A New Arch-Based Linux Distribution Has Arrived
Crystal Linux is a new distribution with the goal of bringing the power of Arch Linux to the masses.
Crystal Linux is a new operating system, based on Arch Linux that hopes to become the Fedora of Arch Linux by bringing new “stuff” to the Linux desktop while being user-friendly.
Crystal Linux has been released on the GPLv3.0 and uses its own GUI installer to make getting the distribution installed a snap. This new Linux distribution features an easy-to-use package manager, Btrfs snapshots, zRAM support, and a choice between GNOME, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, Mate, Budget, Onyx, XFCE, Sway, LXQt, i3-gaps, bspwm, AwesomeWM, and herbstlufwm.
The installer the developers have created is nothing short of brilliant. Not only is it beautiful, it makes installing this Arch-based Linux distribution something anyone can do.
Out of the box, Crystal Linux doesn’t include a large swath of installed applications, but it does include a well-designed app store, where you can install all of the necessary apps you need with the click of the mouse or trackpad. By default, you’ll only see the GNOME apps (Weather, Gedit, Terminal, System Monitor, Disks, and Calculator) as well as Firefox and Vim.
I did find, during the installation, that I had to run a few upgrades to the live system before I could complete the task. Other than that, this brand new Linux distribution shows serious promise that it makes Arch Linux an option for new users.
Download a Crystal Linux ISO from the project GitHub page, just remember that this new distribution is still very new and has yet to reach a stable release. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend using Crystal Linux for production machines.
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
-
Xubuntu Site Possibly Hacked
It appears that the Xubuntu site was hacked and briefly served up a malicious ZIP file from its download page.
-
LMDE 7 Now Available
Linux Mint Debian Edition, version 7, has been officially released and is based on upstream Debian.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Reaches EOL
Linux kernel 6.16 has reached its end of life, which means you'll need to upgrade to the next stable release, Linux kernel 6.17.
-
Amazon Ditches Android for a Linux-Based OS
Amazon has migrated from Android to the Linux-based Vega OS for its Fire TV.
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).