5. Pop!_OS
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to install Pop!_OS, explore the COSMIC desktop, customize your system, and manage apps with the COSMIC Store.
If you've been following this series, you've seen distros designed around familiarity - Ubuntu's approachable GNOME, Linux Mint's Windows-like Cinnamon, Zorin OS's layout switcher, and elementary OS's macOS-inspired elegance. They all do a great job of easing you into Linux.
Pop!_OS takes a different approach entirely.
Built by the American Linux computer manufacturer System76, Pop!_OS isn't designed to look like Windows or macOS.
It's built for people who want to get things done, such as developers, makers, power users, and anyone who wants a fast, focused, and deeply customizable Linux system that gets out of your way and lets you work.
And with the December 2025 release of Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS, that vision just took its biggest leap yet.
Tecmint Pro