Exploring openSUSE's MicroOS
No Change!
© Photo by Lauren Mancke on Unsplash
If you want the most recent software without sacrificing stability, try running a minimal Linux distribution then adding additional services and applications in containers. OpenSUSE MicroOS provides a robust foundation for implementing this vision.
Open source software development happens so rapidly that the distributions can't keep pace and often still have older versions in their repositories. Or, even if you don't have old software, running multiple services or applications on the same operating system sometimes results in compatibility issues.
If your goal is to run a couple of services in a reliable way, you'll likely find yourself using a container-based solution like Docker or Podman. But even then, you still need to manage that underlying Linux distribution. In an ideal scenario, you would want to only deal with the containers and forget about the host system.
Several Linux distributions have introduced minimal systems that offer only the packages necessary for running containers. You can't install any software directly on such a system; you can only install software in containers. You also don't need to manage or update anything after the initial configuration process. This kind of operating system is somewhat exaggeratedly called an immutable OS.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Juno Tab 3 Launches with Ubuntu 24.04
Anyone looking for a full-blown Linux tablet need look no further. Juno has released the Tab 3.
-
New KDE Slimbook Plasma Available for Preorder
Powered by an AMD Ryzen CPU, the latest KDE Slimbook laptop is powerful enough for local AI tasks.
-
Rhino Linux Announces Latest "Quick Update"
If you prefer your Linux distribution to be of the rolling type, Rhino Linux delivers a beautiful and reliable experience.
-
Plasma Desktop Will Soon Ask for Donations
The next iteration of Plasma has reached the soft feature freeze for the 6.2 version and includes a feature that could be divisive.
-
Linux Market Share Hits New High
For the first time, the Linux market share has reached a new high for desktops, and the trend looks like it will continue.
-
LibreOffice 24.8 Delivers New Features
LibreOffice is often considered the de facto standard office suite for the Linux operating system.
-
Deepin 23 Offers Wayland Support and New AI Tool
Deepin has been considered one of the most beautiful desktop operating systems for a long time and the arrival of version 23 has bolstered that reputation.
-
CachyOS Adds Support for System76's COSMIC Desktop
The August 2024 release of CachyOS includes support for the COSMIC desktop as well as some important bits for video.
-
Linux Foundation Adopts OMI to Foster Ethical LLMs
The Open Model Initiative hopes to create community LLMs that rival proprietary models but avoid restrictive licensing that limits usage.
-
Ubuntu 24.10 to Include the Latest Linux Kernel
Ubuntu users have grown accustomed to their favorite distribution shipping with a kernel that's not quite as up-to-date as other distros but that changes with 24.10.