Linux

do you stick with the same distro across your PC, laptop, and server, or do you pick different ones based on the device and what you’re doing?

Definitely the latter.

constantly have to look up flags for different package managers.

FWIW, you don't have to choose the distro's package manager. While it makes sense in most cases, it's definitely not a requirement. And that's where the nix package manager comes in. Unbeknownst to some, you don't have to be on NixOS to access it, simply because it's probably already found in the repository of the distro you're using. So, frankly, you can even expect that it's well-supported.

I feel like NixOS might be the only distro that could realistically handle all these use cases

FWIW, containerfiles used in conjuction with bootc to boot your OS from, do allow differentiation within a single containerfile; i.e. specific changes are only applied for the designated target. This is accomplished by virtue of a single containerfile being able to produce many (very) different container images to boot from. So, in short, other avenues exist and bootc happens to be one I know. Note that bootc doesn't (necessarily) push you towards Fedora(-derivatives). Despite being very new (and perhaps somewhat experimental), Bootcrew does provide container images for other distros; some of which have already spawned multiple derivatives of their own. See e.g. Tartaria and XeniaOS.

but I’m a bit scared of the learning curve and the maintenance work it’d take to migrate everything over.

My 2 cents: if you're interested in NixOS, just start out with installing nix on any distro. And see where that takes you ;) !

My brain also runs nix.

I'm on the transition phase, but I think I have settled on CachyOS for my Desktop/Gaming Rig, and Debian for the NAS/Server. The logic behind the choices can be summed as:

I want my desktop on the as recent as possible because of games and drivers and performance. The less friction there is when it comes to games and playing with other people, the better.

For the NAS, though? Once it is setup, I plan to only touch it for upgrades and the less of a headache I can make those, the better. I am trying to do my best at writing things out so that when, in three years, I have to inevitably solve an issue or three, I remember whatever it is I did and why. More importantly, Debian promises to make upgrades of in-pattern software easy, and I will be throwing docker at everything else, so I am hoping I can just update the packages/distro on a schedule and minimize the maintenance burden.

We will see how it goes, though.

Only Debian-based

No, I use whatever is most apropos for my needs and the hardware. I do stick to my preferred bases though.

nah my home lab devices run Ubuntu server.

my laptop runs arch

I have like 5 years old openSUSE Tumbleweed on my desktop PC, rock solid.

I bought laptop recently and tried CachyOS there because it's da bomb now apparently. It actually seems really nice with sane defaults, so I'm keeping it for now.

I'm running openSUSE Tumbleweed on my desktop and laptop at the moment because it's pretty stable (barring the recent SELinux issues that seem to be a regular occurrence). I don't mind that there are a lot of distros, because there are a lot of people with different needs. Given there is so much freedom in the Linux scene, unlike the constrained Windows or MacOS world...You'll never see a one true distro. As consolidating that much effort and money into one thing is how you get yet another Windows or MacOS but Linux flavored. I hope to continue to see a variety of distros (that can suit different use cases).

Personally, I am even planning on learning NixOS because it is one of those distros that is highly flexible and can be run on multiple machines...Yet be replicated to a tee, with a bit of effort and correctly building Flakes and Config files. To that end, I'm going to learn a scripting language in order to get familiar with it before trying to learn Nix's declarative language that would be used to create the Flakes and Configs necessary for system replication. Never be scared to learn!

I run Debian on my home server and my pi..my laptop runs fedora because I wanted to move away from Ubuntu back in 2021 and had no patience to solve my WiFi card issues with Debian..I miss running Debian on my laptop but fedora works for almost everything I need. I got no time to back things up and do a fresh install anyway.

I'm running Mint on my Desktop/Gaming rig, as well as on my laptop and a microslop surface. I have some old hardware I'm considering trying vanilla Debian with, to try it out.

I like to stick with distros based on Debian/Ubuntu as I'm familiar with the utilities. Default settings and locations of things change, but I don't mind finding those if the base architecture is familiar. I spun up a VPS with Ubuntu on it, and I was very comfortable getting it set up due to this.

I've also looked into a way to sync my OSs, but that's a whole other animal, from what I can tell. I just have a markup file shared with Syncthing that gives a little To do list when I'm setting up a new machine.

That being said, I have an old laptop and a Ventoy USB loaded with distro images that I like to boot up now and then. Puppy, Kali, and Pop are some of the really interesting ones.

I run Arch on my laptop, which is the machine I use most.

My personal desktop runs Cachy at the moment because I felt like trying something new.

The family desktop has Debian for its stability and ease of maintenance (I only have to update it like once a month).

I installed Zorin on my mom's ex's computer (and set it to auto update) because he's a bit technologically impaired.

Edit: I use DietPi on my Raspberry Pi 3B. It was the easiest way to get Nextcloud running.

Debian on my servers. Arch based on my workstation. Fedora kinoite for parents and family to reduce tech support. Postmarket on my android chrome tab. BSD on my SBC.

