Alternatives to Debian

Compare Debian alternatives for your business or organization using the curated list below. SourceForge ranks the best alternatives to Debian in 2024. Compare features, ratings, user reviews, pricing, and more from Debian competitors and alternatives in order to make an informed decision for your business.

  • 1
    Rocky Linux

    Rocky Linux

    Ctrl IQ, Inc.

    CIQ empowers people to do amazing things by providing innovative and stable software infrastructure solutions for all computing needs. From the base operating system, through containers, orchestration, provisioning, computing, and cloud applications, CIQ works with every part of the technology stack to drive solutions for customers and communities with stable, scalable, secure production environments. CIQ is the founding support and services partner of Rocky Linux, and the creator of the next generation federated computing stack. - Rocky Linux, open, Secure Enterprise Linux - Apptainer, application Containers for High Performance Computing - Warewulf, cluster Management and Operating System Provisioning - HPC2.0, the Next Generation of High Performance Computing, a Cloud Native Federated Computing Platform - Traditional HPC, turnkey computing stack for traditional HPC
  • 2
    Ubuntu

    Ubuntu

    Ubuntu

    Better security. More packages. Newer tools. All your open source, from cloud to edge. Secure your open source apps. Patch the full stack, from kernel to library and applications, for CVE compliance. Governments and auditors certify Ubuntu for FedRAMP, FISMA and HITECH. Rethink what’s possible with Linux and open source. Companies engage Canonical to drive down open source operating costs. Automate everything: multi-cloud operations, bare metal provisioning, edge clusters and IoT. Whether you’re a mobile app developer, an engineering manager, a music or video editor or a financial analyst with large-scale models to run — in fact, anyone in need of a powerful machine for your work — Ubuntu is the ideal platform. Ubuntu is used by thousands of development teams around the world because of its versatility, reliability, constantly updated features, and extensive developer libraries.
  • 3
    Manjaro

    Manjaro

    Manjaro

    Is an accessible, friendly, open-source operating system. Providing all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed. Manjaro is suitable for both newcomers and experienced computer users. Unlike proprietary operating systems you have full control over your hardware without restrictions. This makes Manjaro a powerful Operating System ideal in home, work, and development environments. It is easily possible to run many popular Windows applications, using compatibility software such as Wine, PlayonLinux or Proton via Steam. The examples given here are far from comprehensive! Representing a perfect middle-ground for those who want good performance, full control, and cutting-edge software but also a degree of software stability.
  • 4
    Unihost

    Unihost

    Unihost

    Dedicated and Virtual Servers. We deliver unparalleled scalability and tailored solutions, we stand as an optimal choice for your business’ success.
    Starting Price: €6 per month
  • 5
    NetBSD

    NetBSD

    NetBSD

    NetBSD is a free, fast, secure, and highly portable Unix-like Open Source operating system. It is available for a wide range of platforms, from large-scale servers and powerful desktop systems to handheld and embedded devices. NetBSD was originally released in 1993. Over time, its code has found its way into many surprising environments, on the basis of a long history of quality, cleanliness, and stability. The NetBSD code was originally derived from 4.4BSD Lite2 from the University of California, Berkeley. NetBSD is an entirely free and open-source UNIX-like operating system developed by an international community. It isn't a "distribution" or variant but has evolved over several decades to be a complete and unique operating system in the BSD family. NetBSD users enjoy a simple, well-documented, and fully integrated UNIX-like system that feels minimal, and in many ways traditional, while including many modern and interesting features, and support for recent hardware.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 6
    OpenBSD

    OpenBSD

    OpenBSD

    OpenBSD is developed entirely by volunteers. The project's development environment and developer events are funded through contributions collected by The OpenBSD Foundation. Contributions ensure that OpenBSD will remain a vibrant and free operating system. Hence the OpenBSD project has embedded cryptography into numerous places in the operating system. We require that the cryptographic software we use be freely available and with good licenses. We do not directly use cryptography with nasty patents. We also require that such software is from countries with useful export licenses because we do not wish to break the laws of any country. Be as politics-free as possible; solutions should be decided on the basis of technical merit.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 7
    Void Linux

    Void Linux

    Void Linux

    Void is a general purpose operating system, based on the monolithic Linux kernel. Its package system allows you to quickly install, update and remove software; software is provided in binary packages or can be built directly from sources with the help of the XBPS source packages collection. It is available for a variety of platforms. Software packages can be built natively or cross compiled through the XBPS source packages collection. Unlike trillions of other existing distros, Void is not a modification of an existing distribution. Void's package manager and build system have been written from scratch. Void Linux supports both the musl and GNU libc implementations, patching incompatible software when necessary and working with upstream developers to improve the correctness and portability of their projects.
  • 8
    AlmaLinux

