Does Minecraft run on Linux?

Minecraft comes in two versions and this is the thing to get straight. Java Edition is the older one, written in Java so that it runs on Windows, Mac and Linux alike. Mojang's launcher is available on Linux and can be installed from your system's app store or as a Flatpak, which is a self-contained package format most Linux systems support. Multiplayer servers, mods, resource packs and your existing worlds all work.

Bedrock Edition is the one that comes from the Microsoft Store, runs on consoles and phones, and supports cross-play and the marketplace. There is no official Linux version. Community projects exist that run either the Android build or the Windows build on Linux, but both come with real limits, including trouble signing in to a Microsoft account in one case and needing to buy the game again through Google Play in the other. Neither is something to recommend to a non-technical household.

If you own Java Edition, switching is easy and nothing is lost. If your family plays Bedrock with friends on consoles or phones, keep a Windows machine, or play on a console or tablet instead.

Your worlds are ordinary folders. Java Edition worlds copy straight across from Windows and open as normal. Java and Bedrock worlds are not interchangeable in either direction without converting tools, so do not expect to move between the two versions.