Sorta..

I've got 4x raspberry pis at my coffee house running things like digital signs and a soundboard. So PiSignage and PiOS. 2x laptops and 1x desktop running CachyOS. Then the steam deck running stock.

I used to, but I've settled into MX Linux with KDE everywhere except my laptop. It has Ubuntu Studio so I can try out the software it has for my Midi Keyboard.

It varies depending on use for me.

Arch on my desktop and main laptop. I use both frequently for gaming or working on my home lab.

Fedora Server for my two mini PCs. They both run docker containers.

Raspberry PI OS on one Pi for pihole, and a few other services.

DietPI on my other Pi for MotiomEye.

I test more bleeding edge stuff including testing repo for Arch on another laptop.

I used to run Debian on my servers and arch on my laptop, but just like you, I had a hard time remembering stuff about the different systems. These days I just run arch on everything. 

Fedora Kinoite for all desktops, Fedora CoreOS for Kubernetes, and RockyLinux for anything else. I do use Proxmox though for any hypervisors though.

We're all RHEL/Rocky at work so I try to restrict myself to something similar.

I'm only a recent Linux convert, so you probably know better than I, but it seems having distros suited to different use cases is a strength of Linux to embrace, not shun. And, even if it's a little more work to maintain up front, staying familiar with distros from different families keeps you ready to pivot in any direction you might need to later if one family massively improves or sours.

Still, consolidation doesn't have to be all or nothing. Instead of consolidating down to one distro, can you consolidate down to two or three with much less hassle? Instead of trying to "migrate everything over," can you make it more piecemeal where each individual changeover is progress?

I'm personally just doing CachyOS for both my daily driver desktop and NAS with Bazzite on my laptop and friends and family gaming PCs. OpenSUSE Tumbleweed was also high on my radar, but I've got nothing running it at the moment.

I don't. In fact I don't have two devices running the same distro at the moment.

My desktop is running Fedora KDE, which offered solid Wayland performance with my hardware.

My laptop is running Mint Cinnamon. Fedora would work on it, but it's funny how often I have to dig out the laptop to do something because the software doesn't work on Fedora.

My tablet is running Fedora GNOME because for a touch UI it's the least worst. It's fuckpuke, but it's not boiling caustic fuckpuke.

My HTPC is running Bazzite. Mostly in desktop mode because most of what I do with it is watch Youtube and there isn't a good solution to do that in Steam Big Picture mode.

I have a couple Pis running PiOS because there's basically not a better solution.

I run Alpine Linux on my laptop and two Raspberry Pi's. I also have Linux Mint DE on my laptop but that's exclusively for steam games. I also have GrapheneOS with Termux on my android phone.

Alpine on my laptop uses Sway as my desktop and it's where I do all my coding and self hosting work. It's also where I spend most of my time.

My Raspberry Pi 4 exclusively runs HomeAssistant and it doesn't get touched unless I'm doing an update or making a backup.

I have a Pi 5 that's going to be used to host a server. I'm just doing some background learning and setting up before I start hosting again. It should go a lot quicker and smoother this time because I set up my computer and HomeAssistant up in a standardized way. I tried to make as many files and folders as similar as possible so I have less differences to sort out from one machine to the next.

It's feels a lot easier to manage for me.

I don't run the same distro on everything, but I find Debian works well for PC, laptop, and server. Updates become available at about the same time, and I can apply them in whichever order I like. My scripts, tweaks, and personal backports are portable between devices. Anything I learn on one can be applied to the others. This arrangement keeps things simple, and Debian respects my time, both of which are important to me.

I use different distros for special-purpose devices like phones and media players.

My setup:

• 2 Steamdecks running SteamOS
• Living room PC running Pop!_OS
• Gaming PC running Bazzite
• Phone, pixel 3a xl running Ubuntu Touch/Waydroid

Mint for my machine and my kids machines, ubuntu on my server as its just what Ive used there forever. If that server ever implodes I might consider a rolling debian of some kind for that server, maybe even LMDE or just possibly base debian as its a lot more friendly these days I hear. I worry about using LMDE as a server because of the prospect of Mint dropping it because its taking too much dev time.

I was at one point, was really into KDE Neon for a while and used it everywhere. Then shifted when they released a new distro away from Neon.

But now I use Debian on my two servers and looking at DietPi for my Raspberry Pi and use Linux Mint Cinnamon for my gaming PC. With the Nvidia RTX GPU I have, I had nothing but issues on any distro that used Wayland so I felt forced into this and been here since with no issues so I will be here for some time.

Yes. Fedora for everything. I have an unraid server in another home but only because idk how to get my drives out of unraids array.

I’m sorry but I think it’s ignorant to think any consumer and server grade distro cannot run all the tasks you list.

My laptop, servers, NAS (? This is a server?), and gaming/work pc all run fedora.