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FreeBSD VS GNU+Linux

Compare FreeBSD VS GNU+Linux and see what are their differences

FreeBSD logo FreeBSD

FreeBSD is an advanced operating system for x86 compatible (including Pentiumยฎ and Athlonโ„ข)...

GNU+Linux logo GNU+Linux

All Linux distributions with a GNU userland
  • FreeBSD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • GNU+Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-11

FreeBSD features and specs

  • Stability
    FreeBSD is known for its robustness and reliability, making it a preferred choice for servers and critical applications that require high uptime.
  • Advanced Networking
    It offers advanced networking features and performance, suitable for heavy network-related usage such as routers, firewalls, and servers.
  • ZFS File System
    FreeBSD includes support for the ZFS file system, which provides high data integrity, advanced snapshot capabilities, and efficient data management.
  • Ports Collection
    The FreeBSD Ports Collection offers a vast selection of pre-packaged software that eases the installation of applications and their dependencies.
  • Security Features
    FreeBSD is known for its strong security features, such as jails for process separation and Capsicum, a capability-based security framework.

Possible disadvantages of FreeBSD

  • Hardware Compatibility
    FreeBSD may have limited support for certain hardware devices compared to other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Learning Curve
    The system can be complex for new users, requiring a significant amount of time and effort to become proficient, especially if they are accustomed to more user-friendly environments.
  • Smaller Community
    Compared to Linux, FreeBSD has a smaller user and developer community, which might result in less community-driven support and fewer available resources.
  • Limited Desktop Support
    While FreeBSD can be used on desktop systems, it is primarily optimized for servers and might not offer the same level of convenience or support for desktop applications and environments as Linux distros.
  • Software Availability
    Although it has a vast Ports Collection, some software might not be available or can be more challenging to compile and maintain than on Linux.

GNU+Linux features and specs

  • Open Source
    GNU+Linux is an open-source operating system, which means its source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and distribute. This fosters a collaborative development environment and enhances security through transparency.
  • Customizability
    Linux offers extensive customizability, allowing users to modify the system to meet their specific needs. This includes choosing from a variety of desktop environments, window managers, and software packages.
  • Security
    Linux is known for its strong security features. Its permissions-based structure, along with a strong community of developers and frequent updates, helps in quickly patching vulnerabilities.
  • Stability and Performance
    Many Linux distributions are lauded for their stability and efficiency, making them ideal for servers and systems that require high uptime and performance.
  • Wide Range of Distributions
    There is a large variety of Linux distributions available, each tailored for different needs, from user-friendly options like Ubuntu to lightweight versions like Puppy Linux.
  • Cost
    Linux is free to use, which makes it an attractive option for individuals and organizations looking to reduce software costs.
  • Community Support
    Linux has a vast and active community of users and developers who provide support through forums, mailing lists, and documentation.

Possible disadvantages of GNU+Linux

  • Learning Curve
    For users accustomed to Windows or macOS, the transition to Linux can involve a steep learning curve, especially when dealing with command-line interfaces and different file system structures.
  • Software Compatibility
    Some proprietary software and games are not natively supported on Linux, requiring alternatives or compatibility layers like Wine to run them.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    While Linux support for hardware has improved significantly, there can still be issues with drivers for certain proprietary hardware, particularly with newer or niche devices.
  • Fragmentation
    The large number of distributions and desktop environments can lead to fragmentation, making it challenging for developers to ensure compatibility across all versions and for users to choose the right distribution.
  • Limited Professional Support
    While community support is extensive, professional support options can be limited compared to those available for other operating systems like Windows and macOS, although companies like Red Hat and Canonical do offer professional support.

Analysis of FreeBSD

Overall verdict

  • Yes, FreeBSD is considered a good operating system, particularly for users seeking stability, security, and high performance. It is highly respected in the open-source community and widely used in various applications, from web hosting to advanced networking solutions.

Why this product is good

  • FreeBSD is well-regarded for its advanced networking, performance, and security features. It offers a robust and flexible system that is ideal for building servers, embedded systems, and desktops. The operating system is known for its strong adherence to UNIX principles, its permissive licensing, and its extensive documentation. Additionally, FreeBSD provides a Ports collection with thousands of applications and a supportive community.

