Light-weight Linux distribution

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Lubuntu is described by its developers as light-weight in comparison to Ubuntu Lubuntu 20.10 2880p EN 20201231 31 12 2020 18 01 35.png
Lubuntu is described by its developers as light-weight in comparison to Ubuntu

A light-weight Linux distribution is one that uses lower memory and/or has less processor-speed requirements than a more "feature-rich" Linux distribution. The lower demands on hardware ideally result in a more responsive machine, and/or allow devices with fewer system resources (e.g. older or embedded hardware) to be used productively. The lower memory and/or processor-speed requirements are achieved by avoiding software bloat, i.e. by leaving out features that are perceived to have little or no practical use or advantage, or for which there is no or low demand.

Contents

The perceived weight of a Linux distribution is strongly influenced by the desktop environment included with that distribution. [1] [2] Accordingly, many Linux distributions offer a choice of editions. For example, Canonical hosts several variants ("flavors") of the Ubuntu distribution that include desktop environments other than the default GNOME or the deprecated Unity. These variants include the Xubuntu and Lubuntu distributions for the comparatively light-weight Xfce and LXDE / LXQt desktop environments.

The demands that a desktop environment places on a system may be seen in a comparison of the minimum system requirements of Ubuntu 10.10 and Lubuntu 10.10 desktop editions, where the only significant difference between the two was their desktop environment. Ubuntu 10.10 included the Unity desktop, which had minimum system requirements of a 2 GHz processor with 2 GB of RAM, [3] while Lubuntu 10.10 included LXDE, which required at least a Pentium II with 128 MB of RAM. [4]

Overview of some distributions

Comparison

DistributionMinimum system requirementsDesktop / Window managerBased on Package manager Image sizePurposeLatest release yearMaintainerCreatedFounder
Absolute Linux CPU: Intel/AMD 64bit

RAM: 64 MB

1+ GB suggested [11] [12]

iceWM Slackware XPKGTOOL2264 MB [13] Desktop2023Absolute Linux Team2007Absolute Linux Team
Alpine Linux RAM: 128MB (256MB to install) [14] None by default [15] BusyBox, musl APK8 MB (container), 130 MB (disk)Lightweight desktop, security [16] 2023 [17] Alpine Linux development team2010 LEAF Project members
antiX CPU: Intel/AMD X86

RAM: 256 MB [18]

IceWM, Fluxbox, JWMMEPIS < Debian Synaptic [19] 700 MB Base, 1GB Full, 310 MB CoreDesktop, portability (with persistence) [20] 2023 [21] Anticapitalista2007Anticapitalista
Bodhi Linux [22] CPU: 32 bit 500 MHz (non-PAE)

RAM: 512 MB [23]

drive: 5 GB

Moksha (a fixed E17)Ubuntu < DebianAPT575 MB (Standard),
1024 MB (AppPack)		Desktop2023Bodhi Linux team2011Bodhi Linux team
BunsenLabs Linux RAM:

256 MB to run X [24]
1 GB for Firefox
2+ GB recommended

 OpenBox Debian StableSynaptic, APT, dpkg674 MB (i386, no PAE)

1100 MB (i386, AMD64) [24]

LiveCD, LiveDVD, lightweight desktop2021 [25] Core maintainers2015Core maintainers
CRUX CPU: x86-64 (AMD Athlon 64, Intel Core, Intel Atom) or newer processors

RAM: 192 MB (2017) [26]

OpenBox-pkgutils1773 MBBSD / experienced users, lightweight2022 [27] Core maintainers2002Per Lidén
Damn Small Linux CPU: 486dx

RAM: 8 MB [28]

Fluxbox, JWM -APT (optional) [29] 50 MBDesktop20242005John Andrews, et al.
Gentoo Linux RAM: 32 MBNone by default, but you can install any- Portage 400 MBDesktop, server, source-based, advancedRolling release2002 Daniel Robbins
GoboLinux RAM: 128 MB RAM

1000+ MB for full graphic [30]

CPU: x86_64

 Awesome -1900 MB [31] desktop2020GoboLinux team2003Hisham Muhammad and André Detsch
Knoppix RAM:

32 MB text

512 MB LXDE

1 GB recommended [32]

CPU: 486

LXDE Debian dpkg701 MBLive20202000Klaus Knopper
Lightweight Portable Security iceWM Arch Linux 390 MBSecure live operating system2021 United States Department of Defense 2011 United States Department of Defense
Linux Lite CPU: Intel/AMD 64bit

