this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2026
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Hej lemmings! (Hoping this is relevant enough for the selfhosted commjnity)

Quick question for you all: do you stick with the same distro across your PC, laptop, and server, or do you pick different ones based on the device and what you're doing?

For me, I've been mixing and matching depending on the use case, but I'm starting to think it'd be nice to just have one distro (or at least one family like Fedora or Debian) running everywhere. That way I wouldn't get confused about default settings or constantly have to look up flags for different package managers.

Right now my setup is:

  • Gaming rig: CachyOS
  • Laptop: AuroraOS
  • NAS: Unraid
  • Various project servers: DietPi, Debian, Alpine etc..

I feel like NixOS might be the only distro that could realistically handle all these use cases, but I'm a bit scared of the learning curve and the maintenance work it'd take to migrate everything over.

Am I the only one who feels like having "one distro to rule them all" would be nice? How do you guys handle your setups? All ears! 😊

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[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 21 minutes ago

No, I've got nobara on my gaming rig, batocera on my wife's retro console that's just turned into a kodi device, and proxmox on my server

[–] halyihev@lemmy.world 1 points 24 minutes ago

Currently my primary laptop is on LMDE and my secondary laptop is on GhostBSD just because I wanted to try out BSD. I'm thinking of taking a third laptop and putting EndeavourOS on it. That was my primary OS until an update blew up the EFI partition and I read "yeah, that happens sometimes" and decided my primary system should be a bit more stable than that. But I did really like EndeavourOS other than that. I have an old notebook PC I've thought about putting Haiku-OS on just for fun, if I can figure out what I did with the power cord for it.

[–] retry1203@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

My gaming PC runs Nobara so I started using Fedora on my general use desktop and my laptop for consistency. I have an older laptop that runs Debian. I have two server machines that run Proxmox and Debian, and all my VMs are Debian except one that is Fedora server (I read somewhere Fedora would provide better GPU support out of the box, but I've never confirmed this, it just works)

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 hours ago

Yes. Mint. Way enough, and I haven't figured out why I should like disto hop yet.

[–] VOwOxel@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 hours ago

I run OpenSuse Tumbleweed on my Daily Driver Desktop, Bazzite on my Laptop, Debian on my Game Server

[–] mikedd@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

I use Fedora on my personal laptop and DietPi on my RaspberryPi 4 where I selfhost a bunch of stuff.

[–] exu@feditown.com 4 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I use Arch (btw) on my desktops and laptops.

On my servers I'm halfway through replacing Debian with openSUSE.

My desktop and servers have different use cases and I interact with them in different ways, so there's little confusion for me.

[–] jhdeval@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

I feel the same way. I use fedora on my laptops and desktops and debian on my servers. Generally my servers do not have or need a gui so debian makes it easy to install without. I tried fedora server once and i just was not happy with it.

[–] justme@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 hours ago

I used to have Ubuntu everywhere, then changed to Debian for servers. Now that I'm using bazzite for my gaming rig, I really liked the idea and went to fedora silver blue on my work laptop. I'm the near future I want to re do my home lab, bit not sure yet what, unfortunately to many open questions concerning storage left.

[–] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I use ArchLinux more or less on all Device where it is possible It runs on my workstations, on my NAS, on my servers

Reason for that is: I am lazy and this way I don't have to learn how to administrate different Distributions.

[–] addie@feddit.uk 1 points 2 hours ago

Yep. Arch on my personal multi-use laptop, Arch on my work Java-development laptop, Arch on my gaming PC, Arch on my home Forgejo / DNS / NAS server. Just easier to not have to remember how to do things in different ways, plus my home server can efficiently act as a repo cache.

Did have ALARM installed on the home server back when I used a raspberry pi, and while that's an amazing project, a pi is just a bit underpowered for some uses. Got a mini PC extremely cheap since it wouldn't support Win11, but it runs Linux like a champ.

[–] Tywele@piefed.social 3 points 5 hours ago

I use Fedora on my desktop, laptop and server. On my motherβ€˜s laptop I have installed Fedora Kinoite.

[–] blxt@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 hours ago

For my Gaming PC I ended up with cashyOS. Justs works and still gives me enough flexibility for customization. Server is Proxmox with mostly Debian LXCs but I started to add in some alpine containers. Probably going to throw alpine on my old laptop as well, just for fun. Ah and then there is my MacBook with macOS, which for now I plan to keep…

[–] Scrath@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 hours ago

I typically use EndeavorOS because I enjoy how well documented and organized the arch wiki is.

