Lightweight Linux Softwares

Discover best Lightweight Linux softwares, apps and websites.

Best Lightweight Linux Softwares

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1by1

1by1

Free

1by1 is a remarkably small and fast audio player designed for direct folder playback. It's portable, requires no installation, and efficiently manages large music collections without needing a dedicated library database. Ideal for users seeking performance and simplicity.

Extremely fast startup and low resource usage.
Lightweight
Audio & Music
Scratch

Scratch

Open Source

Scratch is a powerful yet lightweight text editor designed for developers and anyone working with code or plain text. It offers automatic saving, syntax highlighting, and a range of features to boost productivity, all within a customizable and extensible interface.

Automatic saving significantly reduces risk of data loss.
Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
Development
Chyrp

Chyrp

Open Source

Chyrp is a remarkably lightweight and flexible blogging engine known for its flat-file architecture and modular design. Ideal for users seeking a fast, simple, and highly customizable platform without the overhead of a traditional database.

Extremely lightweight and fast due to flat-file architecture.
Lightweight
Development Social & Communications
ArchBang

ArchBang

Open Source

ArchBang is a lightweight, rolling-release Linux distribution built on Arch Linux, featuring the Openbox window manager. It's designed for users who appreciate speed, minimalism, and a high degree of customization right out of the box.

Extremely lightweight and fast.
Based on Arch Linux
OS & Utilities
Kohana

Kohana

Open Source

Kohana is an open-source HMVC framework for PHP 5, designed to be swift, secure, and small. Built by a team of volunteers, it emphasizes object-oriented programming, extensibility, and includes robust features for web development.

Clean and Object-Oriented Architecture
Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
Development Education & Reference Security & Privacy
xPud

xPud

Open Source

xPud is an extremely lightweight and fast LiveCD/LiveUSB distribution based on Ubuntu Linux. Designed for minimal resource usage and rapid boot times, it provides a portable and web-centric computing environment ideal for older hardware, kiosks, and users prioritizing speed and simplicity. Its small size makes it an excellent choice for quick web browsing, multimedia playback, and basic computing tasks directly from removable media.

Extremely fast boot times
Lightweight
OS & Utilities Video & Movies
Tizen OS

Tizen OS

Open Source

Tizen OS is an open-source, Linux-based operating system designed to power a wide range of devices. Developed by a collaborative effort led by Samsung, it offers a lightweight and versatile platform for smartphones, smart TVs, wearables, and more, with a focus on web technologies and a flexible architecture.

Lightweight architecture suitable for diverse hardware.
Lightweight
PHP Fat-Free Framework

Fat-Free Framework (F3) is a powerful yet easy-to-use PHP micro-framework designed for building dynamic and robust web applications. It emphasizes performance, a small footprint, and a straightforward modular design.

Extremely lightweight and fast.
Lightweight
Development
Mousepad

Mousepad

Open Source

Mousepad is a straightforward yet capable text editor designed specifically for the Xfce desktop environment. It provides essential text editing functionalities in a lightweight package, making it an excellent choice for everyday tasks and basic code editing.

Extremely lightweight and fast startup
Drag n drop
Development
Xarchiver

Xarchiver

Open Source

Xarchiver is a lightweight, desktop environment-independent archive manager for Linux and BSD systems. It acts as a intuitive graphical frontend to popular command-line archiving utilities, simplifying the process of creating, extracting, and managing various archive types.

Excellent compatibility across various desktop environments due to its GTK found...
File compression
File Management
Cocos2d-x

Cocos2d-x

Open Source

Cocos2d-x is a renowned open-source, cross-platform 2D game engine. Favored by mobile game developers for its efficiency and ease of use, it provides a robust framework for creating engaging 2D games with excellent performance across multiple devices and operating systems. Its flexibility and extensive feature set cater to both beginners and experienced developers.

High performance and efficiency due to C++ core.
Lightweight
Development Games
Urho3D

Urho3D

Open Source

Urho3D is a free, cross-platform 2D/3D game engine written in C++ and released under the MIT license. It is known for its lightweight design and efficiency, making it a suitable choice for various game development projects.

High performance due to C++ core.
Lightweight
Development Games
TreePad

TreePad

Free Personal

TreePad is a versatile personal information manager and notes organizer that utilizes a hierarchical tree structure to help you manage various types of information, from simple notes and to-do lists to complex knowledge bases.

Excellent hierarchical organization.
Lightweight
Office & Productivity
Slax

Slax

Open Source

Slax is a remarkably lightweight and modular Live Linux distribution designed for portability. It runs directly from a USB drive or CD without requiring installation, making it ideal for rescue tasks, temporary workstations, or running on older hardware. Its building block approach allows users to easily customize its features.

