First Impressions Matter: Celebrating Linux Distro Welcome Apps

Right now, there are literally hundreds of Linux distributions competing for people's attention. Even if you remove the lesser-known boutique projects from the equation and stick with more recognizable heavy hitters like Ubuntu, Fedora, Pop!_OS, Linux Mint, and Manjaro, there are still dozens to consider. To gain any semblance of loyalty and mind-share (and perhaps donations or community contributions down the road), they need to make a stellar first impression once they've managed to claim some install space on your drive.

Enter the welcome screen. The post-installation greeter can be an awesome catalyst for discovery. It can be a set of social links and support docs, a guided tour of the interface, or a portal to useful system tools, software, and instant customization.

Today is about celebrating the welcome screen's existence, and shining the spotlight on two that go the extra mile to help users feel comfortable in their new operating system.

Anyone who has sat through a major modern Windows update (or installed it from scratch) has certainly been greeted with that giant "Hi," followed by approximately 16 sequential screens — half of which are pitching various Microsoft subscriptions or urging you to log in to existing ones.

That's... not exactly the type of vibe most Linux welcome apps are trying to capture. Let’s check out two that really nail the first-run experience.

Ubuntu Budgie 24.04

This “flavor” of Ubuntu — which uses the Budgie desktop environment instead of the GNOME one — has one of the most comprehensive welcome apps I’ve seen. Sure, it elegantly outlines the operating system’s basic features while sprinkling in some of the principles guiding its developers. But it goes above and beyond in the “Getting Started” category.

From the “Browser Ballot” area, you can directly install a number of alternative web browsers, add Flatpak support, create additional user accounts, and update your system. If you need to scratch a gaming itch, enjoy the simplicity of installing Steam, RetroArch, Lutris, Discord, OBS, and many other tools. And all of this happens within the Welcome app itself. No websites to visit, no separate installers to muddle through.

Where Ubuntu Budgie (and others like Zorin OS) shines is the “Makeovers & Layouts” section. Here, you can instantly change your desktop layout to one that feels more familiar (”Cupertino” for macOS, “Redmond” for Windows 10, etc). Or download and apply one of several new global themes to spice up the visual appearance. Again, this all happens from inside the welcome app. There’s plenty more to discover about Ubuntu Budgie, but let’s shift gears to a distro that speaks to my inner gamer.

Garuda Linux

Garuda is an Arch-based Linux distribution catering mostly to gamers, streamers, and content creators. Its welcome app focuses less on giving you a guided tour, and more on getting you up and running at lightning speed. It may not be flashy, but it sure is comprehensive.

The Setup Assistant will first prompt you to update your core system, then search for any updated Nvidia drivers (AMD drivers are open-source and built in to the Linux kernel itself). After that, you can use the tabbed interface to install (deep breath!) printer support, additional wallpapers, specialized kernels, office suites, 12+ browsers, various email clients, seemingly every messaging app under the sun (including Teams, Slack, and Zoom), audio/video players, virtualization software, developer tools like VIM, Ansible, Docker, and Visual Studio. Literally hundreds of useful apps, all installable in a single batch, without ever firing up a browser. Amazing!

But gaming gets a dedicated section due to its sheer enormity. Absolutely everything you’ll need is here. Steam, Heroic (for Epic Games and GOG), Itch, and Lutris. Don’t forget GameHub to aggregate your entire library across multiple stores and launchers. Need a specialized version of Valve’s Proton? It’s here. So are various apps for creating custom fan curves, overclocking and controlling AMD and Nvidia hardware, utilities to use your Android as a webcam, some remote desktop software, nearly 100 open source games, and every emulator you’ll need to enjoy your retro ROM collection.

Yes, I’m banging this drum repeatedly, but what’s so refreshing is the fact that you can effortlessly install a ton of software by simply checking boxes and sitting back while Garuda handles the rest. I can’t say enthusiastically enough how valuable it is to be up and running with every bit of software I need, mere minutes after a clean OS installation.

Windows and macOS could learn a lot from these first-run experiences tools. And this only scratches the surface of what’s out there in the vast, varied world of Linux distributions. Is there a welcome app you find particularly useful? Talk to me on X or Mastodon, or comment below and let me know!