Remember that massive Debian family tree thread? It officially has a home on my Codeberg now.

I have cleaned it up, fixed the links, and organized it so it is easier to navigate. If you are looking for a non-Ubuntu Debian based distro, this is a decent place to start.

View the list here: https://codeberg.org/resplendent606/terminal-tilt/src/branch/main/docs/debian-distros.md

Pull Requests are welcome, or you can just tell me here.

RE: https://climatejustice.social/@resplendent606/115788867728385803

#Debian #GNULinux #GNU #Linux #Privacy #SysAdmin #Tech #OpenSource #LMDE #LinuxMint #Mint #MXLinux #Deepin #PeppermintOS #antiX #SparkyLinux #BunsenLabs #Elive #AVLinux #NeptuneOS #KaliLinux #Kali #Tails #Whonix #Proxmox #OpenMediaVault #GRML #FINNIX #Knoppix #RaspberryPi #Pi #VyOS #Devuan #PureOS #Nitrux #EndlessOS #Emmabuntüs #Siduction #Bashcore #VanillaOS #TrueNAS #TrueNASScale #WindowMakerLive #Neptune #blendOS #crunchbang #Mobian #Droidian #FuriOS #LuneOS #Slax

Cookie monster!

I love using Debian. I think it is so interesting that so many distros have been or currently are based on Debian. While I prefer vanillia Debian, I wanted to list all of the Debian based distros (non-Ubuntu) I know of and categorize them based on what makes them unique.

Daily Drivers (Ease of use):

LMDE - Linux Mint + Debian, no Ubuntu, Mint polish
MX Linux - MXTools is helpful
Deepin - Beautiful, preconfigured desktop, from China.
Peppermint_OS – Lightweight, cloud integrated, snappy
Neptune - Polished KDE Plasma on stable Debian w/newer kernels.
SpiralLinux – Pure Debian with modern defaults (Btrfs, ZRAM).
SolydXK – Simplified XFCE/KDE desktops for stability.
Lingmo OS / Mauna Linux / Br OS - Recent, beautiful desktops (China/Brazil)

Modern/Atomic (Immutable):

Vanilla OS - Atomic updates, can run Fedora/Arch apps via Apx.
blendOS - Atomic, lets you choose DE (KDE, XFCE, etc), can install applications from other Linux distros.
Nitrux - Immutable, no systemd (OpenRC), Maui shell, immutable, heavy reliance on AppImage

High Performance and Gaming:

Siduction - Rolling release based on Debian Sid.
SparkyLinux - Great for gaming, newer drivers.
PikaOS - Gaming with high-performance kernel opimizations.

Multimedia/Creative:

AV Linux (MX Edition) – Preconfigured w/low-latency kernel for audio production.

Minimalist:

BashCore - Ultra minimalist, branding free CLI environment.
Slax - Modular, tiny, runs from a USB stick.

Performance and Old Hardware (Lightweight):

antiX - No systemd, runs on a toaster (256MB RAM)
CrunchBang++ (#!++)- Minimalist, Debian + Openbox, continuation of original Crunchbang.
BunsenLabs - minimalist OpenBox, keyboard centric.
Window Maker Live - 90s NeXTSTEP look, fast, retro.
Puppy Linux (DPup) - Runes entirely on RAM, fast.
Elive - Enlightenment desktop, high-end looks for 20 year old hardware.
Damn Small Linux - Stays under 700MB.
wattOS - Low power consumption and simplicity.
Q4OS – Trinity desktop, can mimic Windows XP/7.
Commodore OS Vision - Retro computing aesthetic.

Security, Privacy, and Stealth:

Qubes OS - Isolates everything inside Xen VMs, has Debian and Fedora as default templates.
Tails - Amnesic "Snowden" OS, leaves no trace on hardware.
Whonix - Extreme privacy via dual-VM gateway/workstation.
Kodachi - Hardened, pre-routed live OS alternative to Tails.
Septor – Surf the web anonymously.
Kicksecure - Hardened Debian layer (the base for Whonix).

IT and SysAdmin Toolbox:

Kali Linux/Parrot OS - "Hackerman" suites for penetration testing.
GParted Live/Dr. Parted - Disk partitioning
Grml/Finnix/Knoppix - "Oh Shit Buttons", emergency ktis for broken PCs.
SysLinuxOS/Kaisen - Built for network admins and system integrators.

Servers, Cloud, and Self Hosting:

Proxmox VE - Server, machine host for VMs
TrueNAS Scale - NAS, built for ZFS storage and applications.
OpenMediaVault - Turns old hardwrae into NAS
umbrelOS/StartOS/YunoHost - self-host your own cloud.
Univention (UCS) - Professional Debian for corporate identity mangement.

Network & Radio Engineering:

Live Raizo – Specialized lab environment for network admins to simulate and experiment with complex network topologies (integrated with GNS3).
Skywave Linux – Built for Software Defined Radio (SDR) and shortwave enthusiasts. Preconfigured with specific drivers and software needed to communicate on the airwaves.
VyOS – Network OS for routers and firewalls.

