Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MX Linux VS Alpine Linux

Compare MX Linux VS Alpine Linux and see what are their differences

MX Linux logo MX Linux

MX Linux is an operating system - a cooperative venture between the antiX and former MEPIS...

Alpine Linux logo Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox.
  • MX Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-26
  • Alpine Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14

MX Linux features and specs

  • User-Friendly
    MX Linux offers a highly intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it a great choice for beginners who might be new to Linux.
  • Performance
    The distribution is lightweight and optimized to run smoothly even on older hardware, ensuring good performance.
  • Stability
    Built on the Debian Stable base, MX Linux is known for its robustness and reliability, providing fewer system crashes and bugs.
  • Customization
    MX Linux allows extensive customization, enabling users to tailor their system’s appearance and functionality to their liking.
  • MX Tools
    The distribution includes a unique set of tools, such as MX Snapshot and MX Package Installer, that enhance user experience by simplifying complex tasks.
  • Community Support
    MX Linux has an active and helpful community, offering extensive forums and documentation to assist users in troubleshooting and optimizing their systems.

Possible disadvantages of MX Linux

  • Slower Updates
    Being based on Debian Stable, MX Linux may not have the latest software and feature updates, lagging behind more cutting-edge distributions.
  • Limited Software Availability
    The software repositories, although extensive, may not have as wide a selection as some other distros, requiring users to sometimes rely on external sources.
  • Aesthetic
    While functional and customizable, the default look and feel might not be as polished as some other distributions designed with visual aesthetics in mind.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Customization
    While it is user-friendly for basic tasks, more advanced customization and optimization may require a steeper learning curve for those unfamiliar with Linux internals.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Though generally good, there can be occasional issues with hardware compatibility, especially with very new or very old devices.

Alpine Linux features and specs

  • Lightweight and Minimal
    Alpine Linux is designed to be small and efficient, making it ideal for containers and environments where resource usage is a concern.
  • Security-focused
    Uses musl libc and busybox, which are designed for simplicity and security, reducing potential vulnerabilities.
  • Fast Boot Time
    Its minimalistic nature allows it to boot very quickly compared to many other Linux distributions.
  • Package Management
    APK (Alpine Package Keeper) is simple and efficient, allowing for easy package management.
  • Active Community
    Has an active community and good documentation, making it easier to find resources and support.
  • Compatibility
    Compatible with Docker, making it a popular choice for container-based deployments.
  • Customizability
    Highly customizable due to its simplicity, allowing users to build a system tailored to their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of Alpine Linux

  • Learning Curve
    May have a steeper learning curve for users who are accustomed to more mainstream distributions like Ubuntu or CentOS.
  • Limited Package Repository
    Not as extensive as more mainstream distributions, potentially limiting some software options.
  • Community Support
    While active, the community is smaller compared to larger distributions, which might limit the availability of third-party tutorials and resources.
  • Default Shell
    Uses BusyBox shell by default, which lacks some of the features of Bash or Zsh that some users may be accustomed to.
  • Performance Overheads
    While generally performant, the use of musl libc instead of glibc can cause some performance overhead and compatibility issues with certain applications.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Tools
    Some tools and conveniences found in other distributions are absent by default, requiring more initial setup for a fully functional environment.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    May have limited hardware support compared to larger distributions, potentially causing issues with some drivers and peripherals.

MX Linux videos

MX Linux 19.1 Xfce Review | Distro Delves S2:Ep9

More videos:

  • Review - REVIEW: MX LINUX 19 : "BLAZING FAST!"
  • Review - Why is MX Linux So Popular?

Alpine Linux videos

Looking at Alpine Linux

More videos:

  • Review - Small, Simple, and Secure: Alpine Linux under the Microscope
  • Review - I'm considering switching to Alpine Linux. Here's why.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MX Linux and Alpine Linux)
Linux
74 74%
26% 26
Operating Systems
67 67%
33% 33
Linux Distribution
69 69%
31% 31
OS & Utilities
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using MX Linux and Alpine Linux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MX Linux and Alpine Linux

MX Linux Reviews

Top 9 Fastest Linux Distros in 2024
MX Linux is a mid-weight distro that uses the Xfce desktop environment. It is known for its stability, ease of use, and performance.
Source: linuxsimply.com
10 Most Popular Linux Distros of the Year 2023
MX Linux is always able to make its place in our list when it comes to selecting the best mid-weight Linux distros. Out of the box it uses a lightweight XFCE desktop environment and being built on Debian, stability is always not an issue. The user-friendly approach to this distro and multiple sources to install popular Linux packages make it an excellent choice for old and...
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
MX Linux is based on Debian and is suitable for use on older and less powerful computers because of its slim Xfce desktop. Compared to other professional Linux distributions, MX Linux is much more user-friendly. However, because of its many options it is also an interesting distribution for experienced users.
Source: www.ionos.com

