Setup & operation
Should I use Ubuntu or Debian on my server?
Short answer
Use Ubuntu LTS if you are learning or want the largest body of tutorials and newer packages. Use Debian for a minimal, predictable, long-lived server — it idles in roughly half the memory, ships no Snap and no vendor telemetry. Both use the same package format, so most instructions transfer directly.
On a 1 GB instance the difference is material: Debian idles around 120 MB and Ubuntu around 250 MB. On an 8 GB instance it is irrelevant and you should choose on documentation and package freshness instead.
For servers you intend to forget about, Debian stable is the better instinct. For servers you will actively develop on, Ubuntu's newer toolchain saves real time.
7 answers in Setup & operation
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