RAM: 768 MB (2020) [33]

disk: 8 GB

XfceUbuntuAPT955 MBDesktop (Windows users)2023 [34] Jerry Bezencon2013Jerry Bezencon
Lubuntu

No minimum system requirements provided. [35]

LXQtUbuntuAPT916 MBlightweight desktop2022Lubuntu team2009Lubuntu team
LXLE RAM: 1 GB (2022) [36]

CPU: 64-bit (2022)

LXDEUbuntu LTSAPT1300 MBolder computers, intermediate users2022LXLE team2012Ronnie
Nanolinux RAM: 64 MB (2017) [37]

CPU: 486

SLWM on Nano-XTiny Core Linux; [38] MicroCore Linux with BusyBox.19 MBLightweight, Runs on RAM, advanced2015Georg Potthast-Georg Potthast
OpenWrt CPU: x86 and over 50 router platforms

RAM: 32 MB (2018) [39] 64 MB recommended

None (headless server) - Includes LuCI admin UI [40] -opkg6 MBSOHO Routers2023 [41] OpenWrt developers2004
PCLinuxOS

CPU: 64-bit (from 2016)

RAM: 2 GB (2020) [42]

KDE, MATE, XFCEMandrakeAPT-RPM1000-3800 MBLive2020Bill Reynolds2003Bill Reynolds
Peppermint Linux OS

CPU: x86

RAM: 1 GB.
4 GB recommended [43]

XFCEDebian, DevuanAPT1332 MBdesktop2023 [44] Peppermint, LLC2010Peppermint, LLC
Porteus

CPU: 32 bit

RAM: 36 MB [45]

(multiple)SlackwareUSM260 MB (LxQt)lightweight, portable (with persistence) [20] 2022 [46] Porteus2010Fanthom
Puppy Linux

RAM: 256 MB (2017) [47]

JWM-2.3.2Ubuntu LTS from Puppy 6Puppy Package Manager234 MB (Slacko) [48] portable (with persistence), [20] lightweight [49] 2023 [50] Puppy Foundation2003Barry Kauler
Salix OS

RAM: 512 MB

CPU: Intel Pentium III 1 GHz [51]

Hard drive: 8 GB

MATE, KDE, Xfce, Fluxbox, OpenboxSlackwareslapt-get613 MB (Fluxbox), 852 MB (MATE live) [52] desktop2022 [53] George Vlahavas2009George Vlahavas, Thorsten Mühlfelder and Cyrille Pontvieux
Slax

RAM:256MB

without web browser

KDE till Slax 8
Fluxbox since Slax 9		Slackware till Slax 8
Debian from Slax 9		APT226 MB [54] portable2023 [55] Tomas Matejicek2002Tomas Matejicek
SliTaz

RAM:

24 MB loram-cdrom [56]

128 MB loram

256 MB standard

 Openbox -TazPkg50 MBPortable. Live (no persistence by default) [57] 2021dev team2008Christophe Lincoln
Tiny Core Linux

CPU: 486DX

RAM: 46 MB [58]

FLTK/FLWMTiny Core Linuxappbrowser (GUI) tce (CLI)11 MB (Core), 16 MB (TinyCore), 106 MB (CorePlus)portable, advanced2023 [59] Tiny Core team2009Robert Shingledecker
Tiny SliTaz

CPU: 386

RAM: 4 MB

8 MB recommended

None (VNC viewer or headless server)SliTazTiny SliTaz WEB site [60] Down to 800 KB, likely a 1.44 MB floppyPortable. Live (no persistence by default)2021dev team2016Pascal Bellard
Trisquel Mini

RAM: 256 MB

CPU: 64-bit CPU for latest version [61]

LXDE Ubuntu LTSAPT1200 MB Free software: desktop2023 [62] Rubén Rodríguez Pérez (quidam)2005Rubén Rodríguez Pérez (quidam)
TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library

RAM: 256 MB 2017 [63]

None (headless server) - Includes Webmin admin UIDebian (a minified base) [64] dpkg212 MB (Core)Lightweight headless server [65] 2020TurnKey Linux team2008Alon Swartz, Liraz Siri
VectorLinux Light

RAM:

64 MB Light edition

96 MB Standard

256MB Live [66]

Several / IceWMSlackwareslapt-get618 MBDesktop2017-2001-
Void Linux

CPU: ARMv6

Pentium 4 (SSE2)

RAM: 96 MB

Hard drive: 350 MB [67]

Xfce, or none [68] -XBPS250 MB (i686, without desktop environment)Desktop/embedded2022 (rolling release)Void Linux Team, Void Linux Community2008Juan Romero Pardines
Xubuntu CPU: Intel/AMD 64bit