Alpine Linux Reviews

Top 9 Fastest Linux Distros in 2024
There are several Linux distros that are known for their fast boot times. Such as Ubuntu 11.10 is known for the fastest booting time as it can boot within 10 seconds boot time. Moreover, Alpine Linux, Void Linux, antiX Linux, Puppy Linux, etc. are also known for their fastest boot time.
Source: linuxsimply.com
The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
Exploring the realm of immutable Linux distributions opens up a new perspective on system management, security, and reliability. From Fedora Silverblue’s atomic upgrades to Alpine Linux’s minimal footprint, each distribution brings something unique to the table, catering to different needs and preferences. Whether you’re a seasoned developer, a system administrator, or just...
Finding the Best Linux Distro for Your Organization
Alpine Linux is a security-oriented lightweight Linux distro designed for resource efficiency and containerization. It is known for its small footprint, speed, and focus on security measures. Alpine Linux is often used in scenarios where size and security are critical, such as in containers, IoT devices, and embedded systems. Alpine Linux is particularly suitable for...
Top 15 Best Security-Centric Linux Distributions of 2020
Alpine Linux is a lightweight security-oriented open-source Linux distribution designed for resource efficiency, security, and simplicity based on BusyBox and musl libc.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MX Linux should be more popular than Alpine Linux. It has been mentiond 91 times since March 2021. 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.

MX Linux mentions (91)

  • Linux market share approaching 4.5% for first time, could hit 5% by 1Q25
    Does one really care? Have you looked at https://www.clearlinux.org/ https://github.com/clearlinux https://github.com/CachyOS https://github.com/MX-Linux ? Would they lack anything? I picked these three specifically because I tested them recently on new hardware I got. What they have in common is their focus on encapsulating 4. For mere mortals, while not doing 5, or at... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: What if I don't want constant OS upgrades?
    I like Manjaro XFCE, it's rolling updates so it's as packages come out you can update to the newest (it pulls latest from github, but has other repos) if you want oldschool oldschool, check out antiX linux, MX Linux is based on AntiX but looks semi-better, they're based on Debian. Remember though, debian is like 5 package versions behind, because that's what they do with their auditing for stability. MX Linux has... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • what happened to my linux mint laptop and how do I fix it?
    If you want something new you probably want to aim light. I'd opt for AntiX full version as it's very light, stable and comes with a variety of lightweight desktops, themes and other stuff to choose from at login. The sister project MXLinux could also be worth a look for a more traditional system, but I'd try the Fluxbox option to keep things light. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Installing MX Linux
    I'm getting an error of - Could not find file antiX/linuxfs - searched devices /dev/sdc1 /dev/sdb1 etc. Gives me an ooption to contact Bitjam at mxlinux.org and then says P=power off, r=reboot. I've tried to look around but I'm not finding any details on what's going on. There was a mention of bad hardware, but if my other ISO's are booting no problem I dont think that is the issue. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Arch, void or something else entirely?
    I thought I would never say this, but I think you should try the KDE edition of https://mxlinux.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Alpine Linux mentions (29)

  • Revisit base container image for AWS services
    Alpine is a base image using a very lightweight Linux distribution called Alpine Linux, which includes BusyBox and musl environments, as well as a package management tool called APK (Alpine Package Manager). The image size is 3.81MB, which is very lightweight. Many of you are probably using alpine as a base image to create container images. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Build a Symfony 7 boilerplate using FrankenPHP, Docker, PostgreSQL and php 8.4
    I use the Debian Bookworm based image since I don't recommend using the Alpine one, the perfs seems a little less stable and fast. This is related to the musl libc library and JIT AKA just in time compilation used by php core, more information here on the official Frankenphp document. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • More storage for media : organize files using ChatGPT : part 2, converting JPEG to HEIC
    I will use docker image of ffpeg on alpine and I'm skipping steps as you can get this information from the internet search or generative AI, I'm using the ChatGPT as no login is required and most of readers will be able to reproduce my steps. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Show HN: Horizon – Private alternative to Imgur
    > I've launched a rebrand of Horizon which features a brand-new desktop app called Alpine[3] This won't get confused at all with Alpine Linux... https://alpinelinux.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Installing Debian bookworm without systemd
    Anyway, if you're after a distro that doesn't use systemd and is a joy to use and tinker with, take a look at Alpine [0]. It is a lot more compact and faster compared to other distros for using Musl instead of Glibc, which means you may find software that has not been ported yet, however so far I've installed it also on mini PCs and laptops with great results. 0: https://alpinelinux.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MX Linux and Alpine Linux, you can also consider the following products

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

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

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.

Debian - Debian is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system.