Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Linux From Scratch VS Damn Small Linux

Compare Linux From Scratch VS Damn Small Linux and see what are their differences

Linux From Scratch logo Linux From Scratch

Linux From Scratch (LFS) is a project that provides you with the steps necessary to build your own...

Damn Small Linux logo Damn Small Linux

Damn Small Linux is a very versatile 50MB mini desktop oriented Linux distribution.
  • Linux From Scratch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-02
  • Damn Small Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-05-16

Linux From Scratch features and specs

  • Educational Experience
    Linux From Scratch (LFS) provides an in-depth educational experience, allowing users to learn firsthand how a Linux system is built from the ground up. This deep understanding of Linux internals can be invaluable for system administrators and developers.
  • Customization
    LFS offers complete control over the software components and configurations, enabling users to build a system that meets their specific needs and preferences without unnecessary extraneous software.
  • Optimized Performance
    By compiling the system from scratch, users can optimize it for specific hardware, potentially achieving better performance than with pre-packaged distributions.
  • Minimal Footprint
    LFS allows users to create a minimal system with only essential packages, reducing the attack surface for security vulnerabilities and resource usage.

Possible disadvantages of Linux From Scratch

  • Time-Consuming
    Building a Linux system from scratch is a time-intensive process, requiring significant effort and attention to detail, which can be a barrier for users with limited time.
  • Complexity
    The process requires a good understanding of Linux and its subsystems, making it challenging for beginners or those unfamiliar with manual system setup and configuration.
  • Lack of Standard Support
    LFS does not have an official support community or professional support services like popular distributions, requiring users to rely on forums or their ingenuity.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Keeping an LFS system up-to-date with new packages, patches, and security updates involves significant ongoing effort, as package management is manual.

Damn Small Linux features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Damn Small Linux (DSL) is extremely lightweight, with a size of just 50MB, allowing it to run on older hardware and systems with limited resources.
  • Fast Boot Time
    Due to its small size, DSL offers fast boot times, which can be beneficial for quick access to a working environment, particularly on older machines.
  • Low Resource Consumption
    DSL is designed to use minimal system resources, making it suitable for machines with low RAM and slow CPUs.
  • USB Bootable
    DSL can be run from a USB stick, allowing users to carry it as a portable operating system and use it on different machines.
  • Customizability
    DSL provides tools for users to customize and install additional applications, despite its small size, catering to specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of Damn Small Linux

  • Outdated Software
    DSL has not been actively updated in recent years, which means it may not support newer hardware or provide the latest security patches and software.
  • Limited Functionality
    Given its focus on minimalism, DSL's default software selection might not meet all users' needs, requiring additional customization or installation of software.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    The installation and configuration of DSL might be complex for Linux newcomers, as it often requires more command-line interaction compared to modern, user-friendly distros.
  • Limited Support and Documentation
    Due to its niche status and reduced community engagement, there is a limited amount of recent support and documentation available online.
  • Compatibility Issues
    As technology progresses, DSL may face compatibility issues with newer hardware or network configurations, which could limit its usage.

Linux From Scratch videos

Linux From Scratch 7.5 First Impressions

More videos:

  • Review - Linux From Scratch 8.2 - Episode 1: Host System
  • Review - Why should we learn Linux from scratch? | Linux From Scratch (for beginners) LFS-EP-01

Damn Small Linux videos

Damn Small Linux Review

More videos:

  • Review - Damn Small Linux - DSL - Fastest and Smallest Linux Distribution - Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Linux From Scratch and Damn Small Linux)
Linux
74 74%
26% 26
Operating Systems
76 76%
24% 24
Linux Distribution
73 73%
27% 27
OS & Utilities
69 69%
31% 31

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Linux From Scratch seems to be a lot more popular than Damn Small Linux. While we know about 21 links to Linux From Scratch, we've tracked only 1 mention of Damn Small Linux. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Linux From Scratch mentions (21)

  • I Like Makefiles
    Take https://linuxfromscratch.org/ for a spin and see that Makefiles work fine; last a long time. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Installing Gentoo has been the hardest most rewarding experience with Linux
    Should have tried https://linuxfromscratch.org/ instead. Gentoo is mostly just BLFS and ALFS from there, with more available packages, and centralized 'USE FLAGS' ( https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/USE_flag ) which could be considered one of Gentoos USPs. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Warm Welcome to Linux P2
    As a non-computer (hardware, software etc) specialist like myself who has hobbies in computers, I wanted a challenge. Trying their luck with Linux From Scratch (LFS) and beyond as just random. As someone who completed the journey on a whim, it was worthwhile as I got to see a system built. The course takes about a week with trial, error, and sheer willpower. It is like a coming-of-age tale; complete it once and... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Planning to install Gentoo to learn how OS in general and Linux in particular really works
    Well, it depends on what your aim is. If you want a Linux-based system that can be used as a daily driver, then Gentoo is certainly a reasonable choice. But if you're not particularly interested in using the system once you've finished installing, then Linux From Scratch is probably more appropriate. Gentoo is not primarily an educational tool, whereas Linux From Scratch is. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Fedora and Debian are the same, change my mind
    Https://linuxfromscratch.org/ this has a guide for how to make a standard Linux base, by hand, but will give you some ideas on how packaging and dependency management works. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Damn Small Linux mentions (1)

  • Very lightweight distro with GUI that can be run from live cd. 128MB of RAM or less OLD desktop
    I'd say what you need in this case is Damn Small Linux. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Linux From Scratch and Damn Small Linux, you can also consider the following products

Garuda Linux - Garuda Linux is an appealing Arch Linux based Distro with BTRFS (modern filesystem), Linux-zen kernel, auto snapshots, gaming edition and a lot more bleeding edge features..

Anarchy Linux - A distro that helps setting up a Archlinux system.

Manjaro - Manjaro Linux is a linux distribution which is based on arch linux. It uses the PACMAN package manager.

Redcore Linux - Redcore Linux is a Linux distribution based on the Arch Linux operating system.

Siduction - Siduction Forum - Index

SparkyLinux - The project page of SparkyLinux distribution