From LQWiki

Linux is a kernel, in itself not an extremely useful piece of software to the user, but very important: it provides hardware resources management, and access to the hardware is necessary to get anything done, of course. To have a fully functional operating system, some basic software is needed as well. A GNU/Linux distribution is the complete package. Most modern distributions also come with graphical installers to help with the initial setup.

Contents 1 Special categories 2 Alphabetical distribution listing 3 Family-Tree distribution listing 4 See also 5 External links 5.1 Sites with distro lists

Special categories

• Live CD distributions
• Source distributions
• Firewall distributions
• Embedded Linux
• ISO CD Vendors
• Linux in Windows

Alphabetical distribution listing

• ALTLinux (EL)
• AMSEL
• Amigo Linux
• AndLinux
• Arch Linux
• Ark linux
• ASPLinux
• Aurox
• BackTrack
• BasicLinux
• BeatrIX
• BioKnoppix
• BlackMouse (EL)
• BLAG
• Buffalo
• cAos
• CentOS
• ClusterKnoppix
• CollegeLinux
• Conectiva
• Core Linux
• Crux
• DamnSmallLinux
• Debian
• DeLi Linux
• Devil-Linux
• DragonLinux
• Dyne:Bolic
• EzPlanet One
• Elive
• Feather
• Fedora
• Floppix
• FloppyFW
• Fnord Linux
• Foresight
• Freesco
• Freespire
• Frugalware
• G2Linx
• Gentoo
• Goodgoat
• Goppex
• Gnoppix
• GoboLinux
• IPCop
• IpodLinux
• Kanotix
• Kate OS
• KnopILS
• Knoppix
• Kubuntu
• Kurumin
• Libranet
• Linspire, formerly LindowsOS
• Linux From Scratch
• Lorma
• Lunar Linux
• Lycoris
• Mandriva, formerly Mandrake
• Mandows
• MEPIS
• Morphix
• muLinux
• Naked Lady
• Pardus
• Peanut
• Puppy Linux
• PCLinuxOS
• PHLAK
• PINUX
• PocketLinux
• Red Hat
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• ROCK Linux
• Rubyx
• Slackware
• SLAX
• SmoothWall
• SOL (Server Optimized Linux)
• SOT Linux
• Source Mage
• SPB-Linux
• Sun JDS
• SuSE
• SystemRescue
• Thiz
• tinysofa
• TopologiLinux
• Trustix Secure Linux
• TurboLinux
• Turkix
• Ubuntu Linux
• Ultima Linux
• Underground Desktop
• VectorLinux
• Vida Linux
• WHAX
• Whitebox Linux
• Yellow Dog Linux
• Yoper
• Xandros
• Zenwalk Linux formerly MiniSlack

Family-Tree distribution listing

• AMSEL
• Arch Linux
• Core Linux
• Crux
• Debian
  1. Corel Linux
     1. Xandros
  2. Floppix
  3. G2Linx
  4. Knoppix
     1. BioKnoppix
     2. ClusterKnoppix
     3. DamnSmallLinux
     4. Feather
     5. Gnoppix
     6. Kanotix
     7. KnopILS
     8. Kurumin
     9. MEPIS
     10. Morphix
         1. PHLAK
  5. Libranet
  6. Linspire, formerly LindowsOS
  7. Ubuntu
     1. BeatrIX
     2. MEPIS (since version 6.0)
     3. Edubuntu
     4. Kubuntu
     5. Xubuntu
     6. Flubuntu (for FluxBox users)
     7. Geubuntu
  8. Underground Desktop
• Devil-Linux
• Dyne:Bolic
• Gentoo
  1. SystemRescue
  2. Vida Linux
  3. Goppex
  4. Pardus
• GoboLinux
• IPCop
• IpodLinux
• Linux From Scratch
• Lunar Linux
• Lycoris
  1. Mandows
• muLinux
• Red Hat
  1. Ark linux
  2. Aurox
  3. BLAG
  4. cAos
  5. PINUX
  6. Conectiva
  7. Fedora
     1. ASPLinux
     2. tinysofa
  8. Lorma
  9. Mandrake
     1. PCLinuxOS
     2. ALTLinux
     3. Turkix
  10. Red Flag Linux (Chinese)
  11. Redhat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
      1. CentOS
      2. Whitebox_Linux
  12. SOT Linux
  13. Thiz
  14. Trustix Secure Linux
  15. TurboLinux
  16. Whitebox Linux
  17. Yellow Dog Linux
• ROCK Linux
• Rubyx
• Slackware
  1. Zenwalk Linux formerly MiniSlack
  2. Amigo Linux
  3. BasicLinux
  4. CollegeLinux
  5. DeLi Linux
  6. DragonLinux -- currently inactive
  7. Peanut
  8. PuppyLinux
  9. Slax
  10. Ultima Linux
  11. VectorLinux
  12. Buffalo
• SmoothWall
• SOL (Server Optimized Linux)
• Source Mage
• SPB-Linux
• SuSE
  1. Sun JDS
• Yoper

Don't know what distribution is right for you? See Choosing a Linux distribution.

See also

• Sites hosting or linking to ISO images
• ISO_CD_Vendors

External links

Sites with distro lists

• Linux.com Distrocenter (distrocenter.linux.com)

  Not a very long list but includes all the major distributions.

• Distromania.com (www.distromania.com)

  Extensive list of distros. Download links.

• Distrowatch-Distro Modification List (www.distrowatch.com)

  List of distros and the distros that span off from them

• Linux Distro Family Tree (www.kde-look.org)

  Graphical representation of the history of the distros

• Alphabetical list (www.distrowatch.org)

  With links to corresponding reviews, LQ forums, and more.

• Numerous Screenshots of Linux distributions (shots.linuxquestions.org)

• Linux.org (www.linux.org)

  Great site that includes a search tool that lets you search for distro based on language, platform, and category.

• osdir.com (www.osdir.com)

  Has screenshots of all Distros, GREAT BEFORE Picking one.

• Wikipedia List of Distributions (en.wikipedia.org)

  Exhaustive list with relativly independent reviews. Warning, some may no longer be actively maintained!