Choose two or three systems and compare consistent, editorially reviewed information.
| Feature | KaOS | Ubuntu | Debian GNU/Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | 2026.09 | 26.04.1 LTS | 13.7 |
| Base | independent | debian | independent |
| Family | independent | ubuntu | debian |
| System type | linux distribution | linux distribution | linux distribution |
| Release model | rolling | lts | stable |
| Architectures | x86_64 | x86_64,arm64,ppc64le,s390x | amd64,arm64,armhf,ppc64el,riscv64,s390x |
| Desktop | KDE Plasma | GNOME | Not applicable or user selected |
| Use cases | desktop, rolling | desktop, server, beginner, enterprise | desktop, server, advanced |
| Available images | desktop | desktop, server | minimal, desktop |
| Editorial review | 2026-10-16 | 2026-09-03 | 2026-09-03 |
KaOS is an independent rolling desktop distribution focused on KDE Plasma and Qt applications. Its September 2026 installation snapshot uses Dinit and provides a live x86-64 environment; installed systems follow rolling updates without reinstalling each snapshot. The selected ISO comes from the Princeton mirror listed by the project. Read the release notes for Secure Boot and installation limitations before writing installation media.
View downloads Official websiteUbuntu is a Debian-derived distribution developed by Canonical and its community for desktops, servers, cloud platforms and containers. Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS Resolute Raccoon is the current long-term-support desktop release and receives five years of standard security maintenance.
View downloads Official websiteDebian is an independent community distribution known for stability, an extensive package archive and support for several hardware architectures. Debian 13.6 Trixie is the current stable point release and is suitable for desktops, servers, containers and infrastructure.
View downloads Official website