i­nite­ly come across the two options. But when looking at Ubuntu vs. Debian, which solution has the edge? The answer isn’t all that simple.

Both dis­tri­b­u­tions have strengths and weak­ness­es. Yet despite their dif­fer­ences, the two are also similar. That’s hardly sur­pris­ing given that Ubuntu is a de­riv­a­tive of Debian. While oldie Debian has been around since 1993 and was one of the first mature Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions, Ubuntu was first released in 2004. The younger dis­tri­b­u­tion uses parts of the ar­chi­tec­ture and in­fra­struc­ture of Debian but follows a different approach. When choosing between Ubuntu and Debian, it makes sense to compare both con­tenders.

What are the dif­fer­ences between Ubuntu and Debian?

Below we examine some of the main features of the free dis­tri­b­u­tions. This way, you can see which of the two most closely matches your ex­pec­ta­tions and needs. All in­for­ma­tion in this com­par­i­son was collected in January 2023.

Dif­fer­ence 1: Hardware re­quire­ments

Let’s start the Ubuntu vs. Debian duel at the hardware. Before deciding on one or the other, you should consider their hardware re­quire­ments. There are some important dif­fer­ences. The current version of Debian is 11.6 “Bullseye”. This requires a processor with at least 1 GHz, 1 gigabyte of RAM and 10 gigabytes of hard disk space. The dif­fer­ence with Ubuntu is that there’s a server edition and a desktop variant. The rec­om­mend­ed hardware re­quire­ments are 2 gigabytes of RAM, 25 gigabytes of storage and a 2 GHz dual-core processor for the desktop edition of Ubuntu 18.04.

Although the server edition of Ubuntu is already sparse with 1.2 GHz, 256 megabytes of RAM and a 1.5 gigabyte data storage, Debian’s minimum re­quire­ments are much lower. There are numerous de­riv­a­tives like Xubuntu that get by with even less. There’s a good reason why Debian has such low hardware re­quire­ments. We’ll explore them below.

Dif­fer­ence 2: In­stal­la­tion and con­fig­u­ra­tion

In­stal­la­tion and usage differ sig­nif­i­cant­ly between the dis­tri­b­u­tions. For simple in­stal­la­tion and usability, Ubuntu is the system of choice. Both in­stal­la­tion and handling of Ubuntu are much easier. This is where the main dif­fer­ence between the two becomes apparent: Ubuntu is an operating system for novices and ex­pe­ri­enced users alike. Debian, on the other hand, is better for pro­fes­sion­al users. In­stal­la­tion and setup are much more complex.

Dif­fer­ence 3: Software

Debian is a good choice for purists. Only open-source software is installed by default. Com­mer­cial software, on the other hand, is often not supported. This is true for programs that are standard for most users. The range of software packages is huge, but you won’t find many well-known programs. However, if you’re ex­pe­ri­enced in using operating systems, ap­pre­ci­ate flex­i­bil­i­ty, and prefer open-source systems, you’ll probably feel com­fort­able using Debian. The dis­tri­b­u­tion offers numerous cus­tomiza­tion options and allows users more freedom.

When it comes to software, Ubuntu is committed to user-friend­li­ness. The younger chal­lenger supports com­mer­cial providers, allowing for greater program avail­abil­i­ty. As such, Ubuntu is a good al­ter­na­tive to other operating systems that are similarly easy to use and have very few re­stric­tions. For companies that want to rely solely on open source, however, this may be a dis­ad­van­tage. Only Debian is fully open source.

Dif­fer­ence 4: Packages and programs

When it comes to packages, the Ubuntu vs. Debian debate is on pause. Both dis­tri­b­u­tions use Debian Package (or dpkg) for ad­min­is­tra­tion. Graphics support via Synaptic connects the two. Ubuntu provides its own Software Center, primarily aimed at users looking for added con­ve­nience. However, a closer look shows that the dif­fer­ences between the original and the de­riv­a­tive are huge. The main reason for this is their fun­da­men­tal­ly different ap­proach­es.

The Ubuntu versions are always up to date. Users enjoy the latest versions and benefit from more features. The focus is on user-friend­li­ness, making sure to avoid long waiting times. Debian is more leisurely. Many packages are older and therefore not up to date anymore. In com­par­i­son, there are sig­nif­i­cant­ly fewer updates, which can be prob­lem­at­ic, es­pe­cial­ly when using new software. The reason for this approach is stability. With Debian you can assume that all packages have been ex­ten­sive­ly tested.

Dif­fer­ence 5: De­vel­op­ment back­ground

Another thing that dis­tin­guish­es Ubuntu from Debian is its de­vel­op­ment. Debian is dedicated to the original idea of Linux. A dedicated community oversees the project and continues to develop it. The open-source approach is the main focus. This may come at the expense of time­li­ness, but it does ensure maximum security. All com­po­nents used are free and open source, and if there are questions, a helpful community offers advice and support. These aspects con­tribute a great deal to Debian’s pop­u­lar­i­ty as a server operating system.

There are plenty of positive things to say about Ubuntu. Nev­er­the­less, the dis­tri­b­u­tion is a point of con­tention for some Linux users. Although it’s dis­trib­uted free of charge and supported by a community, the British company Canonical is the publisher. In instances of un­cer­tain­ty, the company tends to make decisions that favor main­stream com­pat­i­bil­i­ty. Allowing the use of pro­pri­etary software and the sig­nif­i­cant­ly higher release density are some examples to this end. Ubuntu is more modern and user-friendly, often drawing up a com­par­i­son to Microsoft. But many pro­fes­sion­al users prefer the more com­pli­cat­ed, yet more in­di­vid­u­al­iz­able Debian.

What are the ad­van­tages and dis­ad­van­tages of Ubuntu?

When deciding between Ubuntu and Debian, it’s worth taking a look at their re­spec­tive pros and cons. Here are the pros and cons for Ubuntu at a glance:

What are the ad­van­tages and dis­ad­van­tages of Debian?

We checked how the older contender performs in a direct com­par­i­son. These are the ad­van­tages and dis­ad­van­tages of Debian at a glance:

Summary: Ubuntu vs. Debian

So, who wins the Ubuntu vs. Debian debate? Perhaps, it’s better to ask: Which operating system is more suitable for which user? Both solutions enjoy great pop­u­lar­i­ty and are highly rec­om­mend­ed for desktop use or as Linux server dis­tri­b­u­tions. However, their ap­proach­es cater to different target groups.

If you’re looking for an al­ter­na­tive to Microsoft or macOS and place a lot of emphasis on usability and solutions that are up-to-date, Ubuntu is the better choice. In­stal­la­tion, con­fig­u­ra­tion and daily use are very simple and intuitive.

Debian, on the other hand, is a Linux dis­tri­b­u­tion for power users. While it may be easier to use than, for example, Arch Linux, beginners will be easily over­whelmed. Also, the slow release policy might deter most layper­sons. However, those more familiar with operating systems will ap­pre­ci­ate the flexible approach and stability of Debian.