Most server distributions do the same job well, so the real differences are the package manager, the release pace, and how long you get security updates. This guide covers the ones worth choosing and who each suits.
The two families
Almost every server distribution belongs to one of two families, and the family decides your commands:
- Debian based (Debian, Ubuntu):
aptfor packages,ufwfor the firewall. - RHEL based (AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, RHEL):
dnffor packages,firewalldfor the firewall.
Pick a family first. Almost every tutorial online is written for one or the other, and moving between them means translating every command you read.
Ubuntu LTS
The default choice, and the one most tutorials assume. Every piece of software documents its Ubuntu install first, which genuinely saves you time when something goes wrong.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS was released in April 2026 and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is still supported. LTS releases get five years of standard security updates. Only use LTS versions on a server; the releases in between get nine months and then stop.
Choose it if: you want the largest amount of documentation and the fewest surprises. Good default for a first server.
Debian
The same package manager as Ubuntu with fewer opinions and less preinstalled. Debian 13 is the current stable release with support into 2028. Note that Debian 12 reached end of life in July 2026, so do not start a new server on it.
Debian ships slightly older package versions than Ubuntu, on purpose. That is a downside if you want the newest runtime and an upside if you want a server you do not have to think about.
Choose it if: you like a lean system, or you run everything in Docker anyway and only need the host to be stable.
AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux
Both are free rebuilds of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, built after CentOS changed direction. They are close to identical in practice; pick either.
The reason to choose them is the support window. AlmaLinux 10 gets updates until May 2035, and AlmaLinux 9 until May 2032, roughly ten years per major version. Nothing in the Debian family comes close.
Choose it if: you want to set the server up once and not rebuild it in three years, or your software is certified for RHEL, or you use cPanel or Plesk, which target this family first.
Fedora
New kernels, new packages, and a release every six months with a short support window. That is what Fedora is for, and it does not suit a server you want to leave alone.
Choose it if: you are testing something that needs very recent software, and you accept upgrading roughly twice a year.
Support windows compared
| Distribution | Current release | Security updates until |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu LTS | 26.04 | 2031 (five years from release) |
| Ubuntu LTS | 24.04 | 2029 |
| Debian | 13 | 2028 |
| AlmaLinux or Rocky | 10 | 2035 |
| AlmaLinux or Rocky | 9 | 2032 |
Running an unsupported release is the real risk
When a release stops getting security updates, a published vulnerability in it stays unpatched forever. Check the end of life date of whatever you install before you build on it, not two years later.
If you cannot decide
- Running a website, an app, or Docker, and you are not sure: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.
- You want the longest life with the fewest rebuilds: AlmaLinux 10.
- You want minimal and stable and you are comfortable already: Debian 13.
The choice matters less than keeping it updated. Any of these three, patched, beats a "better" distribution that nobody maintains.
Where to go next
Whichever you pick, the first ten minutes are the same: update, create a non-root user, add SSH keys, turn on the firewall. Our getting started guide covers all four.