    AlmaLinux

    AlmaLinux

    An open source, community-owned and governed, forever-free enterprise Linux distribution, focused on long-term stability, providing a robust production-grade platform. AlmaLinux OS is 1:1 binary compatible with RHEL® and pre-Stream CentOS. Our GitHub organization contains source code and tools used to build AlmaLinux OS and related infrastructure. Join our vibrant Reddit community, interact with other AlmaLinux OS users, receive updates, find and provide help. Join a real time discussion with other AlmaLinux OS community members, governance team and AlmaLinux OS developers. Ask questions, get answers and contribute community support to others in AlmaLinux OS community and developers alike. As a standalone, completely free OS, AlmaLinux OS enjoys $1M in annual sponsorship from CloudLinux Inc and support from other sponsors. Ongoing development efforts are governed by the members of the community.
  • 9
    Alpine Linux

    Alpine Linux

    Alpine Linux

    Alpine Linux is an independent, non-commercial, general purpose Linux distribution designed for power users who appreciate security, simplicity and resource efficiency. Alpine Linux is built around musl libc and busybox. This makes it smaller and more resource efficient than traditional GNU/Linux distributions. A container requires no more than 8 MB and a minimal installation to disk requires around 130 MB of storage. Not only do you get a fully-fledged Linux environment but a large selection of packages from the repository. Binary packages are thinned out and split, giving you even more control over what you install, which in turn keeps your environment as small and efficient as possible. Alpine Linux is a very simple distribution that will try to stay out of your way. It uses its own package manager called apk, the OpenRC init system, script driven set-ups and that’s it! This provides you with a simple, crystal-clear Linux environment without all the noise.
  • 10
    Amazon Linux 2
    Run all your cloud and enterprise applications in a security-focused and high-performance Linux environment. Amazon Linux 2 is a Linux operating system from Amazon Web Services (AWS). It provides a security-focused, stable, and high-performance execution environment to develop and run cloud applications. Amazon Linux 2 is provided at no additional charge. AWS provides ongoing security and maintenance updates for Amazon Linux 2. Amazon Linux 2 includes support for the latest Amazon EC2 instance capabilities and is tuned for enhanced performance. It includes packages that help ease integration with other AWS Services. Amazon Linux 2 offers long-term support. Developers, IT administrators, and ISVs get the predictability and stability of a Long Term Support (LTS) release, but without compromising access to the latest versions of popular software packages.
  • 11
    Arch Linux

    Arch Linux

    Arch Linux

    Arch Linux is an independently developed, x86-64 general-purpose GNU/Linux distribution that strives to provide the latest stable versions of most software by following a rolling-release model. The default installation is a minimal base system, configured by the user to only add what is purposely required. Arch Linux defines simplicity as without unnecessary additions or modifications. It ships software as released by the original developers (upstream) with minimal distribution-specific (downstream) changes, patches not accepted by upstream are avoided, and Arch's downstream patches consist almost entirely of backported bug fixes that are obsoleted by the project's next release. Arch ships the configuration files provided by upstream with changes limited to distribution-specific issues like adjusting the system file paths. It does not add automation features such as enabling a service simply because the package was installed.
  • 12
    elementary OS

    elementary OS

    elementary OS

    The fast, free and privacy-friendly alternative to Windows and macOS. A comprehensive update to a solid foundation. These include, but are not limited to, a completely redesigned login and screen lock screen, a revamped first-use experience, major updates to System Settings, enhancements to included applications, and desktop touch-ups. Get free and paid applications in the Application Center, the store where the user decides the amount to pay to independent developers. Each app has been reviewed by elementary to ensure a native, secure, and privacy-friendly experience. Elevate your productivity and focus with multitasking view, mini-screen mode, and Do Not Disturb. Or remove all work notifications while watching videos or playing games. elementary OS includes a suite of applications carefully selected to meet your daily needs, so you can get more out of your computer without having to deal with bloatware.
  • 13
    FreeBSD

    FreeBSD

    FreeBSD

    FreeBSD offers advanced networking, performance, security and compatibility features today which are still missing in other operating systems, even some of the best commercial ones. FreeBSD makes an ideal Internet or Intranet server. It provides robust network services under the heaviest loads and uses memory efficiently to maintain good response times for thousands of simultaneous user processes. FreeBSD brings advanced network operating system features to appliance and embedded platforms, from higher-end Intel-based appliances to ARM, PowerPC, and MIPS hardware platforms. From mail and web appliances to routers, time servers, and wireless access points, vendors around the world rely on FreeBSD’s integrated build and cross-build environments and advanced features as the foundation for their embedded products. And the Berkeley open source license lets them decide how many of their local changes they want to contribute back.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 14
    EndeavourOS

