Lightweight Linux distribution

Lubuntu is described by its developers as lightweight in comparison to Ubuntu

A lightweight Linux distribution is a Linux distribution that uses relatively few resources, which may result in performance improvements especially on old computers with slower CPUs and less RAM.

One big factor that determines the resource usage and speed of a desktop distribution is the desktop environment it uses.^[1][2] For example, version 10.10 of Lubuntu uses the LXDE desktop and requires a minimum of 128 MB of RAM and a Pentium II processor; it is a lightweight variant of Ubuntu that, in comparison, uses Unity as a desktop environment and requires a 1 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM.^[3][4][5] The desktop environment can be changed in most Linux distributions, and the same Linux distribution may also have various versions with different desktop environments; examples are Porteus, which comes in LXDE, Xfce and Mate versions, and Zenwalk, which comes in Xfce and Openbox versions.

Overview of distributions

• Alpine Linux – a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution (307 MB) based on musl and BusyBox.^[6] Mini download is 66 MB; base system (excluding kernel) is under 5 MB. Media download is 308 MB for version 3.1.3.
• Absolute Linux – a lightweight desktop-oriented distribution based on Slackware
• antiX – lightweight version (690 MB) of its parent distribution MEPIS Linux, based on Debian testing. Core install: 128 MB, Base approx. 300 MB. Package manager: Synaptic^[7]
• ArchBang – inspired by CrunchBang Linux but based on the Arch Linux distribution instead of Debian. It uses the lightweight Openbox Window Manager to achieve the same look and feel.^[8][9]
• BasicLinux – a very lightweight distribution (2.8 MB apparently) capable of running on an Intel 386 and 3 MB of RAM^[10][11]
• Bodhi Linux – a lightweight and minimalistic distribution^[12]
• BunsenLabs Linux - A successor to CrunchBang Linux running based on Debian.
• Chrome OS - ?
• CoreOS – a lightweight system (2×1 GB) than runs containers and provides cluster management capabilities
• CrunchBang Linux – No longer in development; succeeded by BunsenLabs.^[13] A relatively large (771 MB) Debian based distribution designed primarily for speed and ease of use.^[14][15]
• CrunchbangPlusPlus - ?
• Damn Small Linux – download: 50 MB. Additional software available as "DSL Extensions" and using the Debian APT tool, which has to be installed. "Light enough to power a 486DX with 16 MB of RAM"^[16][17]
• DebianDog - Debian Live CD shaped after Puppy Linux. It is packaged with JWM and IceWM, or Openbox and XFCE. Debian structure and behaviour are untouched
• Elive – a lightweight and complete distribution that can run in 64 MB of RAM and 100 MHz of CPU, based on Debian and using a customized Enlightenment as only Desktop environment
• Feather Linux – a lightweight Linux distribution (under 128 MB) derived from Knoppix. Now dormant.^[18][19]
• Knoppix - ?
• LinuxBBQ – a very lightweight (291.5 MB) and resource-friendly distribution based on Debian Sid with TUI productivity applications.^[20]
• Lightweight Portable Security – a lightweight live desktop-oriented distribution based on Arch Linux
• Linux Lite – A lightweight distribution with the XFCE desktop environment designed with new Linux users in mind.^[21]
• Lubuntu – lightweight (705 MB) in comparison to Ubuntu, it uses the LXDE desktop.^[3]
• LXLE – a full featured OS (apps preinstalled) for older hardware, using minimal resources, respun from Lubuntu. Media download, approx 1.3G.
• Modern X^[22] - a full featured system based on openSUSE Leap. Lightweight compared to openSUSE itself and other Linux distributions. Less than 1 Gigabyte Live CD/DVD
• MX Linux - ?
• Nanolinux – a 14 MB distribution based on Tiny Core Linux.^[23]
• Parabola GNU/Linux-libre - ?
• Peppermint Linux OS – download: 587 MB, based on Lubuntu^[24]
• Porteus – it weighs in at under 300 MB, making it a lightweight contender^[25] Comes with the LXDE and KDE desktops
• Puppy Linux – lightweight relative to most other Linux distributions^[26] Download: 133−162 MB. Package Manager: Puppy Package Manager (PPM)
• Salix OS - ?
• Slax - ?
• SliTaz – 35−42 MB distribution; Package Manager is Tazpkg with its repository of packages^[16]
• Tiny Core Linux – (9, 15 or 72 MB) distribution; Software repository: TCZ packages^[27]
• Trisquel Mini – lightweight version (603 MB) of Trisquel with LXDE^[28]
• TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library - lightweight^[29] headless server software appliance library. Based on a minified Debian base. v14.1 Core ISO is 212MB^[30] and uses ~173MB RAM (idle in Live mode).
• VectorLinux Light - ?
• wattOS - ?
• Xubuntu – lightweight (980 MB) in comparison to Ubuntu. It uses the XFCE desktop.
• Zenwalk – a lightweight linux distribution (845 MB) based on Slackware

