openmamba

Overview

openmamba is a free, open-source Linux distribution designed for personal computers (laptops, desktops, servers, single-board computers, and tablets), providing a modern and always-updated desktop environment. Originating in Italy and maintained by an independent team of developers, it is hosted at openmamba.org. It supports x86_64 and arm64 architectures and is suitable for desktop, educational, and professional use. openmamba uses a rolling release model, an APK package manager (derived from Alpine Linux), comes pre-installed with the KDE Plasma or LXQt desktop environments, and supports Flatpak applications. Built from source code, it emphasizes a Flatpak-first approach to software distribution, avoiding traditional package dependency issues and supporting multiple languages (including English and Italian).

History and Development

• Origins:
  • Early 2000s: OpenMamba traces its roots to the Mamba distribution, based on Mandrake Linux (now Mandriva) and designed to provide a user-friendly desktop experience.
  • 2024: Launched as an independent project, the developer team rebuilt it from source, moving away from its Mandrake roots and focusing on a modern desktop and Flatpak.
• Development History:
  • 2024: Milestone 4 released, debuting with the KDE Plasma and LXQt desktops and support for Flatpak-first software installation.
  • 2025: The project remains active on GitHub, with the community contributing to documentation and functionality, but no major new releases.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by an Italian team, hosted at openmamba.org and GitHub.
  • Supports English and Italian (some Chinese versions are available through desktop environment settings), and the documentation covers installation and customization.
  • A Reddit user called openmamba "the new favorite of Flatpak enthusiasts."
• Open Source Licenses:
  • GPL v3 (core scripts), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

Openmamba is built with Flatpak-first, rolling updates, and a modern desktop in mind, making it suitable for desktop users. Here are its key features:

1. KDE Plasma or LXQt Desktop
   • Defaults to KDE Plasma 6 or LXQt, lightweight with approximately 500-800MB of RAM and Wayland support.
2. Flatpak-First Distribution
   • Emphasizes installing applications using Flatpak, avoiding dependency issues and supporting one-click downloads.
3. Rolling Update Model
   • Built from independent source code, providing rolling updates to ensure the latest software.
4. Build from Source Code
   • All packages are built from source code, supporting musl, libc, and the LLVM toolchain.
5. Hardware Compatibility
   • Supports x86_64 and arm64. Kernel 6.1 supports Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.
   • Minimum requirements: 1 GB RAM, 10 GB disk (2 GB RAM, 20 GB disk recommended).
6. Security and Privacy
   • Supports the ufw firewall and ZFS.
7. Development Support
   • Pre-installed Python and Git, and supports Flatpak and Snap.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• Flatpak-first:
  • Simplifies installation, better than Debian's apt dependency.
• Rolling Updates:
  • Latest software, better than Debian Stable's conservatism.
• Independent Source Code:
  • Building from source provides a clean experience, better than Flatpak's dependency on Ubuntu.
• Community Support:
  • Active GitHub with documentation.
• Multi-architecture:
  • Supports arm64, better than Mageia's x86 focus.

Limitations

• Independent Development:
  • Building from source code may lead to compatibility issues.
• Community Size:
  • Smaller than Ubuntu, with limited Chinese documentation.
• Rolling Model Risks:
  • Potentially unstable.

Summary

OpenMamba is a free, open-source, independent Linux distribution. Its latest release, milestone 4 (May 7, 2024), is built from source code and supports x86_64 and arm64. It prioritizes Flatpak, offers rolling updates, and features a modern desktop (KDE Plasma or LXQt). It also provides APK package management. OpenMamba's independent source code and Flatpak support are notable, but its community is small, and rolling updates can be risky.