    EndeavourOS

    EndeavourOS

    A terminal-centric distro with a vibrant and friendly community at its core. A vibrant and friendly community, the beating heart of this distro, to guide you through your journey. Experience our distro with light and always evolving base. Read and download it on our latest release page. The EndeavourOS knowledge base, the place where you can find our wiki articles and video tutorials, is here as your guideline during your exploration in building your unique and personal system. Create your own destiny with an incredible journey. If you like to roll up your sleeves and go on an adventure, then you might want to give us a try. EndeavourOS isn’t an expressway to a predefined destination in computing, it is all about the journey towards your own destination, and on top of that, you’ll be meeting new and friendly faces during that exploration. Or more appropriate, your new Endeavour.
  • 15
    Clear Linux OS

    Clear Linux OS

    Clear Linux Project

    Clear Linux OS is an open source, rolling release Linux distribution optimized for performance and security, from the Cloud to the Edge, designed for customization, and manageability. Operate without any custom configuration, for example, a generic host with an empty /etc directory. Stateless systems strictly separate the OS configuration, the per-system configuration, and the VT user-data stored on that system. Designed so that the user is able to quickly and easily manage their custom configuration vs. system configuration. Clear Linux OS optimizes across the whole stack: the platform, kernel, math libraries, middleware layers, frameworks, and runtime. Clear Linux OS has an automated tool that is constantly scanning for CVEs, which are patched accordingly. This strict separation between User and System files allows for easier manageability and simplifying customization.
  • 16
    CloudLinux

    CloudLinux

    CloudLinux

    Stable servers reduce churn and allow you to increase density, and therefore magnify your profit. The CloudLinux OS stability features prevent resource spikes and make your servers rock-solid stable, even in the most stressful situations. CloudLinux OS protects your servers from attacks by virtualizing users’ file systems and prevent sensitive information disclosure. Our kernel-level technology prevents all known symbolic link attacks, which further enhances the security level of the servers. Secure the unsupported versions of PHP where, vulnerabilities, even if discovered, are not patched by the PHP.net community. Multiply the number of users on a more stable server with Cloudlinux OS and manage any resources limits for each customer. Troubleshooting performance problems with Detailed information on system bottlenecks, slow database queries, functions, or external calls.
    Starting Price: $7 per server per month
  • 17
    Linux Mint

    Linux Mint

    Linux Mint

    The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use. Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people. It works out of the box, with full multimedia support and is extremely easy to use. It's both free of cost and open source. It's community-driven. Users are encouraged to send feedback to the project so that their ideas can be used to improve Linux Mint. It's safe and reliable. Thanks to a conservative approach to software updates, a unique Update Manager and the robustness of its Linux architecture, Linux Mint requires very little.
  • 18
    Neptune OS

    Neptune OS

    Neptune

    Neptune is a GNU/Linux Distribution for desktops based fully upon Debian Stable ('Buster'), except for a newer kernel and some drivers. It ships with a modern KDE Plasma Desktop with its main view on a good looking multimedia system which allows for getting work done. It also is a system which is flexible and very useful on usb sticks. Therefore we developed easy to use applications like USB Installer as well as a Persistent Creator that allows you to store changes to your system on your live usb stick. The Debian repository is the major base for getting updates and new software. Furthermore Neptune ships with its own software repository to update our own applications. Neptune tries to get the BeOS message of a fully supported multimedia OS to a next generation of users. Neptunes focuses on providing an elegant out of the box experience for the users. Therefore we ship a nice and simple overall look and feel as well as a whole bunch of multimedia tools, like codecs, flash player, etc.
  • 19
    BunsenLabs Linux

    BunsenLabs Linux

    BunsenLabs

    BunsenLabs Linux Lithium is a distribution offering a light-weight and easily customizable Openbox desktop. The project is a community continuation of CrunchBang Linux. The current release is derived from Debian 10. The distribution consists of configuration and resource packages installed on top of Debian. There are no changes to the way the Debian base system is administrated. Pre-configured Openbox window manager with tint2 panel, conky system monitor and jgmenu, a feature-rich desktop menu. Assortment of harmonising GTK2/3 themes, wallpapers and conky configurations. Various configuration and application utilities to maintain this system. Additional desktop-, multimedia- and hardware-related packages come pre-installed to offer a better “out-of-the-box” experience. There is no limit to customization. We offer combined live-CD and installation media for the Debian amd64 (x86-64) architectures and i386 (i686) architectures.
  • 20
    Netrunner

