Xray_OS

Overview

Xray_OS is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, using a rolling release model. Designed with innovation, creativity, usability, and gaming at its core, it's perfect for gamers, content creators, and software developers. Maintained by the Xray-OS community team (reportedly from Venezuela), it's hosted on GitHub and SourceForge. It supports the x86_64 architecture and is suitable for desktops and laptops, shipping with the KDE Plasma desktop environment by default. Using the pacman package manager and the Arch User Repository (AUR), Xray_OS inherits Arch's flexibility while reducing the learning curve through pre-configured features and gaming optimizations, emphasizing a community-driven and user-friendly design. The name "Xray" likely refers to "X-ray," symbolizing perspective and innovation.

History and Development

• Origin:
  • December 2023: The Xray_OS project was launched by the Xray-OS team as a gaming-focused derivative of Arch Linux, aiming to provide a "painless" experience for gamers.
  • Early versions were based on Arch and introduced KDE Plasma and the Gaming Tools suite.
• Development History:
  • December 2023: Xray_OS 1.0 was first released, based on Arch and optimized for gaming performance.
  • 2024: Xray_OS 2.0 introduced more desktop options and NVIDIA support.
  • April 2025: Xray_OS 2025.04 was released, based on Arch, with kernel 6.8 and Mesa 24.2.2, supporting more gaming platforms.
  • X's post stated, "Xray_OS 2025.04's KDE Plasma makes gaming super smooth."
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by the Xray-OS team, hosted on GitHub and SourceForge.
  • Supports English and Spanish (some Chinese versions are available through KDE settings), and documentation covers installation and game configuration.
  • A Reddit user called Xray_OS "Arch for gaming."
• Open Source License:
  • GPL v3 (core scripts), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

Xray_OS prioritizes gaming, is KDE Plasma-compatible, and is suitable for desktop users. Here are its key features:

1. KDE Plasma Desktop
   • KDE Plasma is the default desktop desktop, offering a beautiful interface with support for multiple layouts and extensions.
2. Gaming Toolkit
   • Steam, Lutris, Wine, and Proton are pre-installed, and Epic Games is supported.
3. Arch-based Rolling Updates
   • Arch-based rolling updates ensure the latest packages.
4. Performance Optimization
   • Custom kernel optimized for gaming, occupies approximately 1-2 GB 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

• Game Optimization:
  • Pre-installed tools and a custom kernel surpass those of the Pop!_OS gaming edition.
  • X's post claims, "Xray_OS 2025.04's KDE Plasma makes gaming super smooth."
• Ease of Use:
  • Pre-configured to reduce the Arch learning curve.
• Rolling Updates:
  • Latest software, suitable for development.
• Community Support:
  • Active GitHub and SourceForge, providing documentation.

Limitations

• New Distribution:
  • Launched in 2023, less stable than Arch Linux.
• Community Size:
  • Smaller than Arch Linux, with limited Chinese documentation.
• ARM Support:
  • No official ARM version, inferior to Raspberry Pi OS.

Summary

Xray_OS is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Arch Linux. The latest version, 2025.04 (April 2025), is based on Arch Linux, uses kernel 6.8, and supports the x86_64 architecture. It focuses on innovation, creativity, usability, and gaming, and offers the KDE Plasma desktop. Xray_OS features outstanding gaming optimization and KDE Plasma support, but its community is small and ARM support is limited.