What are the best Linux distros that don't use systemd?

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Jul 8, 2019

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3 Options Considered

Best Linux distros that don't use systemd	Price	Default Desktop Environment	Based On
-- Gentoo Linux	-	CLI	None
-- Void Linux	Free	XFCE, Cinnamon, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQt, MATE	N/A
-- Alpine Linux	-	N/A	LEAF Project

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score 2 · Answer 1

Gentoo Linux

Top Pro

Full control of the software

You build the package from a source you can see and read. You decide which features you want to build in and which aren't needed. You can choose build options, optimisation and whatever else fancy stuff you want modified. With a binary distribution this simply isn't possible. See More

Specs

Default Desktop Environment:CLI

Based On:None

Init-System:OpenRC

Release Schedule:Rolling

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Top Pro

Can be officially systemd-free

Gentoo's default init system is OpenRC. Gentoo also officially supports systemd-free Gnome and udev. Users are free to choose any init system they want. See More

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score 1 · Answer 2

Void Linux

Top Pro

Runit init system

An init system with the "do one thing and do it right" mentality. Void Linux does not support systemd. See More

Specs

Default Desktop Environment:XFCE, Cinnamon, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQt, MATE

Based On:N/A

Init-System:runit

Release Schedule:Rolling

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score 1 · Answer 3

Alpine Linux

Top Pro

Uses OpenRC Init

Because Alpine is designed to be small, It takes off the large systemd init and uses OpenRC. This is a distribution that allows people to write services in regular shell scripts. This is a simple tradeoff to be small and lightweight. See More

Top Con

Small package database

Specs

Default Desktop Environment:N/A

Based On:LEAF Project

Release Schedule:Rolling

Init-System:OpenRC

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Top Pro

Built on musl libc

musl is a POSIX-compliant C Library, which is static-linking efficient, stable ABI, and conforms to the POSIX C11 standard. It is smaller than glibc, making it a perfect Library for minimal Linux distributions See More

Top Pro

Alpine Package Manager is very straightforward

apk or the Alpine Package Manager is very straightforward, when adding a package ( apk add) or removing a package ( apk del ), it never asks for your confirmation, and just assumes you want it installed. See More

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What are the best Linux distros that don't use systemd?

3 Options Considered

Gentoo Linux

My Recommendation for Gentoo Linux

My Recommendation for Gentoo Linux

Full control of the software

Can be officially systemd-free

Void Linux

My Recommendation for Void Linux

My Recommendation for Void Linux

Runit init system

Alpine Linux

My Recommendation for Alpine Linux

My Recommendation for Alpine Linux

Uses OpenRC Init

Small package database

Built on musl libc

Alpine Package Manager is very straightforward

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