    Netrunner

    Netrunner

    The standard version ships with a full set of pre-installed software for everyday usage and is based on Debian. The Core version is a slimmed down version based on Debian Stable and allows you to build up your own system or run it on low-spec hardware like arm-boards. Netrunner is using KDE Plasma and tuning it to be as snappy and responsive as possible. Netrunner ships several Window- and Desktop-Themes to choose from, so you can start customizing right away. For most of our Window Themes, we are using the Aurorae-3 engine of KWin, which allows blur and transparency even on low-end machines.
  • 21
    openSUSE MicroOS
    Microservice OS providing transactional (Atomic) updates upon a read-only btrfs root filesystem. Designed to host container workloads with automated administration & patching. Installing openSUSE MicroOS you get a quick, small environment for deploying containers, or any other workload that benefits from transactional updates. As rolling release distribution, the software is always up-to-date. MicroOS offers an offline image. The main difference between the offline and self-install/raw images is that the offline image has an installer. Raw and self-install allows for customization via combustion or manually in the image after it is written to the disk. There is an option for a real-time kernel. Try MicroOS in VMs running on either Xen or KVM. Using a Raspberry Pi or other system-on-chip hardware may use the preconfigured image together with the combustion functionality for the boot process.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 22
    Mageia

    Mageia

    Mageia

    Mageia is a GNU/Linux-based, Free Software operating system. It is a community project, supported by a nonprofit organization of elected contributors. Beyond just delivering a secure, stable and sustainable operating system, the goal is also to become and maintain a credible and recognized community in the free software world. Mageia is a Free Software operating system of the GNU/Linux family, which can be installed on computers either as the main operating system, or as an alternative system to one or several pre-installed systems (dual boot). It is a community project supported by the non-profit Mageia.Org organization of elected contributors. Mageia is developed by and for its community of users, and is suitable for all kinds of users, from first-time GNU/Linux users to advanced developers or system administrators. The software packages that are included in Mageia sit in three different repositories/media, depending on the type of license applied to each package.
  • 23
    eLxr

    eLxr

    eLxr

    Enterprise-Grade Linux for Edge-to-Cloud Deployments. Open-Source Collaborative Project, Debian-based Linux distribution tailored for edge to cloud use cases. Ensure consistent performance and stability, whether on device, on-prem, or in the cloud. eLxr provides a secure and stable distribution, with its foundation in opensource community innovation with predictable release and update cadence, fit for long lifecycles and long-term deployments. Cater to applications with stringent timing requirements, using preempt-rt kernel configurations to prioritize low-latency responses, ensuring that tasks are executed within precise time boundaries. Achieve better determinism and predictability compared to a standard Linux kernel. eLxr relies on a smaller footprint for better performance, optimized workloads, and smaller attack surface for resource usage efficiency. It provides all required features and attributes, considering best usage of system resources.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 24
    Parrot OS

    Parrot OS

    Parrot Security

    Parrot is a worldwide community of developers and security specialists that work together to build a shared framework of tools to make their job easier, standardized and more reliable and secure. Parrot OS, the flagship product of Parrot Security is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian and designed with Security and Privacy in mind. It includes a full portable laboratory for all kinds of cyber security operations, from pentesting to digital forensics and reverse engineering, but it also includes everything needed to develop your own software or keep your data secure. Always updated, frequently released with many hardening and sandboxing options available. Everything is under your complete control. Feel free to get the system, share with anyone, read the source code and change it as you want! this system is made to respect your freedom, and it ever will be.
  • 25
    PCLinuxOS

    PCLinuxOS

    PCLinuxOS

    PCLinuxOS is a free easy to use Linux-based Operating System for x86_64 desktops or laptops. PCLinuxOS is distributed as a LiveCD/DVD/USB ISO image, and can also be installed to your computer. The LiveCD/DVD/USB mode lets you try PCLInuxOS without making any changes to your computer. If you like it, you can install the operating system to your hard drive. Locally installed versions of PCLinuxOS utilize the Advanced Packaging Tool (or APT), a package management system (originally from the Debian distribution), together with Synaptic, a GUI frontend to APT for easy software installation. PCLinuxOS has over 12,000 rpm software packages available from our software repository. PCLinuxOS has a script called mylivecd, which allows the user to take a ‘snapshot’ of their current hard drive installation (all settings, applications, documents, etc.) and compress it into an ISO CD/DVD/USB image.
  • 26
    illumos

