openSUSE is one of the oldest Linux distributions still in development, with roots stretching back to 1994 in Germany. Sponsored by the software company SUSE, it offers a free, open-source alternative to Windows, macOS and ChromeOS, and it has built a loyal following among system administrators and power users.
The project ships three editions that differ mainly in how often they update. Leap is the fixed-release version: packages are tested thoroughly and major versions arrive about once a year, which makes it the conservative choice for servers and stable desktops. Tumbleweed is a rolling release, closer in spirit to Arch Linux, delivering the newest software as soon as automated testing clears it. MicroOS takes a different approach entirely, updating itself as a whole read-only system image rather than as individual packages, a model aimed at containers and edge devices.
Two features set openSUSE apart from most other distributions. The first is YaST, a long-established control centre for the whole system. YaST handles everything from firewall rules and printer setup to partitioning and virtual machines, and it works both as a graphical tool and from the command line. The second is documentation. Alongside Ubuntu and Arch, openSUSE maintains reference material detailed enough that most problems have a written answer somewhere, whether you are repairing a bootloader or adding a network share.
Installation follows the familiar route: download the ISO from the openSUSE website, write it to a USB drive and boot from it. The installer detects hardware, then walks through keyboard layout, language, disk partitioning and user accounts before copying files across. Tumbleweed users are steered towards the terminal for routine updates, which is faster but assumes some comfort with the command line.
Should you use it? openSUSE rewards people who want a serious, well-documented system with corporate backing behind it, and its three editions let you pick a release pace that suits you. Beginners looking for a gentle first Linux may be happier starting with something like Linux Mint. Readers who want to explore further can compare it with some of the stranger Linux distributions worth trying, or look back at the three Linux wars that shaped the OS you use today. More detail in the original How-To Geek guide. Those new to the command line can ease in with a few of the Linux apps worth trying this weekend.