Linux distributions over time

How different are they and how different have they been?

Since the beginning of Linux, different distributions come with different tools and packages, making it hard for developers to make sure that their applications work on all distributions. The most obvious user-facing differences are the choice in desktop environment (also see here for a timeline of default desktops) and the package formats used. I have looked at the most important Linux distributions for each year. Click on the years below to see what has changed over time. Overall, when looking at the seven categories below (desktop environment, toolkit, display server, init software, package formats, file systems, security modules) there has always been around 70-80% homogeneity across the four big distributions.

Select a year: 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Today

Source: eylenburg.github.io

Beginning of 2000 - 82% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux				SysVinit
	GNOME	GTK	X11	SysVinit	DEB packages	ext	None
Linux-Mandrake				SysVinit
	KDE	Qt	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	None
Red Hat Linux				SysVinit
	GNOME	GTK	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	None
SuSE Linux				SysVinit
	KDE	Qt	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	None

Beginning of 2005 - 79% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux				SysVinit
	GNOME	GTK	X11	SysVinit	DEB packages	ext	None
Mandrake Linux				SysVinit
	KDE	Qt	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	None
Fedora Core				SysVinit
	GNOME	GTK	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	SELinux
SuSE Linux				SysVinit
	KDE	Qt	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	None

Beginning of 2010 - 71% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux				SysVinit
	GNOME	GTK	X11	SysVinit	DEB packages	ext	None
Ubuntu Desktop
	GNOME	GTK	X11	Upstart	DEB packages	ext	AppArmor
Fedora
	GNOME	GTK	X11	Upstart	RPM packages	ext	SELinux
OpenSUSE				SysVinit
	KDE	Qt	X11	SysVinit	RPM packages	ext	AppArmor

Beginning of 2015 - 68% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux
	GNOME	GTK	X11	systemd	DEB packages	ext	None
Ubuntu Desktop
	Unity	GTK	X11	Upstart	DEB packages	ext	AppArmor
Fedora Workstation
	GNOME	GTK	X11	systemd	RPM packages	ext	SELinux
OpenSUSE Leap
	KDE	Qt	X11	systemd	RPM packages	btrfs	AppArmor

Beginning of 2020 - 79% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux
	GNOME	GTK	Wayland	systemd	DEB packages	ext	AppArmor
Ubuntu Desktop
	GNOME	GTK	X11	systemd	DEB & Snap	ext	AppArmor
Fedora Workstation
	GNOME	GTK	Wayland	systemd	RPM & Flatpak	ext	SELinux
OpenSUSE Leap
	KDE or GNOME	depends on selected desktop		systemd	RPM packages	btrfs	AppArmor

As of today (2022) - 78% homogeneity

Major Linux Distributions	Default Desktop Environment1	Preferred Toolkit for Applications2	Default Display Server2	Default Init Software	Default Package Formats	Default File System	Default Security Module
Debian GNU/Linux
	GNOME	GTK	Wayland	systemd	DEB packages	ext	AppArmor
Ubuntu Desktop
	GNOME	GTK	Wayland	systemd	DEB & Snap	ext	AppArmor
Fedora Workstation
	GNOME	GTK	Wayland	systemd	RPM & Flatpak	btrfs	SELinux
OpenSUSE Leap
	KDE/GNOME/Xfce	depends on selected desktop		systemd	RPM packages	btrfs	AppArmor

Footnotes:
1: default or pre-selected desktop, same methodology as here
2: for default/pre-selected desktop