Installing Linux can feel completely different depending on the distribution. Sometimes it is almost like installing a normal desktop application: choose language, choose disk, create user, reboot. Other times you are dropped into a terminal and expected to understand partitions, bootloaders, mirrors, filesystems, users, services, and network configuration.

The funny thing is that the difficulty is not always about Linux itself. Very often, it is about the installer.

A beginner-friendly distribution can feel easy because its installer hides complexity. A more technical distribution can feel hard because it exposes every important decision. Neither approach is automatically better. They are made for different users.

This article explains the main Linux installers, which distributions use them, what they have in common, and what you should pay attention to before pressing the final Install button.

Why Linux Installers Matter

A Linux installer is not just a pretty wizard. It usually handles several critical things:

choosing the target disk;
creating or modifying partitions;
installing the base system;
setting up the bootloader;
creating the first user;
configuring timezone, locale, keyboard layout and network;
optionally enabling encryption;
optionally installing drivers, codecs or extra packages.

This is why two Linux distributions can feel completely different even if they use the same desktop environment. For example, two KDE-based distributions may both look modern after installation, but the installation process itself may be very different.

The installer defines the first impression.

The Main Types of Linux Installers

Most desktop Linux distributions use one of these installer styles:

Installer	Typical Difficulty	Commonly Used By	General Feeling
Calamares	Easy	Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Garuda, KDE neon, Lubuntu, many smaller distros	Modern, fast, simple
Ubiquity	Easy	Linux Mint, older/classic Ubuntu-based systems	Familiar, traditional, beginner-friendly
Ubuntu Desktop Installer / Subiquity backend	Easy to Medium	Modern Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server	Polished, but sometimes less flexible than classic installers
Anaconda	Medium	Fedora, RHEL-family systems	Powerful, professional, slightly unusual flow
Debian Installer	Medium to Hard	Debian, some Debian-based netinstall systems	Reliable, detailed, not always friendly
YaST Installer	Medium	openSUSE Leap 15.x, SUSE-family systems	Very configurable, old-school but powerful
Agama	Medium	Newer openSUSE Leap generation	Modern replacement direction for openSUSE installation
archinstall	Medium to Hard	Arch Linux guided install	Easier than manual Arch, but still requires understanding
Manual installation	Hard	Arch Linux, Gentoo, Void-style advanced setups	Maximum control, maximum responsibility

Calamares: The Friendly Universal Installer

Calamares is one of the most common installers in desktop Linux. It is especially popular among distributions that want a clean graphical installation experience without building their own installer from scratch.

Distributions that often use Calamares

Calamares is commonly associated with:

Manjaro;
EndeavourOS;
Garuda Linux;
KDE neon;
Lubuntu;
many smaller community distributions;
many Arch-based and independent desktop-focused systems.

The exact distribution list changes over time, but the pattern is simple: if a distro feels modern, desktop-oriented, and not tied to Ubuntu’s own installer, there is a good chance it uses Calamares.

What makes Calamares easy

Calamares usually follows a very familiar flow:

choose language;
choose location and timezone;
choose keyboard layout;
choose disk and partitioning mode;
create user;
review summary;
install.

This is probably the most “normal user” Linux installation experience. It feels close to installing Windows or macOS in the sense that you are guided step by step and usually do not have to understand every low-level detail.

What to watch out for

The dangerous part is still partitioning. Calamares makes installation simple, but it cannot save you from choosing the wrong disk.

Pay special attention to:

Erase disk vs Install alongside vs Manual partitioning;
whether the selected disk is your internal SSD or a USB/external drive;
whether you are using UEFI or legacy BIOS;
whether encryption is enabled;
whether the bootloader is going to the correct disk.

Best for

Calamares is best for users who want a smooth graphical installer and do not want to fight the installation process.

It is probably the easiest installer family for distro hopping.

Ubiquity: The Classic Ubuntu-Style Installer

Ubiquity is the classic graphical installer historically associated with Ubuntu and many Ubuntu-based distributions. Even though Ubuntu itself has moved toward a newer installer stack, Ubiquity is still important because many popular Ubuntu-based systems continue to use a similar installation flow.

