What is Fedora? Who it is for
Fedora is built independently rather than on another distribution. It uses GNOME as its desktop and dnf and Flatpak for software, and it follows numbered releases on a fixed schedule.
Fedora at a glance
- Foundation: built independently rather than on another distribution
- Desktop: GNOME
- Software tools: dnf and Flatpak
- Release style: numbered releases on a fixed schedule
- Installer: the Anaconda installer
Who Fedora suits
Fedora suits people who want recent software and developer tools with sensible defaults.
Strengths
- Good tooling for programming, with current compilers, languages and containers available.
- The GNOME desktop, with a clean, modern design.
Things to consider
- As a rough guide, about 4 GB of RAM is a comfortable minimum for a desktop session.
Try Fedora from a USB drive
The easiest way to find out is to start it from a USB drive without changing your computer. See the Fedora bootable USB drive, then follow our install guide when you are ready. New to this? Read how to try Linux without installing it and how to boot from a USB drive.
Compare Fedora
- Ubuntu vs Fedora
- Debian vs Fedora
- Fedora vs Linux Mint
- Fedora vs Pop!_OS
- Fedora vs Zorin OS
- Fedora vs elementary OS
Installing software on Fedora
Fedora uses dnf and Flatpak. These commands search for a program and install it (replace name with the program):
dnf search name sudo dnf install name
Most desktop systems also have a graphical software store. See how to install software on Linux.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fedora good for beginners?
It can be used by beginners, but Fedora is aimed more at people who want recent software and developer tools with sensible defaults. If you are brand new, a beginner-friendly distribution such as Linux Mint or Ubuntu is usually an easier first step.
What desktop does Fedora use?
Fedora uses GNOME. To learn how desktops differ, read what GNOME, KDE, Xfce and Cinnamon are.
How much RAM does Fedora need?
As a rough guide, about 4 GB of RAM is a comfortable minimum for a desktop session.
Is Fedora based on another distribution?
Fedora is built independently rather than on another distribution.
How often is Fedora updated?
Fedora follows numbered releases on a fixed schedule.
How can I try Fedora without installing it?
Write it to a USB drive, restart, choose the drive from the boot menu and pick the live or try option. Nothing on your internal disk changes unless you choose to install.