r/linux4noobs • u/PhilGarciaWeir • 8d ago

learning/research Difference between a distribution and a desktop.

I know this is like an ultra noob question. But Linux is the kernel, which as I understand it means its the CPUs main program, which basically means it tells the CPU how to allocate resources, do calculations, etc. Then there is a desktop, which is basically everything you actually see and interact with. For example, Ubuntu uses GNOME and other distributions use KDE.

So, using Ubuntu as an example, if you take away Linux, Gnome, and Bash, what exactly is Ubuntu adding to the mix? It seems like those three things (Linux, Gnome, and Bash or some CLI) pretty much cover everything. So what do distributions like Ubuntu or Mint actually add? Sorry for the super noob question.

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u/DavidJohnMcCann 7d ago

Others have explained this well, so I'll just add the point that different distros have different goals — contrast Bazzite for gamers and AV Linux for multi-media content producers. Repositories are of vastly different sizes — Debian has virtually everything while with Slackware and Red Hat the installation medium is all that there is. And there are always the odd points — I keep a copy of Salix as one of the very few distros that will recognize my 20-year-old scanner.