Comparison

Distribution	Founder	Maintainer	Initial release year	Latest release year	Approximate file size	X window manager	Fork	Target audience	Minimum System Requirements
Absolute Linux	Absolute Linux Team	Absolute Linux Team	2007	2015	698 MB[31]	iceWM	-	desktop	486 processor 64MB RAM (1GB+ suggested)[32][33]
antiX	Anticapitalista	Anticapitalista	2007	2016	555 MB (Base), 654 MB (Full)	Fluxbox	MEPIS < Debian	old computers, portability (with persistence[34])	Intel/AMD X86 256 MB RAM[35]
ArchBang	Willensky Aristide	Stan McLaren	2010	2016	564 MB	OpenBox	Arch Linux	desktop, advanced	?
Arch Linux	-	-	2002	2016	709 MB	-	Linux	Desktop, Advanced	?
BasicLinux[36][37]	?	?	?	2007	2.8 MB	IceWM (optional)	?	old PC hardware	386 processor 3–12MB RAM
Bodhi Linux	Bodhi Linux Team	Bodhi Linux Team	2011	2016	575 MB (Standard), 1024 MB (AppPack)	Enlightenment	Ubuntu < Debian	Desktop	?
BunsenLabs Linux	Core Maintainers	Core Maintainers	2015	2016	825 MB	OpenBox	CrunchBang < Debian	Desktop	?
CrunchBangPlusPlus[38]	Ben Young	Ben Young	2015	2015	686 MB	OpenBox	CrunchBang < Debian	Desktop	?
Damn Small Linux	John Andrews, et al.		2005	2008	50 MB	Fluxbox, JWM	-	old PC hardware, Lightweight	486dx CPU 8MB RAM[39]
Core Linux	Robert Shingledecker	Team Tiny Core	?	?	11 MB	FLTK/FLWM	Core Linux	portable, advanced	?
CRUX	Per Lidén	Core maintainers	2002	2015	1773 MB	OpenBox	-	BSD/experienced users, Lightweight	?
DebianDog[40][41]	Toni	DebianDog Team	2013[42]	2015	160 MB[43]	JWM-iceWM, OpenBox-XFCE	Debian	Live	?
Elive	Thanatermesis	Thanatermesis	2005	2010 (stable),[44] 2016 (beta)[45]	700 MB	Enlightenment[46]	Debian	Desktop	?
Feather Linux	Robert Sullivan	Robert Sullivan	2003	2005	128 MB	Fluxbox	Knoppix	desktop, rescue	486 CPU 16MB (console) / 32 MB (X server) RAM
Knoppix				2012 (CD)	701 MB			Live	486 CPU 32MB RAM
LinuxBBQ	Julius Hader	BBQ team	2013	2016	285 MB	several (>75)	Debian, Slackware	bloat-free, advanced	?
Lightweight Portable Security	United States Department of Defense	United States Department of Defense	2011	2016	390 MB	iceWM	ArchLinux	secure live operating system	?
Linux Lite	Jerry Bezencon	Jerry Bezencon	2013	2016	955 MB	XFCE	Ubuntu	Windows users	?
Lubuntu	Lubuntu team	Lubuntu team	2009	2016	744 MB	LXDE, Openbox	Ubuntu	lightweight desktop	Pentium II CPU 256MB RAM[47]
LXLE	Ronnie	LXLE team	2012	2015	1300 MB	LXDE	Ubuntu LTS	older computers, intermediate users	Pentium III CPU 512MB RAM
Modern X[22]	Modern Software	Modern Software	May 2016	September 2016	<1 Gigabyte	GNOME (1.0-1.3)	openSUSE 42.1 Leap	New Users, Mac and Windows Users	64 bit 1.0 GHz CPU 256MB RAM[48]
MX Linux[49]	anticapitalista	MEPIS Community	-	2016	1024 MB	Xfce 4	antiX < MEPIS < Debian	Midweight Desktop	?
Nanolinux	Georg Potthast	Georg Potthast	-	2015	19 MB	SLWM on Nano-X	MicroCore Linux with BusyBox	Lightweight, Runs on RAM, advanced	?
Parabola GNU/Linux-libre	Parabola Hackers	Parabola Hackers	2009	2016	642.8 MB	needs to be installed	Arch Linux	desktop, advanced	?
PCLinuxOS	Bill Reynolds	Bill Reynolds	2003	2015	833 MB (LXDE)[50]	KDE, LXDE, MATE	Mandrake	-	?
