openSUSE Guide

Overview

openSUSE has its roots in the German company SUSE, dating back to 1994. The openSUSE project was launched in 2005 as a community-driven initiative sponsored by SUSE.

Quick Facts

Based On	Independent
Package Manager	Zypper / RPM
Default Desktop	KDE Plasma or GNOME
Release Cycle	Leap: ~yearly, Tumbleweed: rolling
Support Period	Leap: 18 months, Tumbleweed: rolling
Init System	systemd

Who Should Use openSUSE?

System administrators - Excellent YaST configuration tool
KDE enthusiasts - First-class KDE Plasma support
Enterprise users - Path to SUSE Linux Enterprise
Rolling release fans - Tumbleweed offers stability + freshness
Developers - OBS (Open Build Service) integration

Tip

Choose Leap for stability and long-term support. Choose Tumbleweed if you want the latest packages with a rolling release model.

Installation

openSUSE uses the YaST installer, one of the most comprehensive installers available:

Download from opensuse.org (Leap or Tumbleweed)
Create a bootable USB drive
Boot and select Installation
Use YaST to configure partitioning, software, and users
Review summary and confirm installation

bash

# Verify your download
sha256sum openSUSE-Leap-15.6-DVD-x86_64.iso

# Compare with checksum from opensuse.org

Package Management

openSUSE uses Zypper for command-line package management:

bash

# Refresh repositories
sudo zypper refresh

# Update system
sudo zypper update

# Distribution upgrade (Tumbleweed)
sudo zypper dup

# Install a package
sudo zypper install package-name

# Remove a package
sudo zypper remove package-name

# Search for packages
zypper search keyword

# Show package info
zypper info package-name

# Add a repository
sudo zypper addrepo URL alias

# List repositories
zypper repos

Info

Use zypper dup for Tumbleweed updates instead ofzypper update. This ensures proper distribution upgrades.

Key Features

YaST (Yet another Setup Tool)

Comprehensive system configuration tool with both GUI and ncurses interfaces. Configure everything from network to services to users.

Open Build Service (OBS)

Build and distribute packages for multiple distributions. Many community packages are available through OBS repositories.

Btrfs by Default

openSUSE uses Btrfs with snapshots, allowing easy system rollback using Snapper.

Transactional Updates

MicroOS variant offers atomic updates that can be rolled back if issues occur.

Editions

openSUSE Variants

Leap	Regular release, based on SLE, stable
Tumbleweed	Rolling release, always up-to-date
MicroOS	Immutable OS for containers and edge
Aeon	Immutable desktop with GNOME
Kalpa	Immutable desktop with KDE Plasma

FAQ

Should I choose Leap or Tumbleweed?

Leap is best for production systems and stability. Tumbleweed is excellent for desktops where you want the latest software with surprisingly good stability.

How do I rollback a failed update?

Use Snapper: sudo snapper list to see snapshots, then sudo snapper rollback NUMBER to restore.

Is openSUSE related to SUSE Linux Enterprise?

Yes, openSUSE Leap shares its core with SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE). Skills transfer directly between them.

Summary

openSUSE offers excellent tools and flexibility for both stable and rolling release users. Key takeaways:

Choose Leap for stability or Tumbleweed for latest packages
YaST provides comprehensive system configuration
Btrfs with Snapper enables easy system rollback
Strong KDE Plasma integration
Path to SUSE Linux Enterprise for businesses