Last Updated on May 3, 2026
A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system.
Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies.
Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros.
We also maintain a list that can be filtered.
Is there an actively maintained Linux distribution missing from the list below? Complete our form.
A
AbeirOS, Accessible-Coconut, AçorOS, AcreetionOS, Adélie, Aeon Desktop, AerynOS, AfagOS, AgarimOS, Alien-OS , AlmaLinux, Almighty, Alpine, ALT, AnduinOS, antiX, AnuBitux, Arch, ArchBang, Archcraft, ArchEX, Archium, Archman, arcOS, Argent, Arkane, Armbian, Artix, Asmi, Athena, Aurora, Austrumi, AV, AXEM-SX, AxOS
B
Backbox, BashCore, Batocera.linux, Bazzite, Bedrock, Beserk Arch, Besgnulinux, Berry, BRGV-OS, BigLinux, BlackArch, Blade OS, BlankOn, blendOS, Bluefin, BlueOnyx, Bluestar, Bodhi, BOSS, Br OS, BredOS, BunsenLabs, Butterbian
C
CachyOS, CAINE, Calam Arch Installer, Calculate, Canaima, Catbird, CatOS, Cerberix, Chimera, ChimeraOS, Clear NDR, Commodore OS, Coyote, CROWZ, Crunchbangplusplus, CRUX, CuerdOS, CutefishOS, Cyrethium
D
dahliaOS, Damn Small Linux, Daphile, DAT, Debian, Debian Pixel, DebLight OS, Deblinux, deepin, DEKUVE, DeLinuxCo, DESERT OS, Devuan, Diamond, DietPi, Ditana, DragonOS, Dragora, Drauger OS, Dr.Parted Live, Duff Linux, Dynebolic, d77void
E
EasyNAS, EasyOS, Edubuntu, ELEGANCE, elementary OS, Elive, Eliza, eLxr, ElysiaOS, Emmabuntüs, EndeavourOS, Endless OS, ENux, Escuelas, Essora Eos, EterTICs, Evernight Vista, Exe, Exherbo, Expirion, ExTiX, extrox, Ezarcher
F
Fatdog64, Fedora, Fedora KDE, Feren OS, Finnix, Fishy, FlickOS, FLinux, FLOPPINUX, Flora, Fluff, FreedomBox, Freespire, FunOS, FUSS, FydeOS, FyshOS, F3OS
G
gabeeOSLinux, Garuda, GeckoLinux, Gentoo, Genuen, Glacia OS, GLF OS, GNOME OS, Gnoppix, GoboLinux, Gooroom Platform, GParted Live, Great-OS , Grml, GuideOS, Guix System, GXDE OS
H
HackerOS, Halwan, HamonirKR, Hardened Slarpx, Hos OS, Huayra, HydraPWK, Hyperbola
I
iDeal OS, IncreaseOS, iodéOS, IPFire
J
K
Kader⁴², Kaisen, Kali, Kamuriki LGX, KANOTIX, KaOS, KDE Linux, KDE neon, Kicksecure, Kiro, KNOPPIX, Kodachi, KolibriOS, Kubuntu, Kucing7, Kumander, Kwort
L
LainOS, Lakka, LangitKetujuh OS, LastOSLinux, LazyLinux, Lernstick, LiaisonOS, LibraZiK, LibreElec, Lilidog, LineageOS, Linexin, Lingmo, Linux From Scratch, Linux Kamarada, Linux KDu, Linux Schools, LinuxConsole, Linuxfx, LinuxHub Prime, Linux Lite, Linux Q83, Live Raizo, Liya, LliureX, Loc-OS, Luberri, Lubuntu, ludora, LXLE
M
Mabox, Macaroni OS, Mageia, MagOS, mAid, Malbian, MakuluLinux, Manjaro, Maple, Mariposa Rescue Disk, Mauna, MAX, MaxOr OS, Melawy, Milis, MiniOS, Mint, Miracle, ML4W OS, Mobian, MocaccinoOS, MODICIA, MODOS, MoltOS, Murena, MX
N
nakeDeb, NawaOS, NebiOS, Neko-Void, Nemesis, Neptune, NethSecurity, Netrunner, Nitrux, NixOS, Nobara, Noid, Nova, NST, NuTyX, Nyarch
O
Obarun, ObsidianOS, Omarchy, OmegaLinux, OnixOS, OpenBosniana, OpenELEC, openEuler, openKylin, openmamba, OpenMandriva Lx, openmediavault, openRuyi, openSUSE, OpenWrt, Open Secure-K OS, Oreon, Orion Os, OSGeoLive, OSMC, OsoLinux, OviOS
P
paldo, PakOS, Parabola, Parch, Pardus, ParrotOS, PBXware, PCLinuxOS, Pearl, pearOS, PelandukOS, PelicanHPC, Pentoo, Peppermint OS, Peropesis, Peux OS, PikaOS, PimersusOS, Pisi, Planeta Tecno OS, PLD, Plop, PluriOS, Policorp, Pop!_OS, Porteus, PorteuX, PrimTux, Puppy, PureOS
Q
Qlustar, Quarkos, Qubes OS, Quirinux, Q4OS
R
