Technical
The following table shows the default file system, but many Linux distributions support some or all of ext2, ext3, ext4, ReiserFS, Reiser4, JFS, XFS, GFS2, OCFS2, and NILFS. It is possible to install Linux onto most of these file systems. The ext file systems, namely ext2, ext3, and ext4 are based on the original Linux file system. File systems have been developed by companies to meet their specific needs, and by hobbyists, or adapted from Unix, Microsoft Windows, and other operating systems. Linux has full support for XFS and JFS, FAT (the DOS file system), and HFS, the main file system for the Macintosh. Support for Microsoft Windows NT's NTFS file system has appeared, and is now comparable to the support available for other native Unix file systems. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs' ISO 9660 and Universal Disk Format (UDF) are supported. Unlike other operating systems, Linux and Unix allow any file system regardless of the medium it is stored on, whether that medium is a magnetic disk, an optical disk (CD, DVD, etc.), a USB flash memory key, or even contained within a file located on another file system.
Similarly, many C-compilers (mainly GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)), desktop environments and window managers are widely supported.
| Distribution | Default file system | Install-time desktop environment or window manager selection |
|---|---|---|
| 64 Studio | ? | GNOME |
| Alinex | ext3 | GNOME |
| aLinux | none | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| ALT Linux | ext3 | KDE Plasma Workspaces, Xfce |
| Annvix | none | ? |
| aptosid | ext3 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Arch Linux | none | none |
| Asianux | ext3 | K Desktop Environment 3 |
| BackTrack | ext3 | GNOME/KDE (Decided on download) |
| BLAG Linux and GNU | ext3 | GNOME |
| Bodhi | ext4 | Enlightenment |
| Caixa Mágica | ? | ? |
| CentOS | ext3 | GNOME |
| ClearOS | ext3 | GNOME |
| CrunchBang Linux | ext3 | Openbox or Xfce |
| CRUX | none | Openbox |
| Damn Small Linux | ext3 | JWM |
| Debian | ext4 | GNOME, KDE, Xfce, LXDE |
| DeLi Linux | ext3/ext2 | IceWM |
| Dreamlinux | ext3 | Xfce |
| dyne:bolic | SquashFS, ext3 | Xfce |
| EasyPeasy | ext3 | GNOME, Ubuntu Netbook Edition |
| Elive | SquashFS, ReiserFS | Enlightenment |
| EnGarde Secure Linux | ext3 | none |
| Fedora | ext4 | GNOME |
| Finnix | SquashFS | none |
| Foresight Linux | ext3 | GNOME |
| Frugalware | none | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Gentoo | none | Awesome, Enlightenment, Fluxbox, GNOME, KDE, LXDE-Meta, Openbox, XBMC and Xfce (live DVD) |
| gnuLinEx | ext2 | GNOME |
| GoboLinux | ReiserFS | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| gNewSense | ext3 | GNOME |
| Impi Linux | ? | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Instant WebKiosk | SquashFS | Has no DE. It's a browser-only interface |
| KateOS | ? | Xfce |
| Kanotix | ext3 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Knoppix | XFS | LXDE |
| Kurumin | ext3 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Linspire | ReiserFS | K Desktop Environment 3 |
| Linux Mint | ext4 | MATE, Cinnamon |
| Lunar Linux | none | none |
| Mageia | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces, GNOME |
| Mandriva Linux | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| MEPIS | ext3, ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| MintPPC | ext3, ext4 | LXDE |
| Musix GNU/Linux | ? | IceWM |
| Network Security Toolkit | ext4 | GNOME, Fluxbox |
| NimbleX | SquashFS | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Nitix | ReiserFS | none |
| openSUSE | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces, GNOME, Xfce |
| OpenWrt | mini_fo+SquashFS/JFFS2 | none |
| Pardus | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Parsix | ext4 | GNOME |
| PCLinuxOS | none | KDE Plasma Workspaces, GNOME, LXDE, Xfce, Enlightenment, Openbox |
| Pentoo | SquashFS | Enlightenment |
| Puppy Linux | SquashFS containing ext2 | JWM |
| Red Flag Linux | ext3 | K Desktop Environment 3 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux | ext4 | GNOME |
| Rxart Desktop | ext3 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Sabayon Linux | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces, GNOME |
| Scientific Linux | ext3 | GNOME |
| SHR | ext3, JFFS2, UBIFS | Enlightenment's Illume 2 |
| Slackware | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces, Xfce, Fluxbox, Blackbox, twm |
| Slax | SquashFS | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| SliTaz GNU/Linux | ext3 | Openbox |
| Source Mage GNU/Linux | ext2 | none |
| Super OS | ext4 | Unity with fallback to GNOME 2.x |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop | ext3 | GNOME |
| Symphony OS | ReiserFS | Mezzo |
| SYS | ext3 | KDE SC, GNOME, Xfce (selectable in kdm) |
| Tor-ramdisk | ext2 | none |
| Ubuntu/Edubuntu | ext4 | Unity on GNOME, Unity 2D for fallback |
| Kubuntu | ext4 | KDE Plasma Workspaces |
| Xubuntu | ext4 | Xfce |
| Ututo | ext3 | GNOME |
| VectorLinux | ReiserFS | KDE, Openbox, Fluxbox, IceWM, Xfce |
| Wolvix | ext3 | Xfce, Openbox |
| Xandros Desktop | ReiserFS | K Desktop Environment 3 |
| XBMC Live | ext3 | XBMC Media Center |
| Yellow Dog Linux | ? | Enlightenment |
| Yoper | ext3 | KDE SC |
| Zentyal | ext4 | LXDE |
| Zenwalk | ext4 | Xfce |
| Distribution | Default file system | Install-time desktop environment or window manager selection |
Read more about this topic: Comparison Of Linux Distributions
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