Distributions commonly associated with Ubiquity-style installation

Linux Mint;
some Ubuntu flavors or older Ubuntu-based systems;
various Ubuntu derivatives.

Linux Mint is the most important example for many desktop users. It keeps the traditional “easy Linux install” feeling: boot live USB, click install, answer a few questions, reboot.

What makes Ubiquity easy

The biggest advantage of Ubiquity-style installers is familiarity. The steps are simple and predictable:

language;
keyboard;
multimedia codecs or third-party software options;
disk setup;
timezone;
username and password.

It does not try to be too clever. For beginners, that is a good thing.

What to watch out for

Ubiquity-style installers are usually easy, but there are still common traps:

dual boot can be risky if you do not understand partitions;
Secure Boot may affect proprietary drivers;
NVIDIA drivers may need attention after installation;
encryption choices should be made carefully because changing them later is annoying;
install alongside can be convenient, but manual backups are still mandatory.

Best for

Ubiquity-style installers are great for beginners, especially when installing Linux Mint or another stable Ubuntu-based desktop distribution.

If someone is moving from Windows and wants Linux to “just install,” Mint-style installation is still one of the safest recommendations.

Ubuntu Desktop Installer and Subiquity: The New Ubuntu Direction

Modern Ubuntu uses a newer desktop installer experience, with Subiquity as an important backend technology in Canonical’s installer ecosystem. Ubuntu Server has been using Subiquity for years, while the desktop installer has moved toward a newer, more modern interface.

Distributions

Ubuntu Desktop;
Ubuntu Server;
some official Ubuntu installation paths and related systems.

Ubuntu flavors may vary, so it is always worth checking the specific flavor. Not every Ubuntu-based system uses exactly the same installer.

What feels different

The newer Ubuntu installer looks more modern than old Ubiquity. It is cleaner and more visually polished. For a normal installation, it is usually straightforward.

However, some users notice that newer installers can feel less flexible in edge cases than older tools. This matters if you want unusual partitioning, complex encryption, or non-standard boot setups.

What to watch out for

Ubuntu is usually easy, but there are a few things to check:

whether you are installing normal or minimal setup;
whether third-party drivers and codecs are selected;
how the installer handles encryption;
how it behaves in dual-boot scenarios;
whether your Ubuntu flavor uses the same installer as main Ubuntu.

Best for

Ubuntu’s installer is best for users who want a mainstream, supported Linux distribution with a polished installation process.

For servers, Subiquity is also a practical installer because it supports automated and repeatable installations better than old-school purely graphical tools.

Anaconda: Fedora’s Powerful but Unusual Installer

Anaconda is the installer used by Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux family systems. It is powerful, mature and designed for serious use cases, but its flow can feel unusual if you come from Ubuntu or Calamares-based distributions.

Distributions that use Anaconda

Fedora Workstation;
Fedora Spins;
Fedora Server;
Red Hat Enterprise Linux;
some RHEL-compatible or related systems.

What makes Anaconda different

Anaconda does not always feel like a linear “Next, Next, Next” wizard. Instead, it often presents an installation summary screen where you configure different sections:

localization;
keyboard;
time and date;
installation destination;
software selection;
user settings;
root account settings.

This is not hard once you understand it, but it can feel strange the first time.

What Anaconda does well

Anaconda is strong in more serious installation scenarios:

custom partitioning;
LVM;
encryption;
enterprise-style setups;
network installation;
Kickstart automation;
server installations;
advanced storage layouts.

It is not just a desktop installer. It is a system deployment tool.

What to watch out for

The biggest Anaconda trap is the storage screen. It is powerful, but not always obvious.

Pay attention to:

whether automatic partitioning is selected;
whether existing partitions will be reused or deleted;
whether LVM is enabled;
whether encryption is selected;
whether /boot and EFI partitions are correctly handled;
whether you are installing Workstation, Spin, Server or another Fedora edition.

Best for

Anaconda is best for users who want Fedora, Red Hat-style systems, or more professional installation options.

