What linux distro would you recommend to a complete noob at linux?

Ubuntu or Elementary.
Ubuntu because it has a huge community.
Elementary, based on ubuntu, because has a better design (my opinion), based on MacOS.

Ubuntu

If you used windows before I can highly recommend Linux Mint Cinnamon. It is also based on Ubuntu, but its UI is pretty much like windows. So you can start right away and focus on more important things without having to deal with a strange UI like Unity in Ubuntu.

Thanks, @pneves . I’ll try out both and choose the one that seems fit.

Wow! devRant is the most helpful out of other places that I’ve asked the same question.

@bishalthapasht See too the Linux Mint that @darkfire000 said. I've forgotten to mention it.

@pneves I will. Thanks.

My 2c:

Mint + Cinnamon or ElementaryOS

I agree with Mint, really close to a Windows UI.

Also, when you'll feel a bit more comfortable with "Linux", I strongly recommend experimenting/trying other distro.
It can helps you better understand what you're doing :)

(BTW, welcome @bishalthapasht!)

Elementary is awesome

I've never actually liked the Ui of Ubuntu, so elementary OS or Linux mint. Just don't make a rant bragging about switching to Linux or that you don't like windows, that's overdone and you'll probably be made fun of

Ubuntu + Adapta GTK theme + Plank + Super Flat Remix icons

Depends on the noob. If it's the kind of people that enjoys solving their own problems and learning things, I think openSUSE would be just fine. Not too Ubuntu nor too Arch.
If all the noob wants is to work the easy way without getting to know linux, Ubuntu is the best choice, I think.

Both Ubuntu and Linux Mint are great places to start their journey on Linux..

Personally, Ubuntu was the gate through which I entered the wonderful world of Linux...

Looks like you're from Nepal, in this case I will suggest you to start with Ubuntu as there is a mirror in Nepal so you won't have problem installing packages. Stick with it for sometime and go for centOS when they install it's mirror.

Gentoo hands down.

Ubuntu is the Glock of the Linux world.

@sachin38 I am from Nepal. I did try Ubuntu but couldn’t get any softwares to work. I know windows executables don’t work on linux. I’ve tried installing from the inbuilt store. Doesn’t work. Tried to re-download and install it again, downloaded a older version and installed it. Same thing.

As glad as I am to have this much help from you guys, I haven’t had time to try all of the OS mentioned. I don’t have a blazing fast internet or any experience in linux.

My friend recommended me Manjaro and even went as far as to install it on my PC. By the looks of all the screenshots of Linux Mint, Elementary OS, ..., I do not see any difference in them than some theme change. Manjaro seems to work fine and dandy. Haven’t come up against a bug or anything up until now.

Are all linux distributions just that? Same linux inside but just visually different with pre-installed softwares to aid you.

@eeeddr I’m not trying to switch to linux to brag. It’s just that where I live, microsoft products cost as much as average monthly income. Instead of having to pirate the softwares, I’d much likely prefer to get my hands on free softwares. And by what I hear on the internet, Linux seems to be pretty solid environment for coding.

@bishalthapasht visually different(Desktop Environment) + they have their own package management tool, like Debian has aptitude, arch has pacman.

@bishalthapasht
No, I totally agree with your decision and support you fully on making the switch, which I have done myself.

I was just telling you not to try and look cool because we see that quite often here 😛