    illumos

    illumos

    illumos is a Unix operating system which provides next-generation features for downstream distributions, including advanced system debugging, next generation filesystem, networking, and virtualization options. illumos is developed by both volunteers and companies building products on top of the software. illumos is an excellent base for both traditional and cloud-native deployments. The OmniOS and OpenIndiana distributions are a good place for new users to get started. You can install in a virtual machine or on bare metal. You need an illumos-based operating system to build illumos. Cross-compilation is not supported. illumos is freely available from our source repository. illumos is the home of many technologies including ZFS, DTrace, Zones, ctf, FMA, and more. We pride ourselves on having a stable, highly observable, and technologically different system. illumos has a proud engineering heritage, tracing it roots back through Sun Microsystems to the original releases of UNIX and BSD.
  • 27
    Sabayon Linux
    Sabayon is a beginner-friendly Gentoo-based open-source Linux distribution. We aim to deliver the best "out of the box" user experience by providing the latest open source technologies in an elegant format. In Sabayon everything should just work. We offer a bleeding edge operating system that is both stable and reliable. Fast and optimized for your hardware! It’s up to you whether you turn a fresh Sabayon installation into a geeky Gentoo ~arch system or simply enjoy the power of our binary package manager. From testing to Community Repositories. Install just once, you can upgrade everytime you wish to the latest release. Just start it, everything should be already in place. Daily and Monthly images available. Multiple Desktop Environment, KDE, Gnome, Mate, and XFCE. Build your own Sabayon spin easily! It can even be built with Docker! Support for Raspberry Pi 2⁄3, Odroid X2, U2/3 C2 and more.
  • 28
    CentOS

    CentOS

    CentOS

    CentOS Linux is a community-supported distribution derived from sources freely provided to the public on Red Hat or CentOS git for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). As such, CentOS Linux aims to be functionally compatible with RHEL. The CentOS Project mainly changes packages to remove upstream vendor branding and artwork. CentOS Linux is no-cost and free to redistribute. Each CentOS version is maintained until the equivalent RHEL version goes out of general support. A new CentOS version is made available once a new RHEL version is rebuilt - approximately every 6-12 months for minor point releases and several years for major version bumps. The length of time the rebuild takes varies from weeks for point releases to months for major version bumps. This results in a secure, low-maintenance, reliable, predictable and reproducible Linux environment.
  • 29
    SparkyLinux

    SparkyLinux

    SparkyLinux

    SparkyLinux is a GNU/Linux distribution created on the top of Debian GNU/Linux operating system. Sparky is fast, lightweight and fully customizable OS which offers a few versions for different users and different tasks, such as fully featured OS with a lightweight desktop environment, which works out of the box and contain a selection of pre installed common use software for home users. MinimalGUI with Openbox window manager preinstalled only with basic software installed for users whose want to configure their OS/desktop as they want, on the top of Debian, plus any desktop environment or window manager they like. MinimalCLI with no X server, for advanced users whose want to build and configure their desktops in own way. Sparky supports about 20 desktop environments and window managers giving you freedom of choice, having in mind that your computer is made for working, having fun, entertainment, keeping in touch with friends, and many, many other things.
  • 30
    Mobian

    Mobian

    Mobian

    Mobian aims to integrate the standard Debian distribution with the Phone Shell (phosh) project in a package that works on certain mobile phones, such as the Pinephone. Over time, the idea is to minimize the Mobian specific pieces by “upstreaming” customization to the original projects. Mobian comes with Phosh, the Phone Shell by Purism. It is based on well known modern Gnome technology like GTK, GSettings and DBus running on a wlroots based wayland compositor called phoc. Mobian aims to integrate the standard Debian distribution with Phone-specific projects and modifications in a distribution that works on certain mobile phones and tablets, such as the Pinephone, the Pinetab and the Librem 5. The idea is to minimize the Mobian specific pieces by “upstreaming” changes to the original projects as much as possible. To achieve this, we tread a delicate balance between carrying customized patches and packages that are required to make Mobian run well on its supported devices.
  • 31
    openSUSE Leap

    openSUSE Leap

    openSUSE

    A brand new way of building openSUSE and a new type of a hybrid Linux distribution. Leap uses source from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), which gives Leap a level of stability unmatched by other Linux distributions, and combines that with community developments to give users, developers and sysadmins the best stable Linux experience available. If you’re already running openSUSE you can upgrade by booting from the DVD/USB and choosing upgrade, or carry out an ‘Online Upgrade’ in a few commands. Leap is a classic stable distribution approach, one release each year and in between security and bugfixes. This makes Leap very attractive as server operating system, but as well for Desktops since it requires little maintenance effort. openSUSE Leap is compatible with SUSE Linux Enterprise; this gives Leap a level of stability unmatched by other Linux distributions and provides users the ability to migrate to an enterprise offering.
  • 32
    LXLE

