Which to install: ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS for Desktop?

[BradleyBowers]

Newbie: just bought personal license.  On "getting started" given 3 options of what to install: ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS for Desktop.  Which should I install?

[JoeBorgione · Accepted solution]

Install both.  ArcGIS Pro is a work in progress, but you should get used to using it. Desktop is tried and true but has shelf life now with ArcGIS Pro on the way....

[JeremyBart1]

ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS Desktop are the same thing.

ArcGIS for Desktop refers to versions 10.4.1 and prior.  

At 10.5 + they changed the naming convention.  I would suggest installing the latest version.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Start with PRO... that way you won't be asking why they changed the way they did things from ArcMap

[BlakeTerhune]

You might as well start with ArcGIS Pro. If you find something you can't do in ArcGIS Pro, then you can look at using ArcGIS Desktop until the functionality is available in ArcGIS Pro.

The two products (Pro and Desktop) look fairly different but ArcGIS Pro is newer. While ArcGIS Desktop will still be supported for "a long time", it won't be getting any major new features (mostly just bug fixes and minor enhancements). ArcGIS Pro will live on past ArcGIS Desktop and is getting new functionality with each release.

[curtvprice]

For the definition of will be supported and for a long time see: Esri Support Product Life Cycles