Ubuntu may get the limelight a lot in Linux circles, but it has several cousins. One of them is Kubuntu Linux, and it has some unique qualities that might lead you to make it your primary operating system.

If you have trouble keeping up with the names of all the different Linux distributions out there, you're forgiven. They number in the thousands, and sometimes, their differences seem only slight. Their names can be confusing too, like Kubuntu, which is distinct from Lubuntu and Xubuntu. In my experience, these distros have a lot more than just one letter's worth of differences, though. So let's explore what sets Kubuntu apart and who should use it.

Year of First Release

2005

Minimum System Requirements

25GB storage, 4GB RAM, 2GHz dual-core processor (64-bit)

Supported Desktop Environment(s)

KDE Plasma

Kubuntu is a free and open source operating system for desktop PCs and laptops that's based on GNU/Linux. It's related to the better-known Ubuntu operating system. In fact, Kubuntu is essentially Ubuntu but with a different coat of paint. It has a different desktop experience and set of default applications, collectively known as KDE Plasma. That's where the "K" in Kubuntu's name comes from.

As a bit of background, Kubuntu was the first of many Ubuntu variants. It came about in the mid-aughts when Ubuntu developers recognized a need to provide multiple diverse user experiences instead of just one. Over the years, sponsorship of Kubuntu as a project shifted from Canonical to Blue Systems while still maintaining its original mission and continued collaboration with Canonical.