It is not the simplest installer, but it is one of the most capable.

Debian Installer: Reliable, Detailed and Not Always Friendly

Debian Installer is one of the most important Linux installers historically. It is reliable, flexible and supports many architectures. But compared to Calamares or Linux Mint, it can feel old-school.

Distributions that use Debian Installer

Debian;
Debian netinstall images;
some Debian-based systems;
server/minimal installation environments.

What makes Debian Installer different

Debian Installer may ask more questions than beginner-friendly installers. Depending on the image and installation mode, you may deal with:

network mirror selection;
package popularity contest;
desktop environment selection;
root user vs sudo user behavior;
firmware availability;
manual partitioning;
task selection.

This is not necessarily bad. Debian is giving you control. But for a beginner, too many choices can become confusing.

The firmware issue

Historically, Debian could be annoying on some laptops because Wi-Fi or other hardware required non-free firmware. Modern Debian has improved this situation, but hardware support is still something to check, especially on newer laptops.

If Wi-Fi does not work during installation, use Ethernet, USB tethering, or a different ISO image if available.

What to watch out for

Important Debian installation points:

choose the correct ISO: live, netinstall, DVD, firmware-including image;
check whether you want GNOME, KDE, XFCE or no desktop;
decide whether to create a root password;
understand that Debian Stable prioritizes stability over the newest packages;
be careful with mirror selection;
be careful with manual partitioning.

Best for

Debian Installer is best for users who want stability, control and a clean base system.

It is not the easiest first Linux installer, but it teaches you more than many beginner distributions.

YaST: The Classic openSUSE Installer

YaST is one of the most powerful configuration systems in the Linux world. In openSUSE Leap 15.x and older SUSE-family workflows, YaST has been both an installer and a system administration tool.

Distributions associated with YaST

openSUSE Leap 15.x;
SUSE Linux Enterprise systems;
older openSUSE installation workflows.

What makes YaST special

YaST is not just an installer. It can also configure many parts of the installed system:

software repositories;
bootloader;
users;
network;
services;
firewall;
hardware;
system settings.

The installer itself often gives very detailed proposals before installation. You can inspect and modify many parts of the setup before committing.

Why it can feel harder

YaST is powerful, but it can feel dense. It shows more system-level information than a beginner installer like Calamares.

That is good if you know what you are doing. It is intimidating if you just want to install Linux quickly.

What to watch out for

With openSUSE-style installations, pay attention to:

Btrfs snapshots;
separate /home partition;
bootloader configuration;
Secure Boot;
KDE vs GNOME selection;
online repositories;
whether you are installing Leap, Tumbleweed or another openSUSE variant.

Best for

YaST is best for users who like control and want a distribution with strong system administration tooling.

openSUSE is not necessarily hard, but it is more “system administrator friendly” than “absolute beginner friendly.”

Agama: The New openSUSE Installation Direction

Newer openSUSE releases are moving toward Agama as a modern installer direction. The idea is to replace the older YaST-based installation experience with something more modern while keeping strong openSUSE-style configuration capabilities.

Distributions

newer openSUSE Leap generation;
newer SUSE/openSUSE installation workflows depending on release.

Why this matters

openSUSE is changing its installation story. If you learned openSUSE through YaST, newer releases may feel different. If you are new to openSUSE, Agama may feel more modern and less old-school.

What to watch out for

Because this area is evolving, always check the exact openSUSE version:

Leap 15.x experience may differ from Leap 16.x;
Tumbleweed may differ from Leap;
older tutorials may show YaST screens that no longer match the current installer;
documentation and screenshots may become outdated quickly.

Best for

Agama is relevant if you are trying modern openSUSE releases and want to understand why the installer no longer looks like the old YaST workflow.

archinstall: Arch Linux With Training Wheels

Arch Linux is famous for its manual installation process. Traditionally, you boot into a live environment and build the system yourself: partition disks, mount filesystems, install packages, generate fstab, configure locale, install bootloader, create users, and so on.

archinstall makes this easier by providing a guided installer.

Distribution

Arch Linux.

