Fedora is becoming the default Linux recommendation, and Ubuntu did this to itself

Ubuntu's long-held status as the go-to Linux recommendation for newcomers is eroding, with Fedora increasingly taking its place. Key reasons include Canonical's choice to push Snap over the more widely adopted Flatpak, Ubuntu 26.04's steep 6GB RAM minimum requirement (higher than Windows 11), and the GNOME-only default desktop that can feel alienating to users switching from Windows. Fedora, by contrast, has lower hardware requirements, faster update cadence, and broader community goodwill, making it an easier recommendation for new Linux users today.