Linux for UX Designers - What I learned after a year of doing design work on Linux
Goodbye, MacOS
In June 2023 I went self-employed as a UX Designer. I needed a computer to work on. Unfortunately, after 7 years of reliable service, my Macbook Pro was destined for retirement. Not because it had stopped working, but because Apple stopped providing it with security updates. It was no longer safe to do client work on.
I looked at Windows as an alternative. I discovered that the OS was steadily gaining new, distracting advertising; adopting UX dark patterns; and was also making old hardware obsolete.
There had to be a better option than throwing away a computer every 5 years and buying a new one.
I wanted to work on something reliable, with a minimalist design, and that was made to last. Enter Linux.
I thought Linux was...?
...a joy to use? You're right.
This is the first thing I see when I log in. (The background comes from Unsplash, and it changes every day). No red bubbles, no tips sliding in, no adverts. It fills me with a sense of peace.
And this is what I see when I'm doing design work. Dock, menu icons, notifications, quick settings? All neatly tucked away so I can concentrate on the task at hand.
What's the contrast between those colours? And what's my to-do list for the day? Many apps for Linux adopt a gorgeous, minimal design language and have both light and dark modes.
But who uses Linux anyway?
Linux has always been very popular with developers for its customisability and rich set of development tools. However, with more and more software becoming available for Linux or being accessible through web browsers, nowadays it's suitable for all sorts of people.
As of July 2024, 4.5% of desktop PCs worldwide run Linux - that's three times as many as Chrome OS (which is itself based on Linux) (Source: Statcounter). Some parts of the EU are even switching from Windows to Linux, and the German-funded Sovereign Tech Fund invested €1 million in improving Linux in 2023-2024. At the end of the day, if you are open to learning how to use a new OS, know how to find help, and can access the software you need, then Linux could well be suitable for you. And it's getting easier and easier to use thanks to the work of open source developers and various funding organisations.
What can I run it on?
Linux will run on a wide range of hardware. Many people have used it to extend the life of a laptop which stopped getting updates from Microsoft or Apple. However, hardware support on a computer that's not built for Linux can be hit and miss. You may find that things like your wifi, bluetooth, or webcam don't work properly on Linux; or the battery life is poor; or the fans are very loud. If you're very computer literate you could spend a long time trying to find out what the problems are and fixing them. But for the easiest experience, any laptop that ships with Linux pre-installed should work without issue. You'll also get support from the laptop's manufacturer if you run into any problems.
I tried Linux on my old Macbook Pro for a few months. Once I felt familiar with the OS, I bought a Framework 13 laptop and installed Fedora Workstation, my Linux distribution of choice. The computer has been incredibly reliable and still runs great 1 year later. I recommend doing the same once you can't use your old laptop anymore so your new OS gets the most out of your new hardware.
Connecting your devices
Keyboards, mice, and trackpads
The Apple Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard all work out of the box via bluetooth. Just follow the steps below:
Unpair the device by flipping the power switch off and on 5 times in a row.
With the switch in the "on" position, go to the Bluetooth settings page on your computer and pair your device.
Done!
You don't need to buy any new equipment, but if you do choose to, check the manufacturer's product page to see if it has Linux support. Many brands of keyboards and mice do (e.g. Logitech).
Graphics tablets
Wacom tablets are supported out of the box. Just plug your tablet in or connect it over bluetooth and head to the "Wacom Tablet" page of the "Settings" app to configure it.
Got another brand of tablet? Check the manufacturer's website for Linux support. Or, check out OpenTabletDriver to see if it's supported via installing that app. If not, you can ask OpenTabletDriver's community of developers to add support for your particular model.
Everything else
Displays, headphones, microphones? Connect them via cable or bluetooth and you should be good to go!
Design software
It's really important to check that the tools you need will run on Linux.
Here are the tools I use in my design workflow. If you need something which isn't on this list, see if it's available on Linux before committing to the switch, or if there is an alternative program you could use.
You can install most of these apps really easily by opening the app store (it's often called "Software") and searching for it by name. If a particular app isn't available in the app store, I've included a link to the website where you can download it from.
Web browsers
Many design tools are on the web nowadays. Whatever your favourite browser is, it's probably on Linux. You can install Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and even a browser that runs on the same engine as Safari called "Web" (great for debugging Safari-specific bugs).