What archinstall does

archinstall automates many parts of Arch installation. It can help choose:

disk layout;
filesystem;
bootloader;
kernel;
desktop profile;
network configuration;
users;
additional packages.

This makes Arch much more approachable than a fully manual install.

Why it is still not beginner Linux

Even with archinstall, Arch is still Arch.

The installer can create the system, but after reboot you are still responsible for understanding what you installed. You may need to know:

how pacman works;
how to enable services;
how to handle graphics drivers;
how to fix bootloader issues;
how to read Arch Wiki;
how to maintain a rolling-release system.

archinstall lowers the entry barrier, but it does not turn Arch into Linux Mint.

What to watch out for

Important Arch installation points:

choose the correct boot mode: UEFI vs BIOS;
understand your filesystem choice;
be careful with encryption;
choose the right graphics driver;
do not install random desktop profiles without understanding them;
remember that Arch is rolling release;
be ready to use the terminal after installation.

Best for

archinstall is best for users who want Arch but do not want to manually type every installation command.

It is not the best choice for someone who wants their first Linux system to be boring and predictable.

Manual Installation: Arch, Gentoo and Full Control

Manual installation is the opposite of Calamares. Instead of a graphical wizard, you build the system yourself.

Distributions associated with manual installation

Arch Linux traditional installation;
Gentoo;
Void Linux in more manual workflows;
minimal/server-focused systems;
advanced custom installations.

Why people do it

Manual installation is useful when you want to understand the system deeply. You learn:

partitioning;
filesystems;
mounting;
chroot;
package installation;
bootloader setup;
system services;
networking;
users and permissions.

It is slower, but educational.

Why it is hard

Manual installation is not hard because the commands are magical. It is hard because you need to understand the order and meaning of each step.

If you forget the bootloader, the system will not boot.
If you mount partitions incorrectly, the installed system may be broken.
If you configure networking badly, you may boot into a system without internet.
If you skip users or sudo setup, you may lock yourself into an awkward setup.

Best for

Manual installation is best for learning, advanced customization and minimal systems.

It is not the best option if you simply need a working desktop today.

Easy, Medium and Hard: Practical Ranking

This ranking is not absolute, but it reflects the usual experience for desktop users.

Easiest

Linux Mint

Installer style: Ubiquity-style
Difficulty: very easy
Best for: beginners, Windows switchers, stable desktop use

Linux Mint is one of the easiest Linux distributions to install. The installer is familiar, the defaults are sane, and the system is practical after reboot.

Zorin OS

Installer style: Ubuntu/Ubiquity-style
Difficulty: very easy
Best for: users moving from Windows or macOS

Zorin focuses heavily on presentation and beginner friendliness. The installation experience is usually simple.

Ubuntu

Installer style: modern Ubuntu Desktop Installer
Difficulty: easy
Best for: mainstream desktop Linux, broad hardware support, tutorials

Ubuntu is still one of the safest choices for beginners because there is so much documentation and community knowledge.

Pop!_OS

Installer style: custom Pop!_OS installer
Difficulty: easy
Best for: laptops, developers, NVIDIA users

Pop!_OS has a clean installer and often handles full disk encryption in a very beginner-friendly way. The separate NVIDIA ISO is also helpful.

Easy to Medium

Manjaro

Installer: Calamares
Difficulty: easy to medium
Best for: users who want an Arch-like system with easier setup

Manjaro is easy to install, but it is still a rolling or semi-rolling style distribution. Installation is not the hard part. Maintenance can be.

EndeavourOS

Installer: Calamares
Difficulty: medium
Best for: users who want a friendly Arch-based starting point

EndeavourOS installs more easily than pure Arch, but it expects you to be comfortable with the terminal after installation.

KDE neon

Installer: Calamares
Difficulty: easy
Best for: latest KDE Plasma on an Ubuntu base

KDE neon is usually simple to install, but it is best understood as a KDE-focused system, not just “Ubuntu with KDE.”

Lubuntu

Installer: Calamares
Difficulty: easy
Best for: lighter Ubuntu-based desktop installation

Lubuntu’s installer is usually straightforward and the system is lighter than main Ubuntu.

