MX Linux

The community's stated goal is to produce "a family of operating systems that are designed to combine elegant and efficient desktops with high stability and solid performance".

MX Linux uses the Xfce desktop environment as its flagship, to which it adds a freestanding KDE Plasma version and in 2021 a standalone Fluxbox implementation. Other environments can be added or are available as "spin-off" ISO images.

MX Linux began in a discussion about future options among members of the MEPIS community in December 2013. Developers from antiX then joined them, bringing the ISO build system as well as Live-USB/DVD technology. To be listed on the Linux distribution clearinghouse website DistroWatch, MX Linux was initially presented as a version of antiX. It received its own DistroWatch page with the release of the first public beta of MX-16 on November 2, 2016.

The MX-14 series was based on Debian Stable "Wheezy", using Xfce 4.10 and then, with the 14.4 release, Xfce 4.12. The MX-14 versions were intended to fit onto a CD, which limited the number of applications that could be included. This series saw the gradual evolution of the MX Tools, a collection of utilities to help users with common tasks that are often complicated and obscure.

MX-15 moved to the new Debian Stable "Jessie" using systemd-shim, meaning that systemd is installed but the default init is sysvinit.[3] The size limitation was lifted, enabling the developers to present a full turnkey product. There was substantial expansion of MX Tools.

MX-16 was still based on Debian Stable "Jessie", but with many applications backported and added and from other sources. There were further refinements to MX Tools, import of advanced antiX developments, expanded support, and a completely new icon/theme/wallpaper collection.

MX-16.1 collected all bug fixes and improvements since MX-16, added a new kingfisher theme, upgraded and streamlined MX Tools, revised documentation, and added new translations.

MX-17 changed its base to Debian 9 (Stretch) and brought upgraded artwork, new MX Tools, improved Live operation via antiX and other changes.

MX-18 continued the development of MX Tools, introduced a new kernel, enabled whole disk encryption, and added grub themes, splash functionality through MX Boot options artwork, and improved localization.

MX-19 upgraded its base to Debian 10 (Buster) and its default desktop to Xfce 4.14. It is characterized by new and revised Tools, artwork, documentation, localization and technical features.

MX-21 was released on October 21 2021. It is based on Debian 11 (Bullseye) and is available as Xfce, KDE or Fluxbox versions. Details in the MX Blog.

Besides the fast and medium-low resource default XFCE desktop environment MX Linux also has two other desktop editions:

A free-standing 'Fluxbox' version with very low resource usage was released October 21, 2021.

A 'KDE' version was released on August 16, 2020 which is an Advanced Hardware Support (AHS) enabled (64-bit only) version of MX featuring the KDE/Plasma desktop and the currently features a long-term supported Linux 5.10.x AHS kernel.

In addition, a 'XFCE' (64 bit only) Advanced Hardware Support (AHS) was released with newer graphics drivers, 5.10 kernel and firmware for very recent hardware.

MX Linux has basic tools like a graphic installer that handles UEFI computers, a GUI-based method to change a Linux kernel and other core programs.

It includes MX Tools, a suite of user-oriented utilities, many of which were developed specifically for MX, while some were forked from existing antiX applications or are existing antiX applications; a couple were imported with permission from outside sources.

A particularly popular one is MX-snapshot, a GUI tool to remaster a live session or installation into a single .ISO file. The "cloned" image is bootable from disk or USB flash drive, maintaining all settings, allowing an installation to be completely backed up, and/or distributed with minimal administrative effort, since an advanced method of copying the file system (developed by antiX-Linux) uses bind-mounts performing the "heavy lifting".

8.5 GB hard disk space for installation.

1 GB RAM for i386 and AMD64 architectures.

Bootable CD-DVD drive or a USB stick.

A modern i686 Intel or AMD processor.

20 GB of hard disk space, SSD for faster performance.

2 GB of RAM.

modern i686 Intel or AMD processor. Multi-core for good performance.

3D-capable video card for 3D desktop support.

SoundBlaster, AC97 or HDA-compatible sound card.

For use as a LiveUSB, 8 GB free if using persistence.