AxOS

Overview

AxOS is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, using a rolling release model. Designed with beauty, power, and community-driven principles in mind, it aims to provide users with an enhanced Linux experience. Maintained by an independent team of developers and hosted at axos-project.com and GitHub, it supports the x86_64 architecture and is suitable for desktop devices, offering desktop environments such as KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE, and Cinnamon. AxOS uses a custom package manager, Epsilon, and integrates with the official Arch repository and the Arch User Repository (AUR). It emphasizes an elegant user interface, customization, and performance optimizations. While inheriting Arch's flexibility, it reduces the learning curve through pre-configured features and aesthetic optimizations, making it suitable for users migrating from Windows or macOS, as well as developers seeking a visually appealing experience.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • May 2024: The AxOS project was launched by an independent team of developers as an enhanced version of Arch Linux, aiming to combine Arch's power with an elegant user experience.
  • Inspired by Arch Linux's flexibility and community-driven approach, it was optimized for a more beautiful and user-friendly desktop system.
• Development History:
  • May 20, 2024: First introduction of AxOS, redefining the state of the art of Linux.
  • December 24, 2024: LiveCD overview video released, showcasing AxOS's live mode.
  • June 1, 2025: AxOS 25.06 released, introducing the custom package manager Epsilon and supporting both the AUR and Arch repositories.
  • July 3, 2025: A YouTube review video highlights AxOS's amazing experience.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by an independent team, hosted at axos-project.com and GitHub.
  • Supports English and some Chinese (depending on the desktop environment). Documentation includes installation guides and customization.
  • A Reddit user calls AxOS "an aesthetic version of Arch."
• Open Source License:
  • GPL v3 (core scripts), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

AxOS is designed for desktop users, with aesthetic optimization, Epsilon package management, and Arch compatibility at its core. Here are its key features:

1. KDE Plasma and Other Desktops
   • Supports KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE, and Cinnamon, providing a beautiful, modern interface.
2. Epsilon Package Manager
   • Epsilon is a custom package manager that supports the official Arch repository and the Arch Archive (AUR), enabling one-click search and installation.
3. Rolling Update Model
   • Based on Arch's rolling updates, ensuring the latest packages.
4. Performance Optimization
   • Inherits Arch's performance, occupies approximately 600MB of RAM, and supports Wayland.
5. Security and Privacy
   • Supports the ufw firewall and ZFS.
6. Development Support
   • Inherits Arch's AUR, supporting Python, Node.js, and more.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• Beautiful Design:
  • Refined interface surpasses Arch Linux's minimalism.
  • X post claims, "AxOS 25.06's Epsilon package manager makes Arch even simpler."
• Community-Driven:
  • Independent project, providing flexibility.
• Rolling Updates:
  • Latest software, suitable for development.
• Multiple Desktop Support:
  • Options such as KDE.
• Performance:
  • Inherits Arch's efficiency.

Limitations

• New Release:
  • Launched in 2024, with less community and documentation than Arch Linux.
• Stability:
  • Rolling updates can be unstable, better than Debian's Siduction but not as good as Ubuntu LTS.
• ARM Support:
  • No official ARM version, not as good as Raspberry Pi OS.

Summary

AxOS is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Arch Linux. The latest version, 25.06 (June 1, 2025), is based on Arch Linux, with kernel 6.9 and support for the x86_64 architecture. It's designed with a beautiful, powerful, and community-driven core, offering desktops like KDE Plasma and GNOME. AxOS's Epsilon package management and aesthetics stand out, but its community is small and its stability relies on Arch.