Zen Linux

A calm Linux,
built from scratch.

An independent distribution for x86_64 PCs: built from source, close to upstream and without magic. Rolling, with KDE Plasma ready to use and a package manager of its own.

DownloadHow it’s built

zen@zenlinux

OS
Zen Linux x86_64
Release
rolling
Built
from source
Packages
zenpac
Desktop
KDE Plasma
Init
systemd
Installer
Calamares, offline

  • 01

    Built from scratch

    No distribution underneath. Every package is built from its upstream source by Zen’s own recipes, with patches only where something needs them, so the system stays close to what its authors made and simple to understand.

  • 02

    zenpac

    A package manager of its own, written in Rust: commands you know from apt and apk, a world file of what you asked for, and transactions that change everything they planned or nothing.

  • 03

    Works out of the box

    One ISO boots a live KDE Plasma desktop with the installer open. It installs without a network, as a desktop, with NVIDIA’s driver or as a server, and with a network it brings the new system up to date.

The desktop

KDE Plasma, in Zen’s colors

The Zen Linux desktop: KDE Plasma with Dolphin, Konsole running fastfetch, and the application launcher
A real Plasma session in the Zen Linux theme, with the wallpaper, the ensō and fastfetch.

zenpac

One package manager, made for Zen

zenpac reads Zen’s repositories and checks every download against the SHA-256 they list. It shows you the plan before it changes anything, asks for root through run0, sudo or doas only then, and keeps the history of every change.

It manages every new installation already, and with its 1.0 it replaces pacman for good.

zp update         # refresh the repositories
zp search editor  # find packages
zp install kate   # install, and add to the world
zp upgrade        # bring everything up to date
zp history        # what changed, and when

Rolling, tested first

Every build waits in zen/test

Twice a day, Zen looks for new upstream versions. Builds run on build hosts, in rootless containers, and each one lands in zen/test first: only what works moves on to zen/core, and a promotion that would leave a package without what it needs is refused.

From a recipe to your system

News

  • Download and Handbook

    The installation image is on zenlinux.org now, with a handbook that goes from the download to an installed, up-to-date system.

  • zenlinux.org is online

    Zen Linux has had the domain for years, and now it has a site, with how it’s built and where it stands. Downloads and a handbook come next.

All news