What is the fastest Linux distro?
What is the fastest Linux distro?
I doubt standard Google rankings, and I'm asking from a technical standpoint. Which Linux distribution runs the quickest? It could mean one that runs without Systemd instead. So far I've only tested Runit—it performs better than Systemd—but are there even faster options? Perhaps a distro with a more streamlined kernel build process or an uncompressed kernel boot? Such configurations might exist. This is purely for experimentation, and I rarely change to less mainstream distributions outside the main lines.
Based on my observations, CachyOS stands out as the quickest option, while Falkon is recognized as the fastest browser.
Linux, Devuan and Clear Linux offer the quickest boot times among Linux distributions. (On current hardware) How fast a system starts depends mainly on the software or game running and several other elements.
Systemd performs comparably to other init systems. Misconfiguration or excessive startup services might cause sluggishness, but in reality it remains efficient. This approach is among the most focused on speed.
I wonder why the performance is important? I could make any distro quicker than anyone else would suggest, especially since it's open source and I can build it with flags tailored to my hardware. That doesn’t mean I’m interested in that. Still, I do use Gentoo.
To better understand your needs, please clarify the scenario you're facing. Are you looking for performance in booting up, rendering graphics, handling GPU workloads, calculating Pi, or something else like opening Firefox or making coffee?
For a setup perfectly customized to your needs, Gentoo Linux is the clear option. Artix Linux offers a systemd-less Arch experience. If you desire everything to function exactly as intended—based on your previous discussions—LFS is the ideal choice. Keep in mind that installing or configuring LFS requires strong familiarity with Linux internals (kernel subsystems, schedulers, etc.). It presents a solid learning opportunity, teaching you how Linux operates rather than just applying manual steps. For a taste of LFS, check out this wiki: https://wiki.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/ Remember, LFS doesn’t include a package manager; you’ll need to build it yourself!