    LXLE

    LXLE

    Light on resources, Heavy on functions. Always based on Ubuntu/Lubuntu LTS. LXLE ses an optimized LXDE user interface, it is a simple, elegant and familiar desktop UI. Prudent full featured Apps preinstalled. Latest stable versions of all major apps. Added PPAs extends available software. Expose, Aero Snap, Quick Launch apps, etc. Random and interval wallpaper changer, and theme consistency throughout the system. 100 gorgeous wallpapers preinstalled, and numerous other tweaks/additions available. Both 32 and 64 bit OS versions available. Boot and it's online and ready in less than 1 minute. LXLE is based on Lubuntu which is an Ubuntu OS using the LXDE desktop environment. It is designed to be a drop-in and go OS, primarily for aging computers. Its intention is to be able to install it on any computer and be relatively done after install. At times removing unwanted programs or features is easier than configuring for a day.
  • 33
    Artix Linux

    Artix Linux

    Artix Linux

    Artix Linux is a rolling-release distribution, based on Arch Linux. It uses real init systems because PID1 must be simple, secure, and stable. It is possible to install any init system (openrc, runit, s6, suite66, or dinit) from any ISO. Artix can either be installed through the console or the GUI installer. There are 3 different kinds of installation media Artix currently provides, base, graphical, and community. Unless you really know your way around Linux, use a community edition. The base installation can be performed from within any ISO; this may prove useful to people who have trouble getting their wireless network cards to work or for any reason need an active graphical environment during installation. You can also install a different init system than that of the installation medium. Base ISOs allow for a fully customised installation, which is done in a TTY and is intended for knowledgeable users.
  • 34
    Pica8 PICOS
    The one-of-a-kind PICOS open NOS with tightly coupled control planes gives network operators surgical, non-disruptive control of their enterprise applications, deep and dynamic traffic monitoring, and even attack mitigation, all in real time. There’s no better way to implement zero-trust networking and software-defined perimeters than PICOS. Our flagship open network operating system installs on 1G- to 100G-interface open switches from a broad array of Tier 1 manufacturers. This fully featured license offers the most comprehensive support for enterprise features on the market. It includes the Debian Linux distribution, with an unmodified kernel for maximum DevOps programmability. Enterprise Edition also includes AmpCon, an Ansible-based automation framework that couples Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) with the Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) to simplify installation and operation of open network switches across the enterprise.
  • 35
    Freespire

    Freespire

    PC/OpenSystems LLC

    The Freespire Operating System is the open source and free release of the commercial Linspire operating system. It contains many of the same software packages as Linspire with the exception of the software that requires us to purchase a license to redistribute. You are free to redistribute Freespire as you wish. Freespire requires an x86_64 bit processor, 4 gb of RAM and at least a 20 gb hard drive to run a basic productivity environment. For optimal performance we recommend at least 6 - 8 gb of RAM for users who want to run emulation software such as VMWare or VirtualBox. For users who need to run software like CAD programs, Video or Audio production we recommend at least 8 gb or more. You can also install Freespire as standalone or dual boot on Intel based Apple Macintoshes.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 36
    Slax

    Slax

    Slax

    Slax is a modern, portable, small and fast Linux operating system with modular approach and outstanding design. It runs directly from your USB flash drive without installing, so you can carry it everywhere you go in your pocket. Despite its small size, Slax provides nice graphical user interface and wise selection of pre-installed programs, such as a Web browser, Terminal, and more. Slax is now based on Debian, which gives you the ability to benefit from its entire ecosystem. Tens of thousands of prebuilt packages with applications, all within reach thanks to apt command. Major milestones for next Slax versions are tracked and funded through Patreon website and you can accelerate their development with a financial contribution. I am updating Slax regularly on my own to keep it up to date, but some features requested by users are implemented only after they are backed by sufficient amount of patrons.
    Starting Price: $29.95 one-time payment
  • 37
    Guix

    Guix

    Guix

    Guix is an advanced distribution of the GNU operating system developed by the GNU Project—which respects the freedom of computer users. Guix supports transactional upgrades and roll-backs, unprivileged package management, and more. When used as a standalone distribution, Guix supports declarative system configuration for transparent and reproducible operating systems. It provides Guile Scheme APIs, including high-level embedded domain-specific languages (EDSLs) to define packages and whole-system configurations. Guix comes with thousands of packages which include applications, system tools, documentation, fonts, and other digital goods readily available for installing with the GNU Guix package manager.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 38
    Puppy Linux