RAM: 1 GB

Hard drive: 8.6 GB [69]

XfceUbuntuAPT1660 MBlightweight desktop2023 [70] Xubuntu team2008Xubuntu team
Zenwalk XfceSlackwarenetpkg974 MBdesktop2020 [71] development team2004 Jean-Philippe Guillemin
DistributionMinimum system requirementsDesktop / Window managerBased on Package manager Image sizePurposeLatest release yearMaintainerCreatedFounder

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linux distribution</span> Operating system based on the Linux kernel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xfce</span> Desktop environment

Xfce or XFCE is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slax</span> Linux distribution

Slax is a LiveCD Linux distribution developed by Tomáš Matějíček and based on upstream customizable Linux distributions. Packages can be added by apt package manager or can be prepared as modules. The tagline for Slax refers to itself as "your pocket operating system".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubuntu</span> Linux distribution developed by Canonical

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed mostly of free and open-source software. Ubuntu is officially released in multiple editions: Desktop, Server, and Core for Internet of things devices and robots. The operating system is developed by the British company Canonical, and a community of other developers, under a meritocratic governance model. As of October 2023, the most-recent release is 23.10, and the current long-term support release is 22.04.

Technical variations of Linux distributions include support for different hardware devices and systems or software package configurations. Organizational differences may be motivated by historical reasons. Other criteria include security, including how quickly security upgrades are available; ease of package management; and number of packages available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xubuntu</span> Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, utilizing the Xfce desktop environment

Xubuntu is a Canonical Ltd.–recognized, community-maintained derivative of the Ubuntu operating system. The name Xubuntu is a portmanteau of Xfce and Ubuntu, as it uses the Xfce desktop environment, instead of Ubuntu's customized GNOME desktop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LXDE</span> Lightweight desktop environment for Linux and BSD

LXDE is a free desktop environment with comparatively low resource requirements. This makes it especially suitable for use on older or resource-constrained personal computers such as netbooks or system on a chip computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lubuntu</span> Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, utilizing the LXQt desktop environment

Lubuntu is a lightweight Linux distribution based on Ubuntu and uses the LXQt desktop environment in place of Ubuntu's GNOME desktop. Lubuntu was originally touted as being "lighter, less resource hungry and more energy-efficient", but now aims to be "a functional yet modular distribution focused on getting out of the way and letting users use their computer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint OS</span> Linux computer operating system

Peppermint OS is a Linux distribution based on Debian and Devuan Stable, and formerly based on Ubuntu. It uses the Xfce desktop environment. It aims to provide a familiar environment for newcomers to Linux, which requires relatively low hardware resources to run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porteus (operating system)</span> Portable operating system based on the Linux distribution Slackware

Porteus is a portable operating system based on Slackware. It does not require installation and can be run from fixed and removable media, such as a USB flash drive or compact disc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LightDM</span> Free, open-source X display manager

LightDM is a free and open-source X display manager that aims to be lightweight, fast, extensible and multi-desktop. It can use various front-ends to draw the user interface, also called Greeters. It also supports Wayland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leafpad</span> Lightweight text editor

Leafpad is a free and open-source graphical text editor for Linux, Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), and Maemo that is similar to the Microsoft Windows program Notepad. Created with the focus of being a lightweight text editor with minimal dependencies, it is designed to be simple-to-use and easy-to-compile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmabuntüs</span> Linux distribution based on Ubuntu

Emmabuntüs is a Linux distribution derived from Debian and designed to facilitate the restoration of computers donated to humanitarian organizations like the Emmaüs Communities.

X2Go is open source remote desktop software for Linux that uses a modified NX 3 protocol. X2Go gives remote access to a Linux system's graphical user interface. It can also be used to access Windows systems through a proxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linux Lite</span> Linux distribution based on Ubuntu created by a team led by Jerry Bezencon

Linux Lite is a Linux distribution based on Debian and Ubuntu created by a team of programmers led by Jerry Bezencon. Created in 2012, it uses a customized implementation of Xfce as its desktop environment, and runs on the main Linux kernel.

Ubuntu is a Debian-based Linux distribution for personal computers, tablets and smartphones, where the Ubuntu Touch edition is used; and also runs network servers, usually with the Ubuntu Server edition, either on physical or virtual servers or with containers, that is with enterprise-class features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mousepad (software)</span> Text editing software

Mousepad is a graphical text editor written for Xfce, a Linux desktop environment. The program has a small footprint, similar to Leafpad, but has additional features such as plugins, search history and automatic reloading. The name Mousepad is derived from the mouse in Xfce's logo.

References

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