I've been trying out different Linux distros using Ventoy, and my favorite so far is Fedora with KDE Plasma. However, I'm feeling a bit confused about the package management system and software availability. For example, I noticed that Spotify's website primarily offers downloads for Ubuntu. If I'm using Fedora, is it true that some apps are harder to install? I heard about Snap and Flatpak as alternative installation methods, and I also came across AppImage, which seems to work on any distro. Are there certain software types that won't work on Fedora? Should I just stick to universal formats? And is there a risk I might miss out on applications that are only available for Ubuntu if I go with Fedora?
6 Answers
Many times, apps are available as .deb but not as .rpm for Fedora. It's worth searching "[App Name] for Fedora" to find workarounds. Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage are all aiming to simplify this across different systems, but some software might still perform better when using DNF-native packages. You’ll likely find that a lot of software does have a DNF version available. Good luck with your choice!
Fedora is solid but doesn’t come preloaded with proprietary drivers. Consider options like Nobara for gaming, which is based on Fedora but with added features. Flatpaks are indeed cross-distro, meaning they can work like universal formats across all distros, including gaming programs like Spotify!
Flatpaks are super handy because they come ready to use in the app store. You don’t have to do any extra setup.
Honestly, I can't think of any software that you'd find on Ubuntu that isn't available on Fedora. While Fedora might have a smaller user community than Ubuntu, I wouldn't say its support is any worse. You might just get fewer people helping with specific queries, but that's about it.
Thanks for clearing that up! If support is similar, I'm leaning towards Fedora for sure.
I know Free Download Manager is only listed for Ubuntu, and the Flatpak version seems to have been removed from Flathub.
To be honest, I've been using Fedora for about a month now, and even though I have some experience, I've faced more issues here than with other distros. For instance, I've had trouble getting Btop to launch and Steam only works if I run it through the terminal or a script. But overall, support is fine.
That definitely gives me pause. What other distros have you found to be better?
The Steam issues are linked to having dual GPUs. You could disable the integrated GPU in BIOS or tweak some settings in Steam!
Fedora might not get the same recognition as other major distros, but it's still quite strong. There are some rare programs only available as .deb files, but that's not common.
So, Flathub is like the Windows Store then? That makes sense!