What is MX Linux? The reliable and lean Linux solution

MX Linux is a solid operating system and impresses users because it is reliable and has a com­par­a­tive­ly lean built. The Linux dis­tri­b­u­tion is based on Debian and antiX and is aimed at more con­ser­v­a­tive users.

MX Linux is now one of the most popular and widely used Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions. Its de­vel­op­ers describe MX Linux as a medium-weight system with a solid desktop en­vi­ron­ment, efficient resource usage, and high stability. The dis­tri­b­u­tion lives up its intended purposes and has already convinced plenty of users to give it a go. MX Linux is based on Debian and uses antiX as well as MX com­po­nents. An as­so­ci­a­tion of members of the MEPIS community and de­vel­op­ers of antiX known as MX Dev Team are behind the dis­tri­b­u­tion. MX Linux was first released in 2014 and remains open source to this day.

What’s special about MX Linux is that the operating system is not special at all, or at least does not place much im­por­tance on it. Instead, the focus is on a solid base, a lean desktop, and a user-friendly approach, which is great for novices too. Although MX Linux is not quite as light as the more min­i­mal­ist Arch Linux, the dis­tri­b­u­tion is lean compared to other operating systems. That’s partially because of the Xfce desktop, which can be replaced with a KDE Plasma. Thanks to the included antiX elements, MX Linux can be set up as a live system and tested in this way.

MX Linux contains numerous programs that make it easy to use right from the start. For example, Firefox, GIMP, Li­bre­Of­fice, Thun­der­bird, and the VLC player are pre-installed. MX Linux also provides MX tools for system man­age­ment and keeping your hard disk clean. The MX Snapshot tool lets users copy live sessions into a single ISO file. A graphical in­stal­la­tion guide is included for users without much prior knowledge to help them get going.

MX Linux is a mid-range operating system bound to run smoothly on many computers. System re­quire­ments are at least 8.5 GB of memory and 1 GB of RAM. However, 20 GB memory and 2 GB RAM or more are rec­om­mend­ed. The in­stal­la­tion is performed either via DVD or a bootable USB stick. The system is available in a 32-bit and a 64-bit variant. Since 2021, the Fluxbox Rasp­ber­ryPi Respin “Ragout” un­of­fi­cial offshoot has been available. However, its system re­quire­ments differ slightly.

MX Linux is a com­par­a­tive­ly con­ser­v­a­tive Linux dis­tri­b­u­tion. It’s stable and secure, and comes with plenty of software pre-installed. The operating system is par­tic­u­lar­ly suitable for users looking for enhanced re­li­a­bil­i­ty. The Xfce edition is a good option for use on older computers. It is very frugal and gets the most out of weaker devices. Because MX Linux is intuitive to use and boasts an appealing desktop en­vi­ron­ment, even beginners who choose Linux over Windows could be well-served. However, users in need of the latest up-to-date system may fare better with an al­ter­na­tive.

Thinking about switching to MX Linux? Check out the ad­van­tages and dis­ad­van­tages of the operating system below to help you decide.

• Stability: MX Linux is a secure and stable operating system. Once set up, it runs smoothly and as intended. Those looking for a reliable system are likely going to be satisfied with MX Linux.
• Demands: System re­quire­ments are rel­a­tive­ly low, which means that MX Linux gets the most out of old computers and provides a fast and visually appealing basis for modern devices.
• Desktop en­vi­ron­ment: Both the slim Xfce for less powerful computers and the more so­phis­ti­cat­ed KDE for powerful computers should satisfy most users.
• Software: Besides Debian packages, and given the back­ground of its de­vel­op­ers, MX Linux includes numerous antiX packages. Thus, its software pool is rather large. In­stal­la­tion software leaves nothing to be desired and provides a good basis for getting started.
• Choice of Init systems: As of MX Linux 19, users can choose their preferred init system — systemd or SysVinit.
• User friend­li­ness: MX Linux is easy to un­der­stand and intuitive to use, even for beginners. In addition to simple in­stal­la­tion and a clear structure, numerous MX Apps specif­i­cal­ly developed for the operating system make for a par­tic­u­lar­ly user-friendly dis­tri­b­u­tion.
• Support: In case of questions or errors, a large community is happy to help. In addition, extensive doc­u­men­ta­tion for a wide range of scenarios is available.

• Not special: While the ad­van­tages above are clearly in favor of MX Linux, some users may find the operating system rather boring. MX Linux may be reliable and rea­son­ably lean, but it is neither cutting-edge nor as open to mod­i­fi­ca­tion as some other systems.

For users who are not convinced that MX Linux is exciting enough or fulfills their purpose, plenty of al­ter­na­tive Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions for laptop and PC are available. Among them are the user-friendly Linux Mint and Manjaro Linux, the classics Debian and Ubuntu as well as Linux server dis­tri­b­u­tions, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.