Choosing an operating system for your VPS is fundamental when setting up your system. There are certain criteria that can determine how you use your web server.

CentOS

It\'s a clone of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, primarily used by corporations with military-grade standards. CentOS is especially suitable for setting up a VPS because its preferred use is for WHM and cPanel, well-known website management systems. It\'s considered a stable and ideal alternative for high-demand workloads and is specifically focused on web development. It\'s completely free and open-source. Furthermore, there\'s extensive documentation available to help resolve any questions or emergencies during the setup process.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a branch of Debian Linux, available in desktop and VPS versions. This system is characterized by its many features, which provides greater versatility when working or gaming.

Debian

Like Ubuntu, Debian is a canonical distribution within the Debian Linux branch, available in desktop versions and for web server use.

Which distribution to choose?

This question doesn\'t have a single answer; it will always depend on your intended use and the functions you require for your web server. Below, I will describe three fundamental criteria to ensure you make the right decision.

Stability

CentOS is very stable because the operating system is developed for corporate use; therefore, the level of updates is lower. For example, the latest version, CentOS 7, was released in 2014 and will receive maintenance until 2024. Ubuntu and Debian are more versatile servers, and the number of updates is higher. Each version is maintained for up to 5 years, receiving updates every 6 months.

Speed

In terms of loading speed, it is minimal among the distributions. In my experience using the terminal, Debian and Linux distributions are faster, both for establishing SSH connections and for continuous use of this interface. However, there are no significant differences in loading web applications.

Usage

Regarding usability between operating systems, CentOS is much simpler in terms of locating critical files and folders. In the case of firewalls, Debian and Ubuntu allow the use of UFW, which can greatly simplify things when setting rules, although using FirewallD in CentOS is not particularly complicated.

Support

When it comes to documentation, while it\'s often emphasized that Ubuntu \"wins\" in this aspect due to its larger community, the truth is that having so many versions can make it more difficult to find a useful answer if you\'re using more recent versions, such as Ubuntu LTS 20.24.

Installation

Ubuntu and Debian are easier to install because they come with the most basic libraries pre-installed, and you only need to install Apache to start the web server immediately. In CentOS, initializing the firewall or installing LAMP might take a few minutes longer. Linux and Debian share the same branch (Debian Linux), so there are no major differences between them, or you\'d have to look very closely to find any. The communities for all three distributions are huge, and you\'ll find everything you need to at least set up a web system. You\'ll surely find detractors and fans of some in your search, but when it comes to choosing, all three distributions are super powerful operating systems that allow for scalability in your web platform.