Medium

Fedora Workstation

Installer: Anaconda
Difficulty: medium
Best for: modern GNOME, newer Linux technologies, developers

Fedora is not hard, but Anaconda’s flow can surprise beginners. Once installed, Fedora is clean and modern.

Fedora Spins

Installer: Anaconda
Difficulty: medium
Best for: Fedora with KDE, XFCE, Cinnamon, MATE and other desktops

The installer is similar, but the desktop environment differs.

openSUSE Leap / Tumbleweed

Installer: YaST or newer Agama depending on release
Difficulty: medium
Best for: users who want snapshots, strong system tools and mature infrastructure

openSUSE can be beginner-usable, but the installer exposes more system-level choices than Mint or Ubuntu.

Debian

Installer: Debian Installer
Difficulty: medium to hard
Best for: stable systems, servers, clean base installation

Debian is excellent, but the installation experience can feel more technical.

Harder

Arch Linux

Installer: manual or archinstall
Difficulty: hard manually, medium-hard with archinstall
Best for: learning, customization, rolling-release users

Arch is not impossible, but it expects the user to participate actively.

Gentoo

Installer: manual
Difficulty: hard
Best for: advanced users, deep customization, learning Linux internals

Gentoo is not mainly about convenience. It is about control.

Void Linux

Installer: text-based/manual-ish depending on workflow
Difficulty: medium to hard
Best for: users who want a different init system and a minimal distribution

Void is interesting, but not the easiest first Linux distribution.

Similar Installers and Families

Calamares-based distributions

These tend to feel similar during installation:

Manjaro;
EndeavourOS;
Garuda;
KDE neon;
Lubuntu;
many smaller desktop distributions.

If you have installed one Calamares distro, you can usually install another without much confusion.

Ubuntu-style distributions

These often feel familiar to users who have installed Ubuntu or Mint:

Linux Mint;
Zorin OS;
elementary-style Ubuntu derivatives;
older Ubuntu-based distributions;
some official flavors depending on release.

They are usually friendly and linear.

Fedora / RHEL-style distributions

These are usually Anaconda-based:

Fedora;
Fedora Spins;
RHEL;
related enterprise-style distributions.

They feel more professional and storage-focused.

Debian-style installations

These tend to be more traditional:

Debian netinstall;
Debian server/minimal installs;
some Debian-based advanced installs.

They are reliable but less flashy.

SUSE-style installations

These are their own world:

openSUSE Leap;
openSUSE Tumbleweed;
SUSE Linux Enterprise;
newer Agama-based openSUSE releases.

They are strong in system configuration and snapshots.

What Makes a Linux Installer Easy?

An easy installer usually has:

simple language;
clear disk selection;
safe defaults;
automatic partitioning;
obvious user creation;
good driver handling;
minimal jargon;
good live session before installation;
clear final summary before writing changes.

Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Pop!_OS and many Calamares-based distributions do this well.

What Makes a Linux Installer Hard?

A hard installer usually exposes more decisions:

manual partitioning;
bootloader target;
UEFI vs legacy BIOS;
filesystem selection;
swap configuration;
encryption layout;
mirror selection;
desktop package selection;
root user behavior;
network configuration;
post-install service setup.

This is not bad. It just means the installer assumes more knowledge.

Debian, Arch, Gentoo and advanced Fedora/openSUSE setups can fall into this category.

Partitioning: The Most Dangerous Step

No matter which installer you use, partitioning is the step where mistakes hurt the most.

Before installing Linux, always understand these options:

Erase Disk

This deletes the selected disk and installs Linux fresh.

Good for:

test machines;
old laptops;
single-OS Linux setups;
virtual machines.

Dangerous if:

you selected the wrong disk;
you forgot to back up files;
you have Windows or another OS on the same disk.

Install Alongside

This tries to keep the existing OS and install Linux next to it.

Good for:

dual boot beginners;
Windows + Linux setups.

Dangerous if:

Windows uses BitLocker;
the disk has unusual partitions;
there is not enough free space;
the installer misdetects the existing OS.

