Debian vs MX Linux
MX Linux draws more interest (#3 vs #4).
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| Debian #4 · Debian | MX Linux #3 · Debian | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 4 | 3 |
| Rank last month | 6 | 4 |
| Index | 298 | 299 |
| Family | Debian | Debian |
| Based on | - | Debian |
| First released | 1993 | 2014 |
| Latest release | 13.7 | 25.3 |
| Supported until | Aug 2028 | Aug 2028 |
| GitHub stars | - | 23 |
| Commits, last 30 days | - | 0 |
| Telemetry (OS default) | Off unless you opt in | - |
Pros and cons
Debian
Good
- Very stable and thoroughly tested
- Huge package archive
- Community-run with no company in control
Trade-offs
- Stable releases ship older software
- Less hand-holding at install than Ubuntu or Mint
- Non-free firmware and drivers may need extra steps on some hardware
MX Linux
Good
- Handy graphical MX Tools for common tasks
- Light enough for older computers
- Debian stable base
Trade-offs
- Xfce default looks dated to some
- Older software than rolling distros
- Smaller community than Mint or Ubuntu
Questions
Is Debian or MX Linux more popular?
MX Linux draws more interest over the last 12 months (#3 vs #4 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Which is better for beginners, Debian or MX Linux?
MX Linux is the easier start: it's aimed at people new to Linux. Debian expects some Linux experience.
Is MX Linux based on Debian?
Yes. MX Linux is built on Debian, so most Debian software and guides also work on it.
Rankings from our composite index: English Wikipedia article views, DistroWatch page hits, GitHub stars and views on this site, built 2026-11-12. All of these measure interest, not installs. Repository activity from GitHub. Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users. "Pick if", pros and cons are LinuxStatistics editorial notes based on each project's own documentation. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0).