Embedded, IoT, and Media:

Raspberry Pi OS - OS specifically for Raspberry Pi
DietPi - lightweight, optimized base for hobbyist boards.
OSMC - Turn hardware into dedicated Kodi media center.
LinuxCNC - Controls heavy machinery and 3D printers.

Mobile Distros:

Mobian - Debian for phones and tablets.
PureOS - FSF endorsed, famous for Librem 5 convergence.
Droidian - Allows Debian to run on standard Android hardware.
LuneOS - Spiritual successor to Palm webOS.
FuriOS – OS for the FuriLabs FLX1, includes Waydroid.

Philosopy and Geopolitics:

Devuan - Protest against systemd
Endless OS/Emmabuntüs - Built for schools and developing world.
Astra/BOSS/Pardus/UOS - State sponsored distros (RU,IN,TR,CN).
openKylin - Community version of China's Kylin OS.

You could also consider Debian Pureblends, like Debian Med and Debian Edu.

Did I miss any? Please let me know, I will edit the list. Thank you!

#Debian #GNULinux #GNU #Linux #Privacy #SysAdmin #Tech #OpenSource #LMDE #LinuxMint #Mint #MXLinux #Deepin #PeppermintOS #antiX #SparkyLinux #BunsenLabs #Elive #AVLinux #NeptuneOS #KaliLinux #Kali #Tails #Whonix #Proxmox #OpenMediaVault #GRML #FINNIX #Knoppix #RaspberryPi #Pi #VyOS #Devuan #PureOS #Nitrux #EndlessOS #Emmabuntüs #Siduction #Bashcore #VanillaOS #TrueNAS #TrueNASScale #WindowMakerLive #Neptune #blendOS #crunchbang #Mobian #Droidian #FuriOS #LuneOS #Slax

Introduction to blendOS - blendOS

Post-install guide for new users, advanced users, and Arch Linux users.

Battle of the immutable operating systems: choose your fighter!

Opensuse MicroOS/Aeon/Kalpa
Fedora CoreOS/Silverblue/Bazzite/Aurora/Bluefin
VanillaOS
BlendOS
NixOS
Guix
MocaccinoOS
Nitrux
Im sure I missed some

#NixOS #guix #VanillaOS #BlendOS #MocaccinoOS #nitrux #bazzite #opensuse #immutable

Used a Steamdeck, without having a Steamdeck 😜

Spend some time today updating and running BlendOS, an immutable Arch distro.

You start out with Gnome, but of course I made my own system.yaml file, running KDE 6.4.3 into which you swap by rebooting.

Very nice, rock solid (just like the Steamdeck) and Arch btw 😎

#blendos

So I'm kinda liking the idea of a #Declarative OS - that is, one where I can edit a config file (or whatever) to indicate the basic system setup, apps, gsettings (since I'm a Gnomie) and so on. Then hit "Update" or "Deploy" or whatever, reboot, and there's the system, as specified.

THEN... I can take that file over to another computer and BOOM, same setup, same apps, same basic desktop setup, etc.

#BlendOS does this with an easily editable yaml file. #NixOS does this with a .nix file that is significantly more complicated, but also more powerful.

Anyone know any other OSes like that?

For those coming from #Windows, I'd recommend either #KDEPlasma or the #Deepin desktop. The one caveat to using #blendOS is that I wouldn't recommend it for users with very little computer skills. If you know your way around Windows well enough (as in, you've used it for a long time and are comfortable with most aspects of the OS), you shouldn't have much trouble with blendOS. The only thing you won't find out-of-the-box is Wine (for Windows apps) or Steam (for games), but you can install both!
You can also enable #Android app support as well as #dnf (the Fedora package manager) support from within the System app. Because #blendOS is immutable, the chances of you wrecking the OS are slim. Additionally, you can select a version with #GNOME, #KDEPlasma, #Xfce, #Cinnamon, #Deepin, #MATE, or #LXQt.

#blendOS
"Slightly #Windows11-like but also immutable"

blendOS might not be on your radar, but it should be. Not only does this #Linux distribution bear a slight resemblance to #Windows11, but it's also immutable (meaning it's very secure) and includes several options for installing apps. You'll find #pacman, apt, #Flatpak, #Podman, and even #blendOS's own unique "blend" tool.

The 4 Most Windows-like #Linux Distributions to Try

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-4-most-windows-like-linux-distros-to-try-because-change-is-hard/

#KDENeon
#LinuxMint
#ZorinOS
#blendOS

#Windows10 end of life is coming in #2025 and that means you have to hope your machine can run #Windows11, buy a new computer, or try something different -- like Linux.

Linux shouldn't be considered a last-choice alternative, either, because it's every bit equal to Windows or #MacOS. It's reliable, secure, user-friendly, and free. What more do you want?

The 4 most Windows-like Linux distros to try because change is hard

If you're still using Windows 10, you know the end is nigh. If you want to keep your machine running smoothly and feeling familiar, check out these Linux distros.

ZDNET