Radxa OS, Raspberry Pi OS, RebeccaBlackOS, Recalbox, Redcore, Refracta, RefreshOS, Regata, RebornOS, Redcore, RengeOS, Rhino, risiOS, rlxOS, ROCKNIX, Rocky, ROSA, RSOS
S
Salix, Sculpt OS, SDesk, Securonis, Shanios, Shift OS, ShredOS, ShrikeLinux, Side, siduction, Slackel, Slackware, Slax, Sleeper OS, Slimbook, Slint, SliTaz, SME Server, Smoothwall Express, Snal, Solus, SolydXK, Soplos, SparkyLinux, SpiralLinux, Spirit OS, StartOS, SteamFork, stillOS, StormOS, StratOS, Super Lite, Synex, SysLinuxOS
T
Tails, TeaLinuxOS, TigerOS, TileOS, Tiny Core, Tiny Desktop Linux, TravelerOS, Tribblix, Trisquel, TROMjaro, Tsurugi, Tucana, TUXEDO OS, T2
U
Ubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Cinnamon, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu Lorimi, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Pack, Ubuntu Studio, Ubuntu Sway, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Unity, UbuntuDDE, Ufficio Zero, UHU-Linux, Ultimate Edition, Ultramarine, Uruk
V
VailuxOS, Vanilla, Vanilla Dpup, Vendefoul Wolf, Venom, Vinari, Vincent OS, Vine, Vipnix, Vitalinux, Void, Volumio, Voyager, VyOS
W
wattOS, Whonix, Wifislax, Window Maker Live , Winux
X
Xebian, Ximper, XIVA Studio, Xray_OS, Xubuntu
Y
Z
ZelixOS, Zenned, ZenLake OS, Zentyal Server, Zenwalk, Zephix, ZestISO, ZimaOS, Zorin OS
0-9
Non-Linux, Open Source or Unix-Like Operating Systems
BSD Router Project, ClonOS, DragonFly BSD, DynFi, FreeBSD, FuguIta, GhostBSD, Haiku, HardenedBSD, illumos, MidnightBSD, NetBSD, NomadBSD, OmniOS CE, OpenBSD, OpenIndiana, pfSense, Redox, SmartOS, ToaruOS, XigmaNAS
Thanks Erik and our visitors for making this compilation possible.
Thanks for the list; it would be great if a short description of each distro could also be included. I.e. what each distro emphasizes or specializes in, such as: DAW, software development, entertainment, etc.
You can get a brief description from:
https://www.linuxlinks.com/category/distro/
Erik has compiled a list that can be filtered.
Why don’t you call it GNU/Linux?
Ultimately common usage wins. Most users, journalists, vendors, developers, and distributions say “Linux.” Language is partly defined by usage, and “Linux” is the name people actually recognize.
GNU made essential contributions to many traditional Linux distributions, but ‘Linux’ is the conventional, widely understood name for the operating system family, and it’s more accurate across the whole ecosystem than ‘GNU/Linux’.
Here are other good reasons:
Not all Linux systems are GNU-based
Many major components come from outside GNU: the Linux kernel, X.Org or Wayland, KDE, GNOME, systemd, PipeWire, Mesa, LLVM, Firefox, LibreOffice, Docker, Kubernetes, and so on.
Calling the whole system “GNU/Linux” highlights one contributor while excluding many others.
For communication, especially with non-specialists, “Linux” is easier to say, easier to search, and less likely to require an explanation.
Across distributions, desktop environments, init systems, package managers, C libraries, shells, and userlands, the Linux kernel is the one defining technical component shared by the family.
GNU/Linux can sound politically prescriptive – Some people use “GNU/Linux” to make a philosophical point about GNU’s role and free software. That’s legitimate, but it doesn’t mean everyone else has to use the term in ordinary technical or editorial writing.
Distribution names already provide precision.
Linux is the kernel, but also the ecosystem shorthand.