# CentOS, Ubuntu or Debian for a newbie learning to manage a server?



## Ricky Spanish (Jun 6, 2014)

What control panel would you recommend for an absolute Linux newbie who hasn't managed a server without a control panel before? (This is not for me, by the way. I already use Debian and know the basics) I do not really know why some one would want one OS over another and it seems like a personal choice. Would one be better than another for someone learning? I want to suggest to him Debian so I can help sometimes but also want him to learn on his own so may suggest CentOS. IDK.


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## hcjake (Jun 6, 2014)

Gentoo


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## nunim (Jun 6, 2014)

If you're looking for a control panel, cPanel is really the best choice.  It's been around forever, everyone knows it and it's fairly stable.

If you have some linux knowledge than you can pickup some free panels like VestaCP.  If they're wanting to learn to manage a server with a panel, I would say Debian/Ubuntu is the easiest to pickup.


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## WebSearchingPro (Jun 6, 2014)

If you intend on using cPanel, CentOS. If you plan to do VPS, CentOS. 

If you are just messing around, Debian.


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## Ricky Spanish (Jun 6, 2014)

He does not want to use a control panel, wants to learn without one. At first just hosting a wordpress blog so will be following guides on setting up a LAMP stack and stuff. I guess I can tell him to sign up here and ask his own questions


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## ihatetonyy (Jun 7, 2014)

CentOS is best OS, but if he's _just_ doing this for kicks, Debian is fine too.

If he wants to work on servers with cPanel down the road, though, CentOS would be a better choice, since that's the main cPanel distribution of choice.


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## Magiobiwan (Jun 7, 2014)

Oh please. Red Star OS is best OS.


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## TruvisT (Jun 7, 2014)

Slackware. Kick it back to the basics.

But seriously. If you want to learn linux get some books


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## thekreek (Jun 7, 2014)

If you're VPS is small (less than 256MB RAM) and your not planning in running a control panel go with Debian.

If you're VPS is small (less than 256MB RAM) and your planning to run a control panel, go with CentOS and VestaCP, your going to need to tweak a couple of settings (mysql and apache configs) in order to optimize memory. I recommend VestaCP with CentOS as it has less bugs than Debian or Ubuntu.

If you're VPS has 512MB or more of memory and your planning to run a control panel:

 a. CentOS with VestaCP

 b. CentOS with Cpanel

If you're VPS has 512MB or more of memory, your planning to run a control panel and have patiente to figure out bugs:

a. Ubuntu with VestaCP

Basically CentOS, Debian or Ubuntu can work well if you read the doc's and have patiente to tweak your VPS.


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## VPSCorey (Jun 7, 2014)

If you want to ever work in enterprise you are best served using CentOS because you will encounter that or RedHat in most enterprise setups unless they're screwy and love Ubuntu.


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## HostSailor (Jun 10, 2014)

CentOS is usually a good start for people wanting to learn and have the ease of using control panels and such, they are usually more compatible with CentOS, I personally like using Debian.


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## Mid (Jun 12, 2014)

I am new too, but debian seems to have a lot of packages.

Isn't it?


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## nunim (Jun 12, 2014)

Mid said:


> I am new too, but debian seems to have a lot of packages.
> 
> Isn't it?


Ubuntu has newer/more packages than Debian, however you can always add 3rd party repos(like DotDeb) to supplement what Debian offers.  I prefer Debian as I feel it's less bloated by default and I can get it up and running quickly, either way I <3 apt way more than I'll ever like yum.

If you need the latest version of a certain package you can always build it from sources on Debian.


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