Here’s the Deal

Devuan GNU+Linux vs Guix

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When comparing Devuan GNU+Linux vs Guix, the Slant community recommends Devuan GNU+Linux for most people. In the question“What are the best Linux distros that don't use systemd?” Devuan GNU+Linux is ranked 1st while Guix is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose Devuan GNU+Linux is:

It is stable like Debian.

Specs

Based OnDebian

Default Desktop EnvironmentXFCE

Init-SystemSysVinit, runit or OpenRC

OS FamilyGNU/Linux

OriginWorldwide

Release TypeBinary

Initial Release2016

Main UsageServers, Industry(Stable/Oldstable) | Desktop, Multimedia(Testing/Unstable)

Official Supported Architecturesaarch64, armel, armhf, i386, ppc64le, amd64

Package Managerdpkg with apt, aptitude or apt-build

Release ScheduleLong-term support (stable edition) and rolling release (testing and unstable editions)

Based OnN/A

Default Desktop EnvironmentGNOME

Init-SystemGNU Shepherd

OS FamilyGNU/Linux

OriginUSA

Release Type?

Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking

Common Questions

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

What are the best operating systems for advanced users?

What are the best Linux distributions for programming?

Pros

Pro
Stability

It is stable like Debian.

Pro
It's Debian

Devuan is Debian just without systemd, it just mirrors the the Debian archive and repacks packages that have hard dependencies on systemd.

Pro
Excellent for normal people

It is easy to use and is a good choice for beginners.

Pro
No Systemd

Pro
Most decent look amongst other XFCE distros

Default XFCE theme is unique of all the XFCE distos including MXLinux, Xubuntu etc.

Pro
Atomic package management without bloated init/supervision systems

For those with a clear focused concept of what is wanted, after building, the build can be replicated in a blink on countless machines. Both GUIX and shephard are complex but also a breath of fresh air.

Pro
Secure rootless installation

While the whole system can be configured using a declarative file with sufficient privileges. Users can install any package in their own local profile with a single command without root.

Pro
A truly advanced operating system

Solves modern problems of software management in one concise, coherent, and fully integrated system.

Ad
Cons

Con
Difficult to install on non-free hardware

Unlike Debian, Devuan offers no unfree netinstall media, so if your system needs unfree drivers (e.g a laptop or a tablet), you'll have to download the Debian firmware on a separate USB.

Con
No systemd

Con
Fragmentation

Forked distributions like Devuan and Artix fragment the Linux community and hurt the original project. Debian users who do not want systemd should use Slackware or BSD instead.