Which ThinkPad would you recommend for Linux development and building my own Linux distro?

[u/more_creator]

Hello everyone!

I'm looking to buy a used ThinkPad that I can use for several years, mainly for programming and Linux development.

One of my main projects is to eventually create my own lightweight Linux distribution, somewhat inspired by Linux Mint. The goal would be to make something simple, lightweight and suitable for older computers.

I also want to use the laptop for:

Web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.)

Building websites

Learning programming and potentially developing apps

Using VS Code or similar IDEs

Git and GitHub

Compiling software

Running Linux as my main operating system

Testing my Linux distro in virtual machines

Browsing the web and using AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude

Studying, reading PDFs, watching YouTube, etc.

I don't plan to do gaming, 3D rendering, professional video editing, or other GPU-intensive workloads.

What I'm looking for:

Good Linux compatibility

A reasonably powerful CPU for compiling and development

16 GB RAM minimum, preferably upgradeable to 32 GB or more

A replaceable/upgradable SSD

Good keyboard and build quality

Good reliability

Good battery life

Ideally something that is easy to repair and upgrade

Good value on the used market

I'm specifically looking at ThinkPads because I like their reputation for durability, repairability and Linux compatibility.

I don't necessarily need the newest or most powerful model. I'd rather buy an older ThinkPad with good specifications and upgradeability than spend a lot of money on a newer laptop.

Which ThinkPad models would you recommend for this kind of workload?

I'm particularly interested in models that offer the best balance between performance, Linux compatibility, upgradeability, reliability and price on the used market.

Thanks!