Software Alternatives & Reviews

Gentoo VS Debian

Compare Gentoo VS Debian and see what are their differences

Gentoo logo Gentoo

The website of Gentoo, a flexible Linux or BSD distribution.

Debian logo Debian

Debian is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system.
  • Gentoo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02
  • Debian Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-12

Gentoo videos

Gentoo Linux: Explained | Linux Distro Reviews

More videos:

  • Review - Gentoo Linux Review: Awesome Linux distribution for advanced users
  • Review - 10 Gentoo Tips!

Debian videos

Debian 10 "Buster" Full Review and My Thoughts

More videos:

  • Review - Debian 10 Review (GNOME)
  • Review - Debian 10 "Buster" Review! Excited for THIS

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Gentoo and Debian)
Linux Distribution
23 23%
77% 77
Operating Systems
20 20%
80% 80
Linux
19 19%
81% 81
Linux Distro
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 Gentoo and Debian

Gentoo Reviews

  1. have you seen the glibc ebuild? it's 1500 lines. lfs does it in less than 50

    gentoo has a feature creep and bitrot problem that has been going on for no less than 15 years. glibc is a package that should be closely guarded as it is at the CORE of your system.

    🏁 Competitors: Funtoo Linux

The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Gentoo Linux is aimed at more experienced users and is regularly updated as part of a rolling release. The operating system is based on source code and considered a secure option for servers. Gentoo Linux can be customized and optimized to suit one’s own needs.
Source: www.ionos.com
Best Top 20 Ubuntu Linux Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
Some larger packages or those without source code have precompiled binaries. Gentoo Linux takes its name from the Gentoo penguin. The name was selected to emphasize machine-specific optimization, a key Gentoo feature.
Avoid The Hack: 11 Best Privacy Friendly Operating Systems (Desktops)
Gentoo is flexible and gives the user many alternatives for system software, which allows users to tailor Gentoo to their needs and preferences. The user has near-complete control of all packages installed on a Gentoo system.
11 Best Linux Distros For Programming And Developers [2020 Edition]
The installation process will teach you a lot about your system and its subtleties. One of the best parts about Gentoo, which is also a curse for some people, is its ability to configure what compilation flags packages should support. If we keep the ease part aside, Gentoo gives a developer power, stability, and flexibility — everything that he/she wants.
Source: fossbytes.com

Debian Reviews

10 Most Popular Linux Distros of the Year 2023
Currently, Debian runs the FreeBSD kernel or Linux kernel. Debian was developed by many volunteers who are managing this operating system amazingly. The significant advantage of Debian is its vast software support. Learn – Install Debian 12 Bullseye on VirtualBox
Top 5 Secure Operating Systems for Privacy and Anonymity
The Debian Project adheres to a rigorous set of principles, the Debian Social Contract. It outlines its relationship with the community and underlines its dedication to delivering a free and secure high-quality operating system. This contract and the Debian Free Software Guidelines ensure that the software within Debian's repositories respects your privacy and freedom.
Finding the Best Linux Distro for Your Organization
Debian has a Testing branch, similar to a beta version, it is an intermediary stage between Debian's unstable and stable branches. The Testing branch is intended for users who want a balance between access to newer software and a relatively stable system. Debian Testing gets new features and fixes before the stable Debian release, allowing users who are comfortable...
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Debian is what Ubuntu is based on, making it one of the oldest Linux distributions. It was released and developed in 1993. For a long time, the abundance of software packages for Debian was unsurpassed and it is still notable. Commercial programs are easy to install. Installation, maintenance and usage are intuitive and not particularly difficult for both Windows and Mac...
Source: www.ionos.com
6 Best Free Alternatives to Windows for Advanced Users
Debian OS also offers a different variant for users to choose from and made the rolling release option available.
Source: techcult.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Debian should be more popular than Gentoo. It has been mentiond 66 times since March 2021. 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.

Gentoo mentions (27)

  • Gentoo bans AI-created contributions
    > Gentoo does not accept art contributions of any kind (human/ai), there is just no place for this. Okay, let's do a short fact check on that: 1. Visit https://gentoo.org, notice logo in top left: a first sign of contributed art. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Linux saved my life
    And just wait till you discover Arch Linux, Gentoo, Guix, or NixOS. Source: 10 months ago
  • I'd like to interview redditors here about their favorite distro release.
    I'm daily driving Gentoo GNU/Linux (https://gentoo.org). I prefer it over other GNU/Linux distributions because it allows me to customize the operating system down to a lower level. I'm also planning on installing Linux From Scratch (https://linuxfromscratch.org) for educational purposes. However, I might end up daily driving it. I do extremely difficult and tedious activities on my computer just for fun and I... Source: about 1 year ago
  • Is the Gentoo Wiki down?
    I can't access any of the gentoo.org services at this time (forums, bugs, etc.) They all report server errors. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Did it tell me the truth? LOL
    Surely this info is on the official site, gentoo.org, so you don't have to worry about asking? Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Debian mentions (66)

  • Coding on a Chromebook
    The terminal is actually a Debian terminal. Debian is a version (distribution) of Linux, so if you've used it or Ubuntu before, you'll be very familiar with the commands. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Can I contribute to a redesign of the Debian website?
    Can't figure out debian.org? Then you probably won't figure out the distribution either. The website is perfectly fine, if you know how to read and think. They have mainly been focusing on making Debian stable, so it's more about reading manuals than expecting user-friendliness from it. There's loads of userfriendly-focused linux distributions out there. Source: 10 months ago
  • Your guide to Debian iso downloads
    Https://debian.org/ has a huge DOWNLOAD button. Source: 11 months ago
  • where all the isos are? (broken links)
    Links on the debian.org doesn't work. Source: 11 months ago
  • Debian 12 froze. How to diagnose ?
    Https://debian.org/ download the iso, dd to a pendrive and reinstall... Source: 12 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Gentoo and Debian, you can also consider the following products

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

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

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.

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

Manjaro - Manjaro Linux is a linux distribution which is based on arch linux. It uses the PACMAN package manager.

Void Linux - Void is a general purpose operating system, based on the monolithic Linux kernel.