The short answer
If you are not sure, choose Debian 13 (Trixie). It is stable, gets security updates until 2030, and every guide on this site is written and tested on it.
Choose Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS or Ubuntu Server 26.04 LTS instead if the software or the tutorial you want to follow is written for Ubuntu. Debian and Ubuntu are close relatives, and most commands work the same on both.
What you are choosing
A server has no desktop. You run it by typing commands over SSH, as the connect guide shows. The operating system decides which commands those are, which software you can install with one command, and for how long you get security updates.
When a system's updates stop, the server keeps running, but security holes found after that are never fixed. So pick a system whose updates last longer than you plan to use the server.
All the systems on the order form cost nothing extra: each shows €0.00. Changing to another system later means reinstalling the server, which erases everything on it, so it is worth choosing now.
The choices
| System | Good for | Security updates |
|---|---|---|
| Debian 13 (Trixie) | Almost anything. A stable base that changes little between releases. Our guides use it. | Until August 2028, then long-term support until June 2030 |
| Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS | Software and tutorials written for Ubuntu | Until May 2029 |
| Ubuntu Server 26.04 LTS | The same, with newer software | Until May 2031 |
| AlmaLinux 10 | Software made for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which it is compatible with | Until May 2035 |
| Fedora | The newest software, for those who like to upgrade often | About 13 months for each release |
| Alpine Linux | Very small systems, for experienced users | About two years for each release |
| FreeBSD | Those who want FreeBSD rather than Linux | About a year for each point release |
| AlmaLinux Kitten 10 | Trying out what comes next in AlmaLinux | None fixed: it is a preview, not for real work |
The dates for Debian, Ubuntu and AlmaLinux are the ones each project publishes. Fedora, Alpine and FreeBSD release often, so you upgrade to the next release before your current one runs out.
The order form also lists Windows Server, which this guide and our others do not cover.
How they differ once you are logged in
Each family installs and updates software with its own tool:
- Debian and Ubuntu:
apt, for exampleapt update && apt upgradeto install all updates. Most tutorials on the internet are written for these two. - AlmaLinux and Fedora:
dnf, for examplednf upgrade. - Alpine Linux:
apk, for exampleapk update && apk upgrade. - FreeBSD:
pkgfor software, andfreebsd-updatefor the system itself.
The rest of the order form
- Hostname (optional) is the server's name for itself, such as
vps01.example.com. Leave it blank, and we pick one. It matters mostly for mail, and can be changed later. - Server name (optional) is the name you see for the server in the client area and the control panel.
- Add IPv4 address? is ticked, for €1 a month. Every server gets IPv6 addresses. Keep this ticked unless you know that every network you will use has IPv6: without an IPv4 address, the server can only be reached over IPv6, which many home, office and mobile networks still lack.
- Add additional IPv4-addresses? is for when one address is not enough. Most servers need only one.
Next steps
Once the server is ready, connect to it, then secure it. After that, the Podman guide sets up the base that our app guides build on.