What’s the Best Linux Distribution for a Beginner CS Student Using Apple Silicon?
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TechieWizard42
Hey everyone! I'm starting my journey as a Computer Science student and I'm completely new to Linux. I own an Apple Silicon M4 MacBook Air and I'm interested in running Linux through VMware. Since I'm just starting out, I'm looking for recommendations on Linux distributions that are beginner-friendly, stable, easy to learn, and suitable for coding. I enjoy working with the command line, but I also like having a good graphical user interface. Any suggestions?
Answers
Asahi is worth considering, but it’s more necessary if you're planning to run Linux directly on your hardware. Since you’re using VMware, you’ll be fine with any ARM64 build of a Linux distro.
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I’d suggest starting with Ubuntu. It’s been the go-to distribution for beginners for about 20 years now. With Ubuntu, you can easily access almost any development tool or framework you need. Plus, the latest version supports 64-bit ARM systems, so it should work fine in VMware on your MacBook! Definitely a solid choice for new users.
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TechieWizard42: Thanks for the clarification! I didn’t realize VMware would allow more options.