If you’re learning Linux to get a job, here’s the honest answer: learn Ubuntu or a Red Hat–compatible distro like Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux. Ideally, learn both.
That isn’t because the other distributions are bad. It’s because nearly every Linux job you’ll apply for runs one of those two families. Job postings ask for “RHEL experience” or “Ubuntu servers,” not “Arch” or “Kali.” Which one you start with depends on where you want to work.
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It’s really two families, not dozens of distros
There are hundreds of Linux distributions, but most of them belong to one of two lines.
The Debian line includes Debian, Ubuntu, and many distros built on Ubuntu. The Red Hat line includes Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS Stream, Fedora, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, Oracle Linux, and Amazon Linux, which is based on Fedora.
The Linux kernel, systemd, SSH, and most commands are the same across both. The differences show up in the day-to-day admin work:
| Task | Red Hat family | Debian / Ubuntu family |
|---|---|---|
| Install packages | dnf | apt |
| Firewall tool | firewalld | ufw |
| Security module | SELinux | AppArmor |
| Server network config | NetworkManager | Netplan |
Here’s the same job, installing a web server and opening the firewall, on each side:
# RHEL, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux
sudo dnf install nginx
sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=http --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload
# Ubuntu, Debian
sudo apt install nginx
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx HTTP'
Once you know one family well, switching to the other takes days, not months. That’s why it matters more to go deep on one than to try five.
Choose the Red Hat family for enterprise and sysadmin jobs
Banks, telecoms, government agencies, and large companies tend to standardize on RHEL. If you want to be a Linux system administrator in that world, this is your family.
You don’t need to pay for RHEL to learn it. Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux are free and built to be compatible with RHEL, so what you learn on them carries over almost directly. Red Hat also offers a no-cost Developer Subscription for Individuals that lets you run real RHEL on up to 16 systems.
The career bonus is certification. The RHCSA (Red Hat Certified System Administrator) is one of the most recognized Linux certifications, and it’s a hands-on exam taken on RHEL. Practice on Rocky or Alma and you’re practicing for it.
See also: Mastering the Linux Command Line — Your Complete Free Training Guide
One thing to avoid: old CentOS tutorials. CentOS Linux reached end of life in 2024, and CentOS Stream now sits just ahead of RHEL rather than being a free copy of it.
Choose Ubuntu for cloud and DevOps jobs
Spin up a VM on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, and Ubuntu is usually one of the first images offered. It’s also what most Docker, Kubernetes, and DevOps tutorials assume you’re running. If you’re aiming for cloud engineering, DevOps, or platform roles, start here.
Ubuntu is also the easiest place to begin if Linux is completely new to you. Ubuntu LTS releases get five years of standard support, so the version you learn on stays relevant for a while.
Debian, Ubuntu’s parent, is worth knowing too. Plenty of servers and containers use it, and if you can manage Ubuntu, you can manage Debian.
What about Kali Linux and Arch?
Both show up in “best distro” lists, and both are often misunderstood.
Kali Linux is a toolbox for penetration testing, not a distro for learning Linux. Security teams use it, but the people using it effectively already know Linux well. If you want a cybersecurity career, learn Ubuntu or Rocky first, then use Kali for its tools.
Arch Linux is great for learning how Linux fits together, because you build the system yourself. The Arch Wiki is one of the best Linux resources anywhere, whatever distro you run. But Arch rarely appears in job descriptions. Treat it as a way to deepen your skills, not as the distro to put on your résumé.
Match the distro to the job
If you’re aiming for a sysadmin role at a large company, start with Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux and work toward the RHCSA. For cloud or DevOps, start with Ubuntu Server and learn Docker and Kubernetes on top of it. For cybersecurity, learn Ubuntu first and add Kali later. If you just want to understand Linux deeply, Arch is a great second distro.
The skills matter more than the logo
Whichever distro you pick, employers mostly test the same things: navigating the Linux command line, managing users and permissions, controlling services with systemctl, reading logs with journalctl, troubleshooting networking, and connecting over SSH. Those skills are identical on Ubuntu and Rocky Linux.
The most practical setup costs nothing. Run Ubuntu Server and Rocky Linux side by side in two virtual machines, and do every exercise on both. After a few weeks, the differences will feel minor, and you’ll be able to say “yes” when a job posting asks for either one.