    Puppy Linux

    Puppy Linux

    Puppy Linux is a unique family of Linux distributions meant for the home-user computers. Ready to use, all tools for common daily computing usage already included. Ease of use, grandpa-friendly certified. Relatively small size, 300 MB or less. Fast and versatile. Customizable within minutes, remasters. Different flavours, optimized to support older computers, newer computers. Variety, hundreds of derivatives (“puplets”), one of which will surely meet your needs. Puppy Linux is not a single Linux distribution like Debian. Puppy Linux is also not a Linux distribution with multiple flavours, like Ubuntu (with its variants of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc) though it also comes in flavours. Puppy Linux is a collection of multiple Linux distributions, built on the same shared principles, built using the same set of tools, built on top of a unique set of puppy specific applications and configurations and generally speaking provide consistent behaviours and features.
  • 39
    openSUSE Tumbleweed

    openSUSE Tumbleweed

    openSUSE Project

    You install it once and enjoy it forever. No longer do you have to worry every six months about massive system upgrades that risk bricking your system. You get frequent updates that not only address vulnerabilities or squash bugs, but reflect latest features and developments, such as fresh kernels, fresh drivers and recent desktop environment versions. Updates are thoroughly tested against industry-grade quality standards, taking advantage of a build service other Linux distributions envy us. Not only is each new version of a package individually tested, but different clusters of versions are are tested against each other, making sure your system is internally consistent. With a single command you can update thousands of packages, rollback to last week’s snapshot, fast-forward again, and even preview upcoming releases.
  • 40
    Slackel

    Slackel

    Slackel

    Slackel is a Linux distribution based on Slackware and Salix. It is fully compatible with Slackware but the difference is that it includes the current version of Slackware. So Slackware users can benefit from Slackel repositories. It is available in three editions, KDE, Openbox and MATE. Slackel disc images can be used in two different forms, Installation disc image and Live disc image. Slackel provides one application per task rationale. It is fully backwards compatible with Slackware. Optimized for desktop usage, with Salix and Slackel tools to assist system management, high quality package repositories with dependency support. It includes a fully configured desktop environment with a complete selection of applications to fit the needs of most people, including office related software, multimedia applications, Internet applications, all the Slackel system configuration tools and more.
  • 41
    Kali Linux
    Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution geared towards various information security tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Security Research, Computer Forensics and Reverse Engineering. You can take any Linux and install pentesting tools on it, but you have to set the tools up manually and configure them. Kali is optimized to reduce the amount of work, so a professional can just sit down and go. A version of Kali is always close to you, no matter where you need it. Mobile devices, Docker, ARM, Amazon Web Services, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Virtual Machine, bare metal, and others are all available. With the use of metapackages, optimized for the specific tasks of a security professional, and a highly accessible and well documented ISO customization process, it's always easy to generate an optimized version of Kali for your specific needs. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a novice, our documentation will have all the information you will need to know.
  • 42
    Fedora CoreOS

    Fedora CoreOS

    Fedora Project

    Fedora CoreOS is an automatically-updating, minimal operating system for running containerized workloads securely and at scale. It is currently available on multiple platforms, with more coming soon. There are three Fedora CoreOS (FCOS) update streams available: stable, testing, and next. In general, you will want to use stable, but it is recommended to run some machines on testing and next as well and provide feedback. For automating Fedora CoreOS installations, it is expected that you will interact with stream metadata. While Fedora CoreOS does automatic in-place updates, it is generally a good practice to start provisioning new machines from the latest images. Fedora CoreOS does not have a separate install disk. Instead, every instance starts from a generic disk image which is customized on first boot via Ignition. Everything included is open source and free software, not only is it available at no cost to you, but you can share, remix, and modify.
  • 43
    BlackArch Linux

    BlackArch Linux

    BlackArch Linux

    BlackArch Linux is an Arch Linux-based penetration testing distribution for penetration testers and security researchers. You can install tools individually or in groups. BlackArch Linux is compatible with existing Arch installs. The BlackArch Full ISO contains multiple window managers. The BlackArch Slim ISO features XFCE Desktop Enviroment. The full ISO contains a complete, functional BlackArch Linux system with all the available tools in the repo at build time. The slim ISO contains a functional BlackArch Linux system with a selected set of common/well-known tools and system utilities for pentesting. The netinstall ISO is a lightweight image for bootstrapping machines with a minimal set of packages. BlackArch Linux is compatible with existing/normal Arch installations. It acts as an unofficial user repository. You can install BlackArch Linux using the Slim medium which features GUI installer.
  • 44
    NomadBSD

    NomadBSD

    NomadBSD

    NomadBSD is a persistent live system for USB flash drives, based on FreeBSD®. Together with automatic hardware detection and setup, it is configured to be used as a desktop system that works out of the box, but can also be used for data recovery, for educational purposes, or to test FreeBSD®'s hardware compatibility. The images for 64-bit and 32-bit computers fit on a 5GB USB flash drive. A system with a 1.2GHz CPU and 1G of RAM should be able to run NomadBSD decently. Booting is possible via BIOS and UEFI. We've decided to change the versioning scheme to the following form: FFfX-YYYYMMDD, where FF is the major two-digit FreeBSD version, f is the minor version, and X stands for ALPHA (A), BETA (B), RC, or RELEASE (R). Followed by a date. The new scheme allows us to provide images with different version of FreeBSD.
  • 45
    Slint

