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Void RSS Feed DistroWatch.com: Void

Void


Last Update: 2026-03-21 22:50 UTC


Void is an independently-developed, general-purpose operating system based on the monolithic Linux kernel. It features a hybrid binary/source package management system which allows users to quickly install, update and remove software, or to build software directly from sources with the help of the XBPS source packages collection. Other features of the distribution include support for Raspberry Pi single-board computers (both armv6 and armv7), rolling-release development model with daily updates, and native init system called "runit".

Popularity (hits per day): 12 months: 44 (263), 6 months: 35 (349), 3 months: 28 (409), 4 weeks: 26 (471), 1 week: 13 (909)

Average visitor rating: 9.1/10 from 268 review(s).


Void Summary
Distribution Void
Home Page https://voidlinux.org/
Mailing Lists --
User Forums --
Alternative User Forums
Documentation https://docs.voidlinux.org/
Screenshots --
Screencasts
Download Mirrors https://voidlinux.org/download/DistroWatch Torrent Archive
Bug Tracker --
Related Websites Reddit.com
Reviews 2023: DistroWatchAnimeshz
2022: DistroWatch
2021: DistroWatch
2019: DistroWatch
2018: DistroWatchLinuxInsiderOrdinatechnic
2017: Linux.comDistroWatchLinuxFR (French)
2015: Alv.me (Russian) • DistroWatch
Where To Donate, Buy or Try

Recent Related News and Releases
  Releases announcements with download links and checksums:
 • 2025-02-02: Distribution Release: Void 20250202
 • 2024-03-15: Distribution Release: Void 20240314
 • 2023-07-11: Distribution Release: Void 20230628
 • 2018-11-13: Distribution Release: Void 20181111
 • More Void releases...

  Headlines:
 • 2023-05-25 Overview of Void's features
 • 2021-03-11 Void changes kernel parameters
 • 2021-02-28 Void to switch back to OpenSSL
 • 2019-05-20 Void community discusses PolicyKit access
 • 2019-02-13 Void publishes update on domain status
 • 2018-12-05 Void publishes tips and tricks
 • 2018-05-01 Void team plans resource migration
 • 2017-12-07 Advent of Void tutorials
 • 2017-04-15 Void supports Flatpak
 • More Void headlines...