Peppermint Linux OS	Peppermint, LLC	Peppermint, LLC	2010	2016	?	LXDE	-	desktop	x86 processor 512MB RAM (1GB recommended)[51]
Porteus	Fanthom	Porteus	2010	2014	260 MB (LxQt)	(multiple)	Slackware	lightweight, portable (with persistence[34])	32 bit CPU 36MB RAM[52]
Puppy Linux	Barry Kauler	Puppy Foundation	2003	2015	234 MB (Slacko)[53]	JWM-2.3.2	-	portable, lightweight	?
Salix OS	Tomas Matejicek	Tomas Matejicek	2002	2013	613 MB (Fluxbox) / 852 MB (MATE live)[54]	MATE, KDE, Xfce, Fluxbox, Openbox	Slackware	desktop	?
Slax	Tomas Matejicek	Tomas Matejicek	2002	2013	226 MB[55]	KDE	Slackware	portable	?
SliTaz GNU/Linux	Christophe Lincoln	dev team	2008	2012	35 MB	Openbox	-	portable, no persistence by default[56]	?
Tiny Core Linux	Robert Shingledecker	Team Tiny Core	2009	2016	16 MB	FLTK/FLWM	Tiny Core Linux	portable, advanced	486dx CPU 46MB RAM[57]
Trisquel Mini	Rubén Rodríguez Pérez (quidam)	Rubén Rodríguez Pérez (quidam)	2005	2014	609 MB	LXDE	Ubuntu LTS	Free software: desktop	?
TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library	Alon Swartz, Liraz Siri	TurnKey Linux Team	2008	2016	212 MB (Core)	None (headless server) - Includes Webmin admin UI	Debian	Server - novice to expert users	?
VectorLinux Light	-	-	-	2016	618 MB	IceWM	-	Desktop	?
wattOS	?	?	2010	2016	627MB(i3), 687MB(LXDE)	i3, LXDE[58]	Ubuntu	desktop	?
Xubuntu	Xubuntu team	Xubuntu team	2008	2016	960 MB	Xfce	Ubuntu	lightweight desktop	?
Zenwalk	Jean-Philippe Guillemin	dev team	2004	2015	974 MB	Xfce	Slackware	desktop	?
ZorinOS[59]	-	-	2004	2015	1024 MB (lite)[60]	-	Ubuntu	full-featured desktop	?
Distribution	Founder	Maintainer	Initial release year	Latest release year	Approx file size	X window manager	Fork	Target audience	Minimum System Requirements

See also

• Comparison of Linux distributions
• Comparison of lightweight web browsers
• List of Linux distributions that run from RAM
• List of live CDs
• Open-source computer hardware

References

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37. "BasicLinux". Softpedia. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
38. "#!++ - Crunchbangplusplus".
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41. DebianDog
42. "Puppy Linux Discussion Forum :: View topic - DebianDog - Squeeze". murga-linux.com. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
43. "DebianDog Jessie". debiandog.github.io. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
44. "The Elive Team is proud to announce the release of the Stable version 2.0 Codename Topaz.". Elive Linux. March 10, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
45. "Elive 2.7.8 beta released". Elive Linux. October 14, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
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55. Tomas M. "Download - Slax Linux".
56. persistence can be added rather easily though
57. "Tiny Core Linux Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". www.tinycorelinux.net. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
58. "FAQ". wattOS Linux. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
59. "Zorin OS - Home".
60. "Zorin OS - Download".

External links

Memory usage comparisons: distros, DEs, apps