Recommended for

  • System administrators interested in building reliable and secure servers
  • Developers and users who appreciate a UNIX-like environment
  • Organizations seeking customizable and high-performance networking solutions
  • Anyone interested in contributing to or learning from a well-documented open-source project
  • Users who prefer permissive licensing for software redistribution

FreeBSD videos

FreeBSD 12 Review - Used as my daily OS

More videos:

  • Review - A Look and brief introduction to FreeBSD 12.1
  • Review - I tried FreeBSD! - here's what I think of it

GNU+Linux videos

No GNU+Linux videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FreeBSD and GNU+Linux)
Linux
79 79%
21% 21
Operating Systems
81 81%
19% 19
Linux Distribution
77 77%
23% 23
Open Source
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare FreeBSD and GNU+Linux

FreeBSD Reviews

Best free Linuxย router and firewall distributions of 2023
OpenBSD and FreeBSD are actively developed and are very capable, but these systems require a high level of understanding of operating system internals and low-level networking to be used as routers.
Source: teklager.se
Avoid The Hack: 11 Best Privacy Friendly Operating Systems (Desktops)
With "Linuxulator," FreeBSD has compatibility with Linux binaries. Linuxulator can run unmodified Linux binaries without using virtual machines or emulation. Additionally, FreeBSD has tens of thousands ported libraries and applications.

GNU+Linux Reviews

We have no reviews of GNU+Linux yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

FreeBSD might be a bit more popular than GNU+Linux. We know about 22 links to it since March 2021 and only 16 links to GNU+Linux. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

FreeBSD mentions (22)

  • Why do we need DNSSEC?
    Optional, alternative standards don't have visibility and don't get used. Without a way to measure, nothing happens. There was once a few, UX-hostile DNSSEC & DANE browser extensions but these never worked well and were discontinued. Purveyors of functional DNSSEC: https://freebsd.org. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • I've never used FreeBSD and have some questions
    Aside from being UNIX based, what similarities does it share with Linux? Both have monolithic kernels. Source based build systems are offered (ports, which are like the portage system on Gentoo) as well as binary build systems (pkg, which is like apt, yum, pacman, etc.) Both offer a lot of free software, though more licenses are compatible with FreeBSD like CDDL, which is not compatible Linux. Both let you... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • FreeBSD turns 30 today!
    There's no mention of a birthday on their site, and its footer says 1995-2023. That must be just the site, because Wikipedia tells me FreeBSD's initial release was indeed, but not quite, 30 years ago, November 1st 1993. Still no birthday. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Computer
    I'm not the right person to ask this -- I just run it on whatever I happen to have. But I think sleep and wifi (for example) have issues with different hardware, so you'd have to do your homework. The FreeBSD handbook on freebsd.org is always very helpful to me. You can try it out with a live cd / thumbdrive to see how much supported hardware you've got. My Lenovo X1 from a couple years ago works for what I... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Can SGIโ€™s Enthusiast Community Bring IRIX Back to Life?
    People are still actively working on Illumos. The last change was yesterday morning. * https://illumos.org People are still actively working on MirBSD. There's a CVS commit account that can be followed on the FediVerse. * http://www.mirbsd.org It's DragonFly BSD, not Dragon BSD, and the irony of that is that you missed FreeBSD, which is of course still going. * https://dragonflybsd.org * https://freebsd.org As... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
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GNU+Linux mentions (16)

  • Newbie advice 1
    Familiarize yourself with the search page and the many categories you cans search by. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Installing Debian bookworm without systemd
    Distrowatch's Advanced Search page: https://distrowatch.com/search.php#advanced Note that under the "Init Software" section (scroll down on page), the following two choices (amongst numerous others, perhaps too many!) are included: [ ] systemd [ ] Not systemd In other words, here, the User, regardless of their opinion, regardless of their political ideology (or lack thereof!) -- has a happy choice! They can choose... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Debian 12 โ€œBookwormโ€ Released
    Do it, and tell the world how I mistreated all kinds of interesting (but small) projects, if it makes you feel better. :-D Here a list of almost all the OS distris I've left out: https://distrowatch.com/search.php?ostype=All&category=All&origin=All&basedon=Independentยฌbasedon=None&desktop=All&architecture=All&package=All&rolling=All&isosize=All&netinstall=All&language=All&defaultinit=All&status=Active#simple... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Trying to figure out which Linux all ideas are welcome. Distro hopping.
    Distrowatch can help you search for distros based on another distro (eg: Debian derivatives if you really like Debian), or a particular version of a package or desktop (eg: latest XFCE 4.18): https://distrowatch.com/search.php. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Linux mint isn't working for me. What distribution can I use for a pretty bad laptop. (Specs below)
    You can search for more ideas on DistroWatch: https://distrowatch.com/search.php. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing FreeBSD and GNU+Linux, you can also consider the following products

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

DistroWatch - 9 hours ago - It does include a proprietary software set optimized for business users, students, researchers and developers." A list of features and further details can be found in the company's release announcement.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linuxยฎ distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

Haiku - Haiku is an open source OS catered specifically to the needs of personal computing.

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Debian - Debian is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system.