Table Notes and Explanations

(Please refer to the table below.)
  • To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
  • Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
  • Colour scheme: green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
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Feature current 20250202 20240314 20230628 20221001 20210930 20191109 20181111 20171007 20150221 Feature
Release Date 2026-03-21 2025-02-02 2024-03-15 2023-07-09 2022-10-17 2021-09-30 2019-11-13 2018-11-12 2017-10-07 2015-02-21 Release Date
End Of Life                     End Of Life
Price (US$) Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Price (US$)
Image Size (MB) -- 400-1400 400-1000 400-1000 400-1000 400-1000 300-800 300-800 70-700 70-700 Image Size (MB)
Free Download xbps ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO Free Download
Installation -- Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Installation
Default Desktop   Xfce Xfce Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, GNOME, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, GNOME, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQt, Xfce Cinnamon, Enlightenment, MATE, Xfce Default Desktop
Default Browser   Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Firefox Default Browser
Package Format xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps Package Format
Package Management xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps xbps Package Management
Release Model Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Release Model
Office Suite -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Office Suite
Processor Architecture aarch64, armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 armv6, armv7, i686, x86_64 Processor Architecture
Init Software runit runit runit runit runit runit runit runit runit runit Init Software
Journaled File Systems Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Btrfs, ext4, XFS Journaled File Systems
Multilingual                     Multilingual
Full Package List current 20250202 20240314 20230628 20221001 20210930 20191109 20181111 20171007 20150221 Full Package List
Package current 20250202 20240314 20230628 20221001 20210930 20191109 20181111 20171007 20150221 Package
alsa-lib (1.2.15.3) 1.2.15.1 1.2.12 1.2.11 1.2.9 1.2.7.2 1.2.5.1 1.1.9 1.1.7 1.1.4.1 1.0.28 alsa-lib (1.2.15.3)
amdgpu (25.0.0) 23.0.0 23.0.0 23.0.0 22.0.0 22.0.0 21.0.0 19.1.0 18.1.0 -- -- amdgpu (25.0.0)
apparmor (4.1.7) 3.1.7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- apparmor (4.1.7)
apt (3.1.16) 2.9.7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- apt (3.1.16)
bash (5.3) 5.3 5.2.32 5.2.21 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.0 4.4 4.4 4.3 bash (5.3)
bind (9.20.20) 9.20.18 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- bind (9.20.20)
chromium (146.0.7680.153) 146.0.7680.80 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- chromium (146.0.7680.153)
cinnamon (6.6.7) 6.4.13 -- -- -- -- 4.8.6 4.2.4 3.8.8 3.2.8 2.4.6 cinnamon (6.6.7)
cups (2.4.16) 2.4.13 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- cups (2.4.16)
e2fsprogs (1.47.4) 1.47.2 1.47.2 1.47.0 1.47.0 1.46.5 1.46.4 1.45.4 1.44.4 1.43.6 1.42.12 e2fsprogs (1.47.4)
ffmpeg (8.1) 6.1.4 6.1.2 4.4.4 4.4.4 4.4.2 4.3.2 4.2.1 4.1 3.3.4 -- ffmpeg (8.1)
firefox (148.0.2) 148.0.2 134.0 123.0 115.0 105.0.1 78.14.0 70.0.1 52.9.0 52.4.0 35.0.1 firefox (148.0.2)
flatpak (1.16.3) 1.16.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- flatpak (1.16.3)
freetype (2.14.2) 2.14.2 2.13.2 2.13.2 2.13.1 2.12.1 2.10.4 2.10.1 2.9.1 2.8.1 2.5.5 freetype (2.14.2)
gcc (15.2.0) 14.2.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gcc (15.2.0)
gimp (3.2.0) 3.0.6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gimp (3.2.0)
git (2.53.0) 2.53.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- git (2.53.0)
glibc (2.43) 2.41 2.39 2.38 2.36 2.32 2.32 2.30 2.28 2.26 2.21 glibc (2.43)
gnome-shell (50.0) 48.7 -- -- -- -- 3.38.3 3.34.1 -- -- -- gnome-shell (50.0)
grub (2.14) 2.12 2.12 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.04 2.02 2.02 2.00 grub (2.14)
gtk (4.22.1) 4.20.2 4.16.7 4.12.5 4.10.4 4.8.1 2.24.32 3.24.11 3.24.1 2.24.31 2.24.26 gtk (4.22.1)
httpd (2.4.66) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- httpd (2.4.66)
inkscape (1.4.3) 1.4.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- inkscape (1.4.3)
kmod (34.2) 34.2 31 31 30 30 27 26 25 24 19 kmod (34.2)
krita (5.2.16) 5.2.14 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- krita (5.2.16)
LibreOffice (26.2.1) 26.2.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- LibreOffice (26.2.1)
Package current 20250202 20240314 20230628 20221001 20210930 20191109 20181111 20171007 20150221 Package
libselinux (3.10) 3.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- libselinux (3.10)
linux (6.19.9) 6.19.9 6.12.11 6.6.21 6.3.12 5.19.10 5.13.19 5.3.9 4.18.17 4.12.13 3.18.7 linux (6.19.9)
mariadb (12.2.2) 11.1.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mariadb (12.2.2)
mate-desktop (1.28.2) 1.28.2 -- -- -- -- 1.24.1 1.22.2 1.20.3 1.8.1 1.8.1 mate-desktop (1.28.2)
mesa (26.0.3) 25.3.3 24.2.8 24.0.2 23.1.3 22.1.7 21.2.3 19.2.3 18.2.4 17.2.2 10.4.4 mesa (26.0.3)
mysql (9.6.0) 11.1.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mysql (9.6.0)
nautilus (50.0) 49.3 -- -- -- -- 3.38.2 -- -- -- -- nautilus (50.0)
NVIDIA (590.48.01) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- NVIDIA (590.48.01)
openjdk (26) 25.0.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- openjdk (26)
openssh (10.2p1) 10.2p1 9.9p1 9.7p1 9.3p1 9.0p1 8.8p1 8.1p1 7.9p1 7.5p1 6.7p1 openssh (10.2p1)
openssl (3.6.1) 3.5.5 3.3.2 3.1.5 1.1.1t 1.1.1q 1.1.1l -- -- -- -- openssl (3.6.1)
perl (5.42.1) 5.42.0 -- -- -- -- 5.32.1 5.30.0 5.28.0 5.26.1 5.20.2 perl (5.42.1)
php (8.5.4) 8.4.7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- php (8.5.4)
plasma-desktop (6.6.3) 6.6.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- plasma-desktop (6.6.3)
postfix (3.11.1) 3.10.8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postfix (3.11.1)
postgresql (18.3) 18.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postgresql (18.3)
Python (3.14.3) 3.14.3 3.13.1 3.12.2 3.11.4 3.10.7 3.9.7 3.6.9 2.7.15 2.7.14 2.7.9 Python (3.14.3)
qt (6.10.2) 6.10.2 -- -- -- -- 5.15.2 5.13.2 5.10.1 5.8.0 -- qt (6.10.2)
samba (4.24.0) 4.20.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- samba (4.24.0)
systemd (260) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- systemd (260)
thunderbird (148.0.1) 140.8.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- thunderbird (148.0.1)
vim (9.2) 9.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vim (9.2)
vlc (3.0.23) 3.0.23 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vlc (3.0.23)
wayland (1.25.0) 1.24.0 1.23.0 1.22.0 1.22.0 1.21.0 1.19.0 1.17.0 1.16.0 1.13.0 1.7.0 wayland (1.25.0)
xfdesktop (4.20.1) 4.20.1 4.20.0 4.18.1 4.18.1 4.16.1 4.16.0 4.14.1 4.12.4 4.12.4 4.10.3 xfdesktop (4.20.1)
xorg-server (21.1.21) 21.1.21 21.1.15 21.1.11 21.1.8 21.1.4 1.20.13 1.20.5 1.20.3 1.19.4 1.17.1 xorg-server (21.1.21)

