When comparing Linux From Scratch vs Funtoo, the Slant community recommends Funtoo for most people. In the question“What are the best Linux distributions for desktops?” Funtoo is ranked 32nd while Linux From Scratch is ranked 63rd. The most important reason people chose Funtoo is:
The profile system improves portage's usability without losing the soul of Gentoo.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Best for learning the components, libraries and configurations of the whole system one-by-one
It is an opportunity for the learner to learn what's behind every piece of program in the system, because you will install and configure all the packages manually. It is also as an advantage to expand your knowledge by searching the possibilities of crafting your unique flavor, for example your own package manager and update schemes.
Pro For those who wonder what it takes to create an actual Linux distribution
It's a very useful learning experience; showing the user what is required and in what order, to obtain a running Linux system - from the inside out.
Pro Like Gentoo but more streamlined
The profile system improves portage's usability without losing the soul of Gentoo.
Pro Use flags that are suitable for a task or environment are grouped into Profiles
It allows selecting, for example, gnome or desktop profile with most of the sane use flags enabled inside the profile.
Pro Portage tree split into kits
This allows more fine-grained control over package updates, and packages can be now tied together inside the kit to minimize dependency breakage while upgrading.
Pro `boot-update` to take care of bootloader configuration
A tool to update your grub config.
Pro Funtoo Linux offers a variety of stage3 builds
Customized to a variety of CPU microarchitecture variants from AMD, ARM, and Intel.
Pro Stage3 sources are built using the Funtoo Linux tool 'metro'
It's a sophisticated replacement for Gentoo's build tool 'catalyst'.
Pro Uses GIt instead of Rsync
THis makes updates so much faster!
Pro Stage3 archive coming with pre-compiled kernel based on Debian's kernel
Pro Simpler template-based network configuration
Cons
Con Not recommended for Beginners
By creating a Linux system from scratch you will be managing and compiling all of the systems packages by hand, so advanced Linux knowledge is recommended.
Con Takes a while to create the system. Only for those people who would like to create their very own distribution, or just to understand what makes a Linux system tick.
Linux From Scratch, requires the user to download and compile, all the various required system libraries and programs in a ch-rooted environment. This is usually done from within an existing and already running Linux system. This is not really a con, just a note to the new user.