Manual Partitioning

This gives you full control.

Good for:

advanced users;
separate /home;
custom filesystems;
encryption;
multi-disk setups.

Dangerous if:

you do not understand EFI partitions;
you format the wrong partition;
you mount partitions incorrectly;
you install the bootloader to the wrong place.

UEFI, EFI Partition and Bootloaders

Modern computers usually use UEFI. That means Linux normally needs an EFI System Partition.

Common bootloaders:

GRUB;
systemd-boot;
rEFInd in some custom setups.

Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora and most beginner distributions handle this automatically. Arch and manual installations require more attention.

Things to check:

is the system booted in UEFI mode?
is there an existing EFI partition?
will Linux reuse it or create a new one?
will the bootloader detect Windows?
is Secure Boot enabled?

If you are dual-booting with Windows, be extra careful. Windows updates, BitLocker and firmware settings can complicate the boot process.

Encryption: Easy Button or Advanced Trap

Many installers offer disk encryption.

Easy cases:

Pop!_OS full disk encryption;
Ubuntu guided encryption;
Fedora automatic encryption;
Calamares full-disk encryption in supported distros.

Harder cases:

manual encrypted /home;
encrypted root with separate boot;
encrypted dual boot;
LUKS + LVM + custom layout;
encryption with unusual bootloader setups.

Encryption is useful, especially on laptops. But it is better to choose it intentionally. Do not enable it just because it sounds more secure unless you understand recovery implications.

If you lose the passphrase, your data is gone.

NVIDIA, Wi-Fi and Hardware Support

The installer is only part of the story. Hardware support matters too.

NVIDIA

Some distributions make NVIDIA easier:

Pop!_OS provides NVIDIA-specific images;
Ubuntu offers third-party driver options;
Fedora can work well, but proprietary NVIDIA drivers usually require extra repository steps;
Arch requires more manual driver understanding.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi issues are common on some laptops.

Before installing:

boot the live USB;
check Wi-Fi;
check touchpad;
check keyboard;
check sound;
check brightness keys;
check suspend/resume.

If something does not work in the live session, it may not magically work after installation.

Very new laptops

Very new hardware may work better on distributions with newer kernels:

Fedora;
Arch;
openSUSE Tumbleweed;
Ubuntu interim releases;
newer Pop!_OS releases depending on hardware support.

Stable distributions like Debian Stable may need extra work on very new hardware.

Live USB vs Netinstall

Live USB

A live USB lets you test the system before installing.

Good for:

beginners;
desktop Linux;
checking hardware;
visual installation.

Used by:

Ubuntu;
Mint;
Fedora Workstation;
Pop!_OS;
Manjaro;
EndeavourOS;
many Calamares distributions.

Netinstall

A netinstall image downloads packages during installation.

Good for:

minimal systems;
servers;
custom package selection;
fresh package versions during install.

Used by:

Debian;
Arch-style workflows;
Fedora network installation;
server distributions.

Harder for beginners because network and mirror configuration matter more.

Virtual Machine Installation Is Easier Than Real Hardware

Installing Linux in a virtual machine is usually much safer than installing on real hardware.

Good practice targets:

VirtualBox;
VMware;
GNOME Boxes;
virt-manager;
UTM on Apple Silicon;
Parallels on macOS.

In a VM, you can test:

installer flow;
partitioning screens;
desktop environment;
package manager;
updates;
basic usability.

You can break things without losing your real system.

For learning installers, virtual machines are perfect.

Best Installer Choices by User Type

Absolute Beginner

Best choices:

Linux Mint;
Ubuntu;
Zorin OS;
Pop!_OS.

Why:

easy installers;
good defaults;
lots of documentation;
fewer scary decisions.

Windows User Trying Linux

Best choices:

Linux Mint Cinnamon;
Zorin OS;
Ubuntu;
Pop!_OS.

Why:

familiar desktop flow;
simple installation;
good hardware support.

Old Laptop User

Best choices:

Linux Mint XFCE;
Lubuntu;
Xubuntu;
Debian XFCE;
antiX or MX Linux for very old machines.

