RebornOS

Overview

RebornOS is an open-source Linux distribution based on Arch Linux. It aims to make Arch Linux more accessible to beginners through a user-friendly installer and multiple desktop environments, while maintaining its rolling release nature. Developed by the RebornOS team and hosted at rebornos.org and GitHub, it supports x86_64 and some arm64 architectures (such as the Raspberry Pi). Focused on choice, RebornOS offers over 15 desktop environments and window managers (DE/WMs) and is highly customizable via the Calamares installer. It supports online and offline installation, GUI tools, and multiple languages.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • 2018: Founded by Keegan (a teenage developer), with the goal of combining the flexibility of Arch Linux with user-friendliness. - 2020: Keegan left for personal reasons, and Rafael Costa Rega took over as lead developer.
• Development History:
  • 2019: Introduced the Calamares installer, replacing the earlier Cnchi installer and providing a more intuitive GUI installation.
  • 2021: Support for multiple desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, Deepin, etc.) was added, and RebornOS FIRE (beta version, desktop and system maintenance tools) was released.
  • 2023: Received the SourceForge Open Source Excellence Award and supported multilingual websites.
  • 2025: Released 2025.03.04, fixing LXQt login issues and optimizing ARM support (such as the Raspberry Pi 400).
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by the RebornOS team, active on rebornos.org, GitHub, Discord, and Telegram (t.me/rebornoslinux).
  • Supports multiple languages (including Chinese), and documentation is available at wiki.rebornos.org.
  • A Reddit user commented that "RebornOS's community support is very friendly to newbies."
• Open Source License:
  • GNU General Public License v3.0, allowing commercial use and modification.

Key Features

RebornOS is designed with user-friendliness, freedom of choice, and proximity to Arch Linux at its core, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users. Here are its key features:

1. Multiple Desktop Environment Choices
   • Offers 15+ desktop environments/window managers, including KDE Plasma, GNOME, Deepin, Budgie, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt, Xfce, i3, OpenBox, and more.
2. Calamares Installer
   • Uses Calamares for online and offline installation, supporting language, time zone, keyboard layout, and partition configuration.
3. RebornOS FIRE and GUI Tools
   • RebornOS FIRE (beta) supports post-installation desktop environment switching and system maintenance.
   • Includes Pamac (GUI package manager) and RebornOS Welcome.
4. Rolling Updates
   • Based on Arch Linux, it uses rolling updates to always provide the latest packages.
5. ARM Support
   • Supports Raspberry Pi (ARM architecture) and is optimized for low-power devices.
6. Security and Privacy
   • Supports custom partitions and encryption.
7. Performance
   • Requires 500MB-2GB of RAM (depending on the desktop environment), supports low-spec devices.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• Multiple Desktop Options:
  • Offers 15+ DE/WM options, better than Manjaro's single default.
  • X's post states, "RebornOS's desktop selection allows everyone to find something they like."
• User-Friendliness:
  • Calamares and GUI tools lower the Arch Linux learning curve.
• Rolling Updates:
  • Always up-to-date, better than Ubuntu's fixed releases.
• Community Support:
  • Active Discord and Telegram communities.
• ARM Support:
  • Suitable for the Raspberry Pi.

Limitations

• Printing Support:
  • Printer configuration is not as simple as in Ubuntu.
• Community Size:
  • Smaller than in Arch Linux or Ubuntu.
• Software Stability:
  • Rolling Updates may cause instability.

Summary

RebornOS is a user-friendly Arch Linux-based distribution that supports multiple desktops, Calamares installations, and ARM devices. Focused on freedom of choice, rolling updates, and GUI tools, RebornOS stands out for its multiple desktops and beginner-friendliness, but suffers from weak printing support.