Extremely portable, runs from USB/CD without installation.
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
PCMan File Manager

PCMan File Manager

Open Source

PCMan File Manager is a highly regarded, lightweight file manager designed for speed and efficiency. It is the default file manager for the LXDE desktop environment and offers a clean interface and essential file management functionalities with low resource consumption.

Extremely fast and responsive.
Lightweight
File Management
Enlightenment

Enlightenment

Open Source

Enlightenment is a highly customizable and lightweight window manager and desktop environment. It's known for its performance efficiency and aesthetic flexibility, offering a modular platform for users seeking a departure from traditional desktop experiences.

Extremely lightweight and performant, suitable for older hardware.
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
LXQt

LXQt

Open Source

LXQt is a free and open-source lightweight desktop environment for Linux and BSD systems, designed for speed, efficiency, and customization. It is built from the foundation of LXDE and Razor-qt, combining the best of both worlds to provide a modern yet resource-friendly user experience.

Extremely lightweight and resource-efficient
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
Bodhi Linux

Bodhi Linux

Open Source

Bodhi Linux is a feather-light Linux distribution built on Ubuntu, distinguished by its utilization of the unique Moksha Desktop Environment. It's specifically designed for users seeking high performance on older or resource-constrained hardware, offering a minimalist yet highly customizable experience.

Excellent performance on older and low-end hardware
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
Slackware

Slackware

Open Source

Slackware is a veteran Linux distribution renowned for its simplicity and stability, adhering closely to the Unix philosophy. It's designed for users who prefer a hands-on approach and deep understanding of their system.

Extremely stable and reliable.
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
trolCommander

trolCommander

Open Source

trolCommander is a powerful and lightweight cross-platform file manager. It is a fork of the popular muCommander, offering a dual-pane interface, rich feature set including built-in viewers, terminal, FTP/SFTP support, and extensive customization options. Designed for efficiency and speed, it's an excellent alternative for users seeking advanced file management capabilities across various operating systems.

Dual-pane interface for efficient file management.
Built-in Terminal
File Management
Leafpad

Leafpad

Open Source

Leafpad is an exceptionally lightweight and straightforward text editor designed for Linux, BSD, and Maemo environments. It prioritizes speed and efficiency, offering basic text editing functionalities without the complexity of feature-rich editors.

Extremely lightweight and fast startup.
Drag n drop
Development
Puppy Linux

Puppy Linux

Open Source

Puppy Linux is a family of lightweight Linux distributions designed for speed, efficiency, and ease of use. It can boot from various media and run entirely in RAM, making it incredibly fast and suitable for older hardware or as a portable operating system.

Extremely fast and responsive, especially when running from RAM.
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
LXDE

LXDE

Open Source

LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is a free, resource-efficient desktop environment designed for low-spec computers. It offers a classic desktop experience with essential components, focusing on speed and stability for users with limited hardware resources or those who prefer a nimble environment.

Extremely low resource consumption, excellent for old or low-spec hardware.
Lightweight
OS & Utilities
Audacious

Audacious

Open Source

Audacious is a highly customizable, lightweight audio player designed for discerning listeners who prioritize sound quality and system resource efficiency. Supporting a vast array of audio formats and extensible via a robust plugin system, it offers a classic, skinnable interface for a personalized listening experience.

Extremely lightweight and resource-efficient.
Integrated codecs
Audio & Music
Midori

Midori

Open Source

Midori is a lightweight and fast web browser that emphasizes privacy, security, and user customization. Built with efficiency in mind, it offers a clean interface and essential features, making it a suitable choice for users seeking a less resource-intensive browsing experience without sacrificing core functionality.

Low system resource usage, ideal for older computers.
Built-in RSS reader
Web Browsers
qBittorrent

qBittorrent

Open Source

qBittorrent is a free and open-source BitTorrent client known for its simplicity, powerful features, and absence of advertisements. It provides a user-friendly interface for downloading and sharing files via the BitTorrent protocol on various operating systems.

Completely free and ad-free.
Built-in RSS reader
File Sharing
Telegram

Telegram

Free

Telegram is a fast and secure cloud-based instant messaging platform offering robust privacy features, large group support, file sharing, and cross-platform synchronization, making it a versatile communication tool.

Strong focus on privacy and security features.
Built-in File transfer
Security & Privacy Social & Communications Travel & Location
Transmission

Transmission

Open Source

Transmission is a free and open-source BitTorrent client known for its simplicity, speed, and low resource usage. Designed to be lightweight and unobtrusive, it provides a straightforward interface for downloading and managing torrents efficiently across various operating systems.

Extremely lightweight and low resource usage.
File-sync
File Sharing
Sublime Text

Sublime Text

Freemium

Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, markup, and prose. It's known for its speed, powerful features, and extensive customization options. With features like multiple cursors, GoTo Anything, and a robust plugin ecosystem, it's a favorite among developers and writers alike for boosting productivity and creating a tailored editing environment.

Exceptional performance and speed
Automatic packaging
Development