Forge 5

Ubuntu

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Long-term support until 2029. The most widely documented server Linux there is: when software publishes install instructions, they are usually written for this. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS The current long-term release, supported until 2031. Newer kernel and compilers than 24.04 — take it unless something you run still pins the older one.

Debian

Debian 12 Bookworm, the previous stable. Older packages by design and very few surprises, which is why it is the usual choice for a machine you want to leave alone. Debian 13 Trixie, the current stable. The same conservatism as 12 on a newer kernel, with security support into 2030.

Enterprise Linux

AlmaLinux 8 Binary-compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8. Take it when the software you are installing asks for EL8 by name. AlmaLinux 9 RHEL 9 compatible, with SELinux enforcing out of the box. The one to start new enterprise-Linux work on. Rocky Linux 8 The other RHEL 8 rebuild, and functionally interchangeable with AlmaLinux 8 — what differs is which foundation governs it. Rocky Linux 9 RHEL 9 compatible, governed by the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation. Interchangeable with AlmaLinux 9.

Fedora

Fedora 44 The newest kernel and libraries of anything here, with about thirteen months of support. Good for development, not for a server you intend to forget about.

Proxmox

Proxmox VE 9 Debian 13 with a KVM hypervisor and a web console of its own. Makes the machine a host for your own virtual machines rather than one you install software on.