Reader Ratings
Reader supplied reviews for Void

Average rating
9.1
from 268 review(s)



Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2026-03-20
Country: Indonesia
Votes: 4


I run Void Linux alongside Debian 13 and Fedora 43 on a ThinkPad X1 Gen 9, with Debian managing the primary UEFI boot order. My workload is focused on academic writing and research, not benchmarking or gaming, so all three systems feel equally fast and responsive in practice.

Void stands out through its use of runit. It feels similar to driving a manual transmission car rather than an automatic: more direct, more engaging, and more revealing of what is happening under the hood. That sense of control is what drew me to it.

Installation was more manual than Debian, and I initially relied on YouTube guides, but it was not as difficult as expected. Void has also been stable despite being a rolling release.

I encountered an S3 suspend issue on XFCE that disappeared after switching to KDE.

I also ran a simple stress experiment. I opened Firefox with around 170 tabs, LibreOffice Writer, Netflix, and Chromium with a dozen tabs. RAM usage reached about 14.7 GB, with ZRAM at 8 GB on a 15 GB system. Despite pushing the system close to its limits, Void did not crash and remained responsive. This gave me a clearer picture of how stable the system is under heavy memory pressure.

Looking at the EFI partition was also revealing: Debian uses around 8 MB, Fedora about 18 MB, while Void only uses roughly 140 KB. The contrast reflects a noticeably leaner approach in how the system is structured.

I will keep Void and Debian in my system for the long term. Viva Void!


Version: 20250202
Rating: 10
Date: 2026-03-19
Country: France
Votes: 1


I've been using mostly Ubuntu variants over the last 15 years.
I found Void to be the best option for a liberated chromebook (Lenovo n23 in my case) - runit works great, the package manager is awesome, great documentation, ships with a recent Xfce 4 which makes the touchscreen working, blazing fast startup considering it has only 4 gb ram.
I dont feel ready yet to use it as my daily driver, mainly because of my weird audio setup, and apt package equivalents.
Related to hardware, and none to the distro: chromebook keyboard miss a meta key, which is very disturbing. Mind the DEs and programs you want to use on them.


Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2026-03-15
Country: Germany
Votes: 17


Fast, stable, and the XBPS package manager is incredible. Coming from MX Linux after they ditched multiple init systems on the same ISOs, now I've seen the will bring it eventually back. Anyway Void Linux is on antoher level. It runs smoothly and as stable as a debian-base distro and all the advantages of Arch Linux.
For me as a user I've started only 4 years ago with Linux Mint MATE like 6 months than going for more than 2 years to MX Linux Xfce which was excellent and still is. Only few months I've tried Arch Linux and it's just not for me because I find systemd not my stile and AUR overwhelming for my needs and for sure I don't need to be on the bleeding edge I'd rather use older stable software and that's were Void Linux comes into scene as a STABLE ROLLING REALEASE DISTRO wet dream no systemd but runit (simpler and better) no bleeding edge and XBPS is simply better than Pacman in my opinion.
My choice was between Artix Linux and Void Linux and for sure Void was the right choice

Void is exactly the mix that I need, less is more how people say




See all 268 reader reviews of Void...



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