I tried switching to fedora on my laptop recently but actually had some issues with software that was apparently only distributed through the AUR or AppImage (which I could have used, I know).

When I also had issues setting up my VPN to my home network again, I caved and restored the disk to a backup I took before attempting the switch. The VPN thing almost definitely wasn't Fedoras fault since I remember running into the same issue on EndeavorOS but after my fix from last time didn't work I was out of patience.

My servers runs either on debian or Ubuntu LTS though.

[–] CarstenBoll@feddit.dk 2 points 5 hours ago

I do - more or less. Since I am the IT guy for my entire family and don't feel like doing tech support on 10 different distros.

[–] tuckerm@feddit.online 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I've thought about it, but I like having Bazzite for my gaming PC and Debian for my laptop, so I'll probably keep using multiple distros. For me it's:

  • Gaming PC: Bazzite (it's plugged into my TV, like a console, and goes straight to Steam's big picture mode)
  • Laptop: Debian with KDE Plasma
  • Home Server: Debian (a little single board computer, no desktop environment)
[–] justme@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 hours ago

Due to bazzite,I checked out fedora silver blue for my work laptop. So far I'm happy.

[–] Nalincah@feddit.org 2 points 6 hours ago

Work notebook runs Linux Mint

My private desktop PC runs Cachy OS with Wayland/KDE but Wayland crashes all the time, so my private notebook bot Cachy OS with Gnome. Love it. Now I need to reinstall my desktop to also install Gnome. Dont want the hazzle to install it Next to wayland

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

Basically, I do. Kubuntu everywhere. Only exception are the servers that run a UI less version of Ubuntu.

[–] Ravenmark@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

I normally install Linux based upon what I am doing. Gaming wise is usually popos. (I have eyed up CachyOS). I use Endeavor for a lot of old mac stuff. etc.

[–] osanna@lemmy.vg 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I was HEAVILY into the apple ecosystem, so I have a lot of macs. I have a macbook, running MacOS, and i have a desktop computer that i was using for my server, but instead bought a ras pi, and now use my desktop AS a desktop (partly because i want to dump apple because of all the bootlicking that Tim Apple is doing towards drumpf), which runs linux mint. My ras pi runs ubuntu server. Aside from that, that's the extent of my home computing. I have an iphone too. But my mac mini goes unused now, and thinking of selling it, but not sure. /rambling

[–] osanna@lemmy.vg 2 points 8 hours ago

I usually stick with ubuntu/debian based distros, because it was the first distro system i used when i first used linux. so I stick with what i know. Though I did support a RH server once when i worked in IT.

[–] sbeak@sopuli.xyz 5 points 10 hours ago

For me, I am running EndeavourOS on my laptop (for its rolling release updates and its customisability) and Debian on my homeserver (for its stability). I have also set up a secondary laptop with Linux Mint that is now being used by somebody else for its ease of use :)

[–] timmytbt@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 hours ago

Debian home server, macOS desktop, newer laptops run Arch and Fedora, and the two old MacBooks both run Mint DE. Oh, and OpenWrt on the router.

[–] g_blob@programming.dev 4 points 10 hours ago

Debian always. Stablility is good, good is stability. But i am open to trying fedora in the near future

yes, it's Arch all the way for me. it's flexible in the way that I can configure it for any system I need, and I usually know what I want from it.

my installations on my desktop and laptop look fairly similar, but my server and test computers can look different depending on the hardware specifications they have.

plus, with BTRFS snapshots, if anything breaks I can simply roll back to a previous version of the system.

[–] M137@lemmy.world 7 points 12 hours ago

Oooh, look at mr. Rich guy here with multiple devices.

/s.... (not really, cries in only computer being a dying laptop from 2011 with no way to get even just another dying 2011 laptop when this one dies.)

[–] shark@lemmy.org 1 points 7 hours ago

My laptop was, as of a couple of minutes ago, running Windows 11 (for AutoCAD before anyone says anything), but I just installed Fedora again so I’m free!

My server is running RHEL, which I don’t have an excuse for β€” I thought it’d be fun, but I’m going to switch over to Proxmox (hopefully) later this year.

So as it stands, currently, kinda.

[–] K3can@lemmy.radio 7 points 12 hours ago

Debian on my servers. No drama, it just works.

Fedora on my laptop and desktop. Still solid, but quicker updates.

[–] StellarExtract@lemmy.zip 6 points 12 hours ago

NixOS home server, gaming PC will soon move to Bazzite from Windows 10 (whenever I'm done working on my home server). I'm trying Bazzite for that machine because I use it more like a game console hooked up to the TV and don't need the same level of tweaking and customization.

