Getting Started
This guide intends to provide an overview of and an introduction to installing Fedora. It takes into account users with varying levels of knowledge and experience with Fedora, and therefore covers greater detail than some users are likely to require. This should specifically help new users to complete the installation process without interruptions. Users may skip section about familiar topics.
Introduction
This guide covers installation of Fedora, a Linux distribution built on free and open source software. This manual helps you install Fedora on desktops, laptops, and servers. The installation system is easy to use, even if you lack previous knowledge of Linux or computer networks. If you select default options, Fedora provides a complete operating system, with solid security settings and including productivity applications, Internet utilities, and administration tools.
Fedora is provided in several distribution items tailored for special Purposes. We call it Editions and spins.
Because of these differences, there is no single installation procedure.
Most editions and spins, but not all, use Anaconda, the Fedora installer, but in a way that is quite different in detail.
Therefore, each edition describes the installation separately. Most spins are based on one of the editions, mostly Fedora Workstation, and use the corresponding installation procedure.
Nevertheless, there are some preparatory steps that are almost the same for all variants, e.g. you need to prepare an installation media.
Fedora variants and how to install
- Fedora Workstation Edition
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This variant is installed by using a Live CD
Software download at https://fedoraproject.org/workstation/download/
- Fedora Workstation Spins
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Most spins use a Live CD for installation as well.
Software download at https://fedoraproject.org/spins/
- Fedora Server Edition
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This variant provides a flexible and highly adaptable Server, suitable to provide a wide range of services.
The project provides a dedicated installation guide and documentation about usage and administration.
Software download at https://fedoraproject.org/server/download/
- Fedora IoT Edition
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This variant implements a server for the 'Internet of Things' or 'edge computing'
The project provides a dedicated installation guide and documentation about usage and administration.
Software download at https://fedoraproject.org/iot/download/
- Fedora CoreOS Edition
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A minimal, container-focused operating system, designed for clusters but also operable standalone. The project provides a Getting Started guide.
Software download at https://fedoraproject.org/coreos/download/?stream=stable
- Fedora Silverblue
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An immutable desktop variant of Fedora Workstation Edition, featuring the GNOME desktop, and an excellent platform for container-focused workflows.
More information at https://fedoraproject.org/silverblue/
- Fedora Kinoite
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An immutable desktop variant of Fedora Workstation Edition, featuring the KDE Plasma desktop, and an excellent platform for container-focused workflows.
More information at https://fedoraproject.org/kinoite/
- Fedora Sericea
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An immutable desktop variant of Fedora Workstation Edition, featuring the Sway tiling window manager, and an excellent platform for container-focused workflows.
More information at https://fedoraproject.org/sericea/
- Fedora Onyx
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An immutable desktop variant of Fedora Workstation Edition, featuring the Budgie desktop, and an excellent platform for container-focused workflows.
More information at https://fedoraproject.org/onyx/
- Fedora Cloud
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As the name indicates, it focuses on Fedora on cloud networks. Installation and usage follows the respective cloud systems.
More information at https://fedoraproject.org/cloud/
- Fedora Labs
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Curated bundles of purpose-driven software, maintained by community members. The respective compilations are either installed as independent, complete Fedora versions or complement existing Fedora installations.
According to different usage and purposes the variation not only differ in their installation process, they differ in administration and usage. To learn how to use an installed Fedora system, see the manuals available at the specific variant documentation pages.
Regarding installation, be especially prepared for the fact that each variant requires additional post-installation processes.
General preparations
Despite all the differentiation, some things are the same for all variants.
Download the software deliverables
The differentiation according to tasks and areas of application corresponds to a differentiation of the download options and the further processing.
To find out more about Fedora download options, see Fedora Downloads.
Visit the Fedora Project website to download a distribution file.
Prepare boot media
An install on hardware usually requires to transfer the download file to a bootable medium, mostly an USB stick. Fedora Media Writer is the tool of choice, developed and supported by Fedora.
Alternatively you may try balenaEtcher or the Ventoy project, both available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The latter is specifically useful if you want to have several distributions and versions available on one stick.
Getting Additional Help
If you encounter any problems which are not described in documentation, you might get help from members of the community - developers, users, and others. There are many ways to get help: the Ask Fedora website, mailing lists, forums, or IRC.
The discussion forum Ask Fedora is the recommended way to start with. See Getting help for detailed information.
NVIDIA
If you use an NVIDIA GPU and are experiencing significant visual issues while running Fedora from a live USB, it could be that your GPU is not fully compatible with the FOSS Nouveau driver. One possible workaround for this situation is to do the following 3 steps:
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During the live USB boot process, hit
eat the GRUB boot menu. -
Find the line that begins with
linux, and addnouveau.modeset=0to the end of that line. -
Press
<ctrl>+xto resume the boot process.
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