Bodhi Linux

Overview

Bodhi Linux is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Debian and Ubuntu. Designed with lightweight, elegant, and highly customizable core principles, it provides a productive experience for desktop users. Developed by the community, it ships with the Moksha desktop environment (a fork of Enlightenment) by default. It supports both x86_64 (64-bit) and i586 (32-bit non-PAE) architectures, making it suitable for older hardware or low-power devices. Bodhi Linux uses a fixed-release model, emphasizing a minimal system footprint (approximately 4-6 GB of disk space and 500-800 MB of RAM after installation). It comes pre-installed with lightweight applications such as Firefox, LibreOffice, and VLC, and supports Flatpak and Snap. The name "Bodhi" is derived from the Buddhist bodhi tree, symbolizing wisdom and enlightenment. The latest version is Bodhi Linux 7.0 (released in February 2024), based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, and supports Wayland and ZFS.

History and Development

• Origin:
  • 2011: Created by Jeff Hoogland as a derivative of Ubuntu, its goal was to provide a lightweight desktop based on Enlightenment to address Ubuntu's resource consumption issues.
  • Originally named Bodhi Linux 1.0, it was based on Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" and introduced the Moksha desktop (a stable fork of Enlightenment).
• Development History:
  • 2012-2015: Versions 2.0 to 3.0 were released, based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, optimizing Moksha and supporting more hardware.
  • 2016: Bodhi 4.0 was released, based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, introducing ARM support.
  • 2019: Bodhi 5.0 was based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, optimizing the Moksha interface and performance.
  • 2021: Bodhi 6.0, based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, adds experimental Wayland support.
  • February 2024: Bodhi Linux 7.0, based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish," features Moksha 0.3.4, Linux kernel 5.15, and ZFS and UEFI support.
  • 2025: Bodhi 8.0 is planned, based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, with support for more ARM devices and Wayland optimizations.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by Jeff Hoogland and the community, hosted at bodhilinux.com, GitHub, and forums (bodhilinux.boards.net). - Supports English and some Chinese (via Moksha setup). Documentation covers installation and Moksha customization.
  • A Reddit user called Bodhi "the best starting point for learning Enlightenment, lightweight and stable."
• Open Source Licenses:
  • GPL v2 (core), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

Bodhi Linux is lightweight, elegant, and built around the Moksha desktop, making it suitable for desktop users and developers. Here are its key features:

1. Moksha Desktop Environment
   • Moksha is a fork of Enlightenment E17, providing a lightweight, beautiful, modular desktop with support for themes, modules, and virtual desktops.
2. Ubuntu LTS-Based Stability
   • Based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, offering 5 years of support.
   • Uses the apt package manager and supports Flatpak and Snap.
3. Rich Pre-installed Software
   • Pre-installed lightweight applications such as Terminology (terminal), Midori (browser), LibreOffice, and VLC.
   • Supports Flatpak and Snap, with Firefox Snap removed by default.
4. Performance and Hardware Support
   • Minimum requirements: 512MB RAM, 4GB disk (1GB RAM, 10GB disk recommended), kernel 5.15, supports Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.
   • Idle usage: 300-500MB RAM, 1-10% CPU.
5. Security and Privacy
   • ufw firewall enabled by default, ZFS supported.
6. Development Support
   • Pre-installed Python 3 and Git, with support for Flatpak and Snap.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• Lightweight and efficient:
  • Requires 300-500MB RAM, suitable for older hardware, and superior to Mageia's multi-desktop.
  • User comment: "Bodhi Linux revived my old laptop."
• Elegant Moksha Desktop:
  • Moksha's modularity surpasses Xfce's simplicity.
• User-Friendliness:
  • The graphical installer and pre-configured packages reduce the learning curve, surpassing Arch Linux's manual installation.
• Ubuntu LTS Stability:
  • Based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, with 5 years of support.
• Community Support:
  • Active forum with tutorials in Chinese.

Limitations

• Community Size:
  • Smaller than Ubuntu or Arch Linux, with documentation primarily in English.
• Software Update Speed:
  • Slower than the rolling updates of Archcraft or BigLinux.
• Limited ARM Support:
  • The ARM version is in beta and not as native as Raspberry Pi OS.
• Moksha Customization:
  • Modularity requires a learning curve.

Summary

Bodhi Linux is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. It ships with the Moksha desktop environment (a fork of Enlightenment) by default. Its latest version, 7.0 (February 2024), runs Linux kernel 5.15 and supports x86_64 and i586 (non-PAE), making it suitable for desktop users and older hardware. Designed for its lightweight (300-500 MB of RAM), elegant design, and high customizability, Bodhi Linux comes pre-installed with Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC, and more. It also provides a graphical installer and apt package management. While Bodhi Linux stands out for its lightweight design and Moksha elegance, it also has a small community and limited ARM support.