[–] PumpkinEscobar@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago

Arch everywhere. LTS kernel on servers and zen kernel on desktop and laptop. I love the idea of nixos but in practice it felt like more work than it was worth (to me).

I originally did Debian on servers but after using arch for long enough and never having stability problems, it was easier to move to the same distro.

[–] savvywolf@pawb.social 5 points 12 hours ago

My main desktop is Mint - I feel like most of the random pieces of software I find myself wanting to run are built for Ubuntu or at the very least a lfh distro.

My server and random devices run NixOS, and I'm acrually considering combining all the config into a monorepo...

My Raspberry PI I think runs Raspbian though. I should see if I can nixify it.

[–] HexaBack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

Bazzite GNOME on my "it needs to work daily no matter what" school/work/light gaming laptop, ~250ish flatpak apps (mostly very awesome tiny GTK4-based tools)

Devuan on my desktop PC, Trinity Desktop Environment, almost entirely apt apps, I do heavy multimedia work and gaming on it, I squeeze as much speed as I can

Debian on my Linux phone (FuriLabs FLX1s running FuriOS, a fork of Droidian, which is a fork of Mobian, which is a fork of Debian), Phosh UI, almost entirely ~140ish flatpaks

I try to keep my operating systems and software as controlled and predictable as possible, but I approach that differently depending on the usecase. Yes, I've tried NixOS, fell in love with it, and quickly realized it's overengineered and makes my head hurt. I also used CachyOS with TDE on my desktop for a while, was really speedy but TDE packaging for Arch really sucks compared to their Debian packaging

[–] huquad@lemmy.ml 4 points 12 hours ago

I run unraid for my main servers (mostly out of convenience/ease), and pop-os for everything else. I treat my laptop as my beta tester for my desktop which is stable, but both use the same underlying os. Who has the time to troubleshoot more than one?

Nope. Raspbian, Arch, Ubuntu, Ubuntu MATE (sorta samesies, I guess), Manjaro…I think that’s it.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago

Fedora KDE for anything I need a GUI for, Debian for anything headless.

I've used damn near everything else in 30 years of Linux, but I'm pretty sure my tombstone will run Debian.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

Yep. Debian. I like apt, and I like shit that just....works. Very form after function. So what if a bunch of packages are on "old" versions. They work. The kernel works. KDE Plasma works. I can do everything I want to do without having to constantly be on the bleeding edge. If you prefer newer things, great. I prefer older, proven things. That's also why I drive Toyota cars and Honda motorcycles.

My Proxmox cluster runs...uh...Proxmox, which is based on Debian. NAS runs OMV which runs on top of Debian. Laptops all run Linux Mint Debian Edition, and so does my 5800X3D/7900XTX gaming PC. The only non-Debian machines in my house are my wife's iMac and Macbook Pro, and the Home Assistant mini PC.

[–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 4 points 11 hours ago

That’s the same philosophy I’ve applied for a long time. Recently, I found out that gaming is an exception to the rule, though. While older versions are just fine for the most part, there are edge cases where that no longer applies. I also found out that I care about one of them. Until you hit that brick wall, there’s no reason to switch. Just keep on using Debian for everything.

Took me a while to realise that I was spending way too much time figuring out workarounds instead of actually gaming. I ended up using Bazzite in my gaming rig because it works so well for that purpose.

[–] redsand@infosec.pub 3 points 12 hours ago

Gentoo, Qubes on desktops. Cent, Gentoo, Alpine and OpenBSD for servers.

Then there's weird stuff like MirageOS, DuskOS, openwrt, opnsense and I'm 90% sure there's a laptop with Kali purple in my trunk.

For other people I usually install fedora spins or bazzite.

[–] eco@lemmy.ml 5 points 14 hours ago

Jup, Debian stable on my three servers an on my laptop. I think its just way easier to run the same system everywhere. Also, Debian is a great distribution.

[–] eksb@programming.dev 39 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (3 children)

Servers are all Debian. Family member's laptops are all Debian. I used Debian on my laptops for 20 years, but when Steam Deck switched to Arch, I switched my laptop to Arch to force me to learn it. I have a file with notes of differences between Debian and Arch. Next time I buy a new laptop, I will probably go back to Debian.

[–] chunkystyles@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 hours ago

I would use Debian for servers, except that the version of Podman (at least on Debian 12) was old enough that it couldn't do quadlets. So I went with Fedora.

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