Choose two or three systems and compare consistent, editorially reviewed information.
| Feature | Porteus | Ubuntu | Debian GNU/Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | 5.01 | 26.04.1 LTS | 13.7 |
| Base | slackware | debian | independent |
| Family | slackware | ubuntu | debian |
| System type | linux distribution | linux distribution | linux distribution |
| Release model | stable | lts | stable |
| Architectures | x86_64 | x86_64,arm64,ppc64le,s390x | amd64,arm64,armhf,ppc64el,riscv64,s390x |
| Desktop | Xfce | GNOME | Not applicable or user selected |
| Use cases | desktop, light | desktop, server, beginner, enterprise | desktop, server, advanced |
| Available images | desktop | desktop, server | minimal, desktop |
| Editorial review | 2026-10-28 | 2026-09-03 | 2026-09-03 |
Porteus is a portable, modular Slackware-based live distribution designed for USB media and small installations. Stable 5.01 is available with several desktop environments and continues receiving corrected image refreshes. This entry selects the x86-64 Xfce ISO from the current stable directory; development 5.1 alpha images are excluded.
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