Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!
Linux Mint vs openSUSE: What are the differences?
Linux Mint and openSUSE are two popular Linux distributions known for their user-friendly interfaces and reliability. Let's explore the key differences between them.
Package Management: Linux Mint uses the APT package management system, which is derived from Debian. On the other hand, openSUSE utilizes the Zypper package manager, a command-line tool that provides a high level of package management flexibility.
Default Desktop Environment: Linux Mint primarily uses the Cinnamon desktop environment, which offers a traditional and familiar user interface. In contrast, openSUSE favors the KDE Plasma desktop environment, known for its modern and feature-rich interface. This distinction affects the visual appearance and functionality of the system.
Rolling Release vs. Fixed Release: Linux Mint follows a fixed release model, meaning that major updates are released at specific intervals, providing a stable and predictable system. In contrast, openSUSE employs a rolling release model, where updates are released continuously, ensuring users have access to the latest software and features at all times. This approach might be preferred by users who desire more up-to-date packages.
Package Selection: The selection of available software packages can also differ between Linux Mint and openSUSE. Linux Mint focuses on providing a curated selection of stable and widely-used applications, ensuring a reliable and user-friendly experience. However, openSUSE offers a broader range of software choices, including recent and cutting-edge packages, allowing users to have more flexibility in customizing their system.
Community and Support: Linux Mint and openSUSE have vibrant communities that provide support and assistance to their users. However, the size and approach of these communities can differ. Linux Mint has a large and active community, with extensive documentation and user forums where users can find answers to their questions. openSUSE, on the other hand, has a smaller but highly dedicated community, emphasizing cooperation and collaboration among its members.
System Configuration Tools: The system configuration tools available in Linux Mint and openSUSE can also vary. Linux Mint employs the familiar GNOME Control Center, which offers a straightforward interface for managing system settings. In contrast, openSUSE provides YaST (Yet another Setup Tool), a comprehensive and powerful tool that enables users to configure various aspects of their system through a unified interface.
In summary, Linux Mint is a user-friendly distribution based on Ubuntu, known for its out-of-the-box experience and emphasis on simplicity, making it ideal for beginners and those transitioning from other operating systems. openSUSE, on the other hand, is a robust and highly customizable distribution with a strong focus on stability and reliability.
I liked manjaro a lot, the huge support it has and the variety of tools it provides is just awesome. But due to its parent platform being Arch Linux it has bleeding-edge technology and that meaning, we get updated 'daily', and if we keep updating the system daily, due to the bugs in the recent updates the system sometimes used to crash, this made the OS really unstable. However, one can avoid such crashes using periodical and careful system/package updates. I now use LinuxMint which is based on Ubuntu, and this OS is completely stable with reliable(mostly tested) updates. And, since this OS is backed up by UBUNTU the concerns/questions one can encounter while using the OS can be easily rectified using the UBUNTU community, which is pretty good. Though this is backed up on UBUNTU it most certainly does NOT include the proprietary stuff of UBUNTU, which is on the bright side of the OS. That's it! Happy Computing.
Pros of Linux Mint
- Simple, Fast, Comfort and Easy to Use15
- Stable14
- Elegant12
- Good for beginners11
- Free to use10
- Out of the box3
- Reliable3
- Good software support1
Pros of openSUSE
- Stable4
- Lightweight for server3
- Snapshot2
- Rolling release2
- Reliable2
Sign up to add or upvote prosMake informed product decisions
Cons of Linux Mint
- Easy to mess up with a few settings (like the panel)3
- Security breaches2
- Idiots can break it because it is open source1
