Void Linux is an independent distribution written from scratch rather than forked, and its choices read like a considered dissent from mainstream defaults. Init and service supervision come from runit, a small and fast alternative to systemd; packages are handled by XBPS, Void's own package manager, backed by a source tree for building anything locally; and the whole system is offered in two C library flavors, glibc and musl. It is a rolling release, but a measured one, favoring tested updates over constant churn. Installation images range from a bare console system to ready desktops such as Xfce. Void appeals to users who want a lean, transparent system, quick boots, and the educational value of assembling their environment, without joining the largest distro families. Its combination of traits is genuinely uncommon, and an OpenFactory browser VM is a painless way to feel how different it is.
Select a version of Void Linux to try online:
| Rolling: | |
|---|---|
| Current: | |
| 20250202: | |
| 20240314: | |
| 20230628: | |
| 20221001: |
Need Void Linux for more than a quick browser preview?
The buttons above launch an ephemeral browser VM, perfect for kicking the tires. Paid plans unlock the things you'd actually use it for:
- ✓Persistent VMs you can SSH into and customize
- ✓Snapshots, your own packages, a downloadable ISO
- ✓Fleet deployment to your own machines (on-prem or cloud)