Why:

lighter desktops;
less RAM usage;
still practical.

Developer

Best choices:

Ubuntu;
Fedora;
Pop!_OS;
Debian;
Arch if comfortable.

Why:

good package availability;
strong tooling;
active documentation.

User Who Wants to Learn Linux Deeply

Best choices:

Debian netinstall;
Arch Linux;
Gentoo;
Void Linux.

Why:

more manual control;
more exposure to system internals.

User Who Wants KDE

Best choices:

KDE neon;
Fedora KDE Spin;
openSUSE Tumbleweed KDE;
Manjaro KDE;
EndeavourOS KDE;
Kubuntu.

Why:

strong KDE support;
different levels of simplicity and freshness.

Practical Installation Checklist

Before installing any Linux distribution:

1. Back Up Your Data

Do not trust any installer with your only copy of important files.

2. Check Boot Mode

Know whether your machine uses:

UEFI;
legacy BIOS;
Secure Boot;
BitLocker if Windows is installed.

3. Test Live USB

Before installation, check:

Wi-Fi;
keyboard;
touchpad;
display scaling;
sound;
suspend;
external monitor if needed.

4. Choose the Correct Disk

This is the most important installer screen.

If you have multiple drives, disconnect external drives if possible.

5. Understand Partitioning Choice

Do not click Erase disk unless you really mean it.

6. Decide on Encryption

Encryption is useful, but you must remember the passphrase.

7. Prepare for NVIDIA

If you have NVIDIA, choose a distro that handles it well or be ready for extra steps.

8. Keep a Rescue USB

Keep another USB drive with a known working live Linux image. It can save you if bootloader configuration breaks.

Final Comparison Table

Distribution	Installer	Difficulty	Main Advantage	Main Risk
Linux Mint	Ubiquity-style	Easy	Very beginner-friendly	Older package base
Ubuntu	Ubuntu Desktop Installer	Easy	Mainstream support	Installer behavior changes between releases
Pop!_OS	Custom Pop installer	Easy	Good laptop/NVIDIA experience	Secure Boot usually needs attention
Zorin OS	Ubuntu-style	Easy	Friendly for Windows users	Less technical transparency
Manjaro	Calamares	Easy-Medium	Easy Arch-like install	Rolling-style maintenance
EndeavourOS	Calamares	Medium	Closer to Arch, easier install	Terminal knowledge expected
Garuda	Calamares	Medium	Gaming/tweaks/Btrfs focus	Heavy customization
KDE neon	Calamares	Easy-Medium	Fresh KDE Plasma	Narrow KDE-focused purpose
Lubuntu	Calamares	Easy	Lightweight Ubuntu flavor	Less polished than main Ubuntu
Fedora	Anaconda	Medium	Modern Linux stack	Installer flow can confuse beginners
Debian	Debian Installer	Medium-Hard	Stable and clean	More technical choices
openSUSE Leap/Tumbleweed	YaST/Agama depending on version	Medium	Powerful system tools	More complex options
Arch Linux	archinstall/manual	Medium-Hard	Full control	Requires maintenance knowledge
Gentoo	Manual	Hard	Maximum customization	Time-consuming and technical

Conclusion

Linux installation difficulty is not only about the distribution. It is about the installer philosophy.

Calamares, Mint-style installers, Ubuntu’s desktop installer and Pop!_OS make Linux feel approachable. They hide complexity and provide safe defaults.

Anaconda, Debian Installer and YaST expose more system-level decisions. They are not necessarily worse. They are simply more powerful and less beginner-focused.

Arch, Gentoo and manual installations are a different category. They are not designed to hide Linux from you. They are designed to make you understand what you are building.

If you just want a working desktop, choose Mint, Ubuntu, Pop!_OS or a Calamares-based distribution.

If you want to learn Linux properly, try Debian netinstall, Fedora with custom partitioning, openSUSE, Arch with archinstall, and eventually a manual Arch or Gentoo setup.

The installer is your first conversation with a Linux distribution. And very often, it tells you exactly what kind of system you are about to get.