Mainstream OS is an Arch Linux-based distribution built around the Hyprland Wayland compositor and a heavily modified version of end-4’s illogical-impulse Quickshell desktop shell.
It provides graphical tools for configuring monitors, themes, key bindings, networking, software and updates. Its Material You theming can recolour the desktop from a selected image or video wallpaper, while complete themes can be saved and scheduled.
Installation is handled by Calamares, with support for full-disk encryption and dual-boot configurations. The distribution uses Btrfs snapshots and Limine to provide rollback from the boot menu. Its ISO images and Pacman repository are cryptographically signed.
Key Features
- Provides a customised Quickshell desktop shell.
- Includes a graphical settings application for common configuration tasks.
- Material You theming generated from image or video wallpapers.
- Supports saved themes and scheduled day and night themes.
- Graphical management of monitors, scaling, refresh rates and variable refresh rate.
- Provides several per-workspace window layouts.
- Calamares installer with full-disk encryption and dual-boot support.
- Uses a GPG-signed Pacman package repository.
- Creates a Btrfs snapshot before each system update.
- Supports rollback from the Limine boot menu.
- Gaming Mode provides a Steam Big Picture session using gamescope.
- Includes graphical management of native packages and Flatpak applications.
- Available in an edition supporting older NVIDIA graphics hardware.
| Working state: | Active |
| Desktop: | Hyprland |
| Init Software: | systemd |
| Package Management: | Pacman |
| Release Model: | Rolling |
| Platforms: | x86_64 |
| Home Page: | mainstreamos.org |
| Developer: | Greg Martin |
| This article is part of our Big List of Active Linux Distributions. |
What's a Linux distribution ("distro")? |
| 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. |
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