UI Design
Figma
Yes, there's an (unofficial) Figma app! It supports locally-installed fonts too, just like on Windows and MacOS.
Sketch
Although Sketch isn't available for Linux, you can open and edit Sketch files in Lunacy instead. It reads and writes .sketch files, has feature parity with Sketch, and is free.
Graphic Design
At the time of writing (July 2024), Creative Cloud apps don't yet work on Linux. I've listed the alternatives that I use.
Vector graphics
Inkscape - free, open-source vector drawing app. Runs incredibly fast and has lots of features, but allow some time to learn how to use it.
Affinity Designer* - paid. Although it's not officially supported on Linux, it runs well via a Windows compatibility tool. It's complicated to install - see the Affinity guide here.
Raster graphics
GIMP - free, open-source image editing app. You might find the UI a bit dated but it is still very capable for photo editing.
Krita - free, open-source digital painting app.
Photopea - free, browser-based Photoshop alternative.
Photoshop Online - paid, browser-based version of Photoshop.
Affinity Photo* - Paid. Although it's not officially supported on Linux, it runs well via a Windows compatibility tool. It's complicated to install - see the Affinity guide here.
Print documents
Scribus - free, open-source publishing app.
Affinity Publisher* - Paid. Although it's not officially supported on Linux, it runs well via a Windows compatibility tool. It's complicated to install - see the Affinity guide here.
Design asset management
Font Manager - free, open-source app for installing and removing fonts you've downloaded, or for downloading fonts directly from Google Fonts
Norde Source - free app for importing and searching through large icon sets
Office software
If you're not using an office suite in the browser like Google Docs, there are several office apps that are compatible with Microsoft Office. LibreOffice and OnlyOffice are popular choices.
Communication
You'll find all the apps you're used to, including:
Microsoft Teams
Slack
Zoom
Anything browser-based will work too, and screen sharing works great on Linux.
Note-taking
There are apps for Notion, Anytype, AppFlowy and many other alternatives.
Cloud file storage
Nextcloud - install the free Nextcloud app for offline file access and file sync.
Google Drive / OneDrive / Dropbox - install the paid InSync app for offline file access and file sync.
For other cloud storage providers, your mileage may vary. You can still access them via the browser, though.
Next steps
Ready to try out Linux?
- Download a Linux distribution that will work on your device:
- If you are on a Macbook with an M chip, use Asahi Linux Fedora. It comes with all the drivers you need. Check the site to see which pieces of hardware are supported for your model.
- If you're on any other type of laptop (including older Macbooks), choose whatever distribution appeals to you. For example, Fedora Workstation, Zorin OS or Ubuntu will set you up with a clean-looking desktop, the app store, and everything you need to get started quickly.
- Follow the installation instructions on your chosen distribution's website.
- Explore your new OS. See if you can access all the software you need. Test that all your devices work like your mouse and keyboard.
- When you're ready to buy a new computer, choose one that supports Linux out-of-the-box. (My personal recommendation is a Framework laptop)
Where to get help
If you get stuck or something isn't working as you want it to, check your distribution's documentation, e.g.:
- Fedora Documentation for Fedora
- Zorin Docs for Zorin OS
- Ubuntu Documentation for Ubuntu
If you don't find what you need there, try searching your distribution's community support forum, e.g.
- Fedora Discussion for Fedora
- Zorin Forum for Zorin OS
- Ask Ubuntu for Ubuntu
If you can't find anything there, try searching the web for your problem and include the name of your distribution.
E.g. if you installed Fedora Workstation and your bluetooth isn't working, you could search the web for "Bluetooth not working Fedora". Make sure to include the name of your distribution in your search query as the steps you will need to take may vary based on your distribution. If that doesn't give you any useful results, try adding the word "Linux" to your search query as well, as there might be relevant information from other distributions too.
Finally, you could check the subreddits r/linux4noobs and r/linuxquestions for more information there.
If you can't find an answer and need to ask for help, try posting in your distribution's forum. Alternatively, if you have a Framework laptop, they have dedicated Linux support staff - just post your question in the Linux Framework forum and a member of the Framework team or a community member will respond. Other Linux laptop manufacturers may have similar support services.
Closing remarks
Did this help? Do you have any questions? You can contact me
- on Mastodon: @chriswood@mastodon.design