    Slint

    Slint

    Slint is a stable distribution. However, accessibility software is regularly updated, others may be updated on a case-by-case basis. Slint can be used in console and graphical modes and can be switched between these modes without restarting. It is even possible to launch several graphical environments and switch between them. The Slint dashboard gives direct access to the main tools and useful information and links. The installation program, in text mode, is fully accessible for blind people using a screen reader or Braille display and proceeds by questions and answers with online help and integrated documentation. The btrfs file system is configured with subvolumes instead of separate partitions. It allows dividing by 2 the space occupied on the media, to take snapshots and is well adapted to SSD, NVMe and USB sticks.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 46
    Mac OS X Mountain Lion
    OS X Mountain Lion is the ninth version of OS X, Apple's operating system for its desktops, laptops, and servers. Mountain Lion was announced on February 16, 2012 and was released on July 25, 2012 through the Mac App Store. Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion is available for older systems that are not compatible with the latest version of macOS and requires the following: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8, Lion 10.7, or Mountain Lion 10.8 already installed, some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply, some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
  • 47
    Slackware

    Slackware

    Slackware Linux

    After a long development cycle (including many betas and release candidates to get everything just exactly perfect) we're pleased to announce the availability of the new stable release. You'll find updates throughout the system, with the latest development tools and recent versions of applications, window managers, desktop environments, and utilities. The Linux kernel is updated to version 4.4.14 (part of the 4.4.x kernel series that will be getting long-term support from the kernel developers). We've brought together the best of these and other modern components and worked our magic on them. If you've used Slackware before, you'll find the system feels like home. Want to give Slackware 14.2 a test drive without modifying your disk drive? Then check out Slackware Live Edition! This is a complete Slackware installation that can run from a CD, DVD, or USB stick. Build scripts for all kinds of additional software for Slackware 14.2 are also available.
  • 48
    Lubuntu

    Lubuntu

    Lubuntu

    Lubuntu is a fast and lightweight operating system with a clean and easy-to-use user interface. It is a Linux system, that uses the minimal desktop LXDE/LXQT, and a selection of light applications. Because of this, Lubuntu has very low hardware requirements. Lubuntu was founded by Mario Behling and has been grown for many years by Julien Lavergne. Please join us and install Lubuntu on your computer. The objective of the lubuntu project is to create a faster, more lightweight and energy saving variant of Ubuntu by using LXDE, The Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment, as its default GUI. Members of the lubuntu team take care of LXDE and other packages that are part of the lubuntu installation. Contribute creating a lighter, less resource hungry and more energy-efficient Linux Desktop. It is our goal to make Linux run on more cost-effective machines and MIDs besides Intel CPUs based on ARM and Mips.
  • 49
    Scientific Linux

    Scientific Linux

    Scientific Linux

    Scientific Linux is a Fermilab sponsored project. Our primary user base is within the High Energy and High Intensity Physics community. However, our users come from a wide variety of industries with various use cases all over the globe, and sometimes off of it! Scientific Linux is a rebuild of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (property of Red Hat Inc NYSE:RHT). We informally call them “The Upstream Vendor” or “TUV”. Our references to TUV are intended to make it clear that Scientific Linux is in no way affiliated, supported, or sanctioned by upstream. By not using their name we hope to make this distinction as clear as possible. Provides a stable, scalable, and extensible operating system for scientific computing. Supports scientific research by providing methods and procedures for enabling the integration of scientific applications with the operating environment. Use the free exchange of ideas, designs, and implementations to prepare a computing platform for the next generation of computing.
  • 50
    Qubes OS

    Qubes OS

    Qubes OS

    Qubes OS is a free and open-source, security-oriented operating system for single-user desktop computing. Qubes OS leverages Xen-based virtualization to allow for the creation and management of isolated compartments called qubes. These qubes, which are implemented as virtual machines (VMs), have specific Purposes with a predefined set of one or many isolated applications, for personal or professional projects, to manage the network stack, the firewall, or to fulfill other user-defined purposes. Qubes brings to your personal computer the security of the Xen hypervisor, the same software relied on by many major hosting providers to isolate websites and services from each other. Can't decide which Linux distribution you prefer? Still, need that one Windows program for work? With Qubes, you're not limited to just one OS. With Whonix integrated into Qubes, using the Internet anonymously over the Tor network is safe and easy.