• Home Page, Headlines
 • DW Weekly, Comments
 • Packages, Package Management
 • Glossary, FAQ, Mobile Site
 • Search, Sitemap
 • Major Distributions
 • Submit Distribution
 • Upcoming Releases
 • About DistroWatch
 • Beginner's Guide
 • Torrents,  Page Hit Ranking
 • Advertise

Linux Foundation Training
elementary OS RSS Feed DistroWatch.com: elementary OS

elementary OS


Last Update: 2025-12-22 21:24 UTC


elementary OS is an Ubuntu-based desktop distribution. Some of its more interesting features include a custom desktop environment called Pantheon and many custom apps including Photos, Music, Videos, Calendar, Terminal, Files, and more. It also comes with some familiar apps like the Epiphany web browser and a fork of Geary mail.

Popularity (hits per day): 12 months: 14 (593), 6 months: 15 (578), 3 months: 16 (623), 4 weeks: 13 (769), 1 week: 15 (767)

Average visitor rating: 5.0/10 from 169 review(s).


elementary Summary
Distribution elementary OS
Home Page https://elementary.io/
Mailing Lists --
User Forums --
Alternative User Forums MastodonDiscord
Documentation https://elementary.io/docs/learning-the-basics
Screenshots DistroWatch Gallery
Screencasts
Download Mirrors https://elementary.io/DistroWatch Torrent Archive
Bug Tracker https://bugs.launchpad.net/elementary
Related Websites GitHub
Reviews 8.x: FOSS ForceLinux JournalDistroWatchFOSS Force
7.x: MichlFranken (German) • DistroWatchMichlFranken (German)
6.x: DistroWatchHeise (German)
5.x: DistroWatchCMS CriticLinux JournalDistroWatchHeise (German)
0.4: DedoimedoDistroWatchThe Tao of MacDedoimedo
0.3: DistroWatchLinux.com
0.2: Pro-Linux (German) • derStandard (German) • BinaryTidesWordpressLWNLinux Za Sve (Croatian) • WEB UP8LinuxBSDosWordpress
0.1: DedoimedoLWNBlogspotTech Drive-inMuyComputer (Spanish) • OMG! Ubuntu!
Where To Donate, Buy or Try https://store.elementary.io/The Linux Shop

Recent Related News and Releases
  Releases announcements with download links and checksums:
 • 2025-12-22: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.1
 • 2025-03-19: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.0.1
 • 2024-11-26: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.0
 • 2023-10-03: Distribution Release: elementary OS 7.1
 • 2023-01-31: Distribution Release: elementary OS 7.0
 • 2021-12-20: Distribution Release: elementary OS 6.1
 • 2021-08-10: Distribution Release: elementary OS 6.0
 • 2021-06-16: Development Release: elementary OS 6.0 Beta 2
 • 2021-05-01: Development Release: elementary OS 6.0 Beta
 • 2020-05-02: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1.4
 • 2020-02-07: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1.2
 • 2019-12-03: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1
 • More elementary releases...

  Headlines:
 • 2025-02-26 elementary seeks new ideas
 • 2024-02-07 elementary OS 8 to split system and application updates
 • 2023-11-07 elementary OS outlines plans for version 8
 • 2023-07-07 elementary OS introduces new warnings in software centre to protect privacy
 • 2023-04-06 elementary OS improves sideloading experience
 • 2023-03-06 elementary OS offers new file manager and network widget improvements
 • 2022-12-02 elementary OS team fixes delta updates
 • 2022-11-04 elementary provides Flatpak, GNOME updates
 • 2022-10-06 elementary OS fixes Gala regressions, introduces software centre features
 • 2022-09-07 elementary OS explores responsive designs
 • More elementary headlines...

Table Notes and Explanations

(Please refer to the table below.)
  • Select view:
  • To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
  • Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
  • Colour scheme: green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
TUXEDO
TUXEDO Computers

TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite
Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!

Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.

Star Labs

Star Labs Systems | Laptops designed for Linux

Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.


GNU/Linux.ch

GNU/Linux und Freie Software News

Kollaborativ geschriebene News rund um GNU/Linux und Freie Software


Advertisement


Feature 8.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Feature
Release Date 2025-12-22 2023-10-03 2021-12-20 2021-08-10 2020-08-14 2018-10-16 2017-05-17 2015-12-09 2013-08-11 2011-04-01 Release Date
End Of Life                     End Of Life
Price (US$) Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Price (US$)
Image Size (MB) 2700-2800 2600-2700 2200-2300 2200-2300 1400-1500 1400-1500 1000-1100       Image Size (MB)
Free Download ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO Free Download
Installation elementary Installer elementary Installer elementary Installer elementary Installer Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Installation
Default Desktop Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon GNOME Default Desktop
Default Browser Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Default Browser
Package Management DEB, Flatpak DEB, Flatpak DEB, Flatpak DEB, Flatpak DEB, Flatpak DEB DEB DEB DEB DEB Package Management
Release Model Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Release Model
Office Suite -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- GOffice Office Suite
Processor Architecture x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 i386, x86_64 i386, x86_64 i386 Processor Architecture
Init Software systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd Upstart Upstart Upstart Init Software
Journaled File Systems Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Journaled File Systems
Multilingual Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes         Multilingual
Asian Language Support                     Asian Language Support
Full Package List 8.1 7.1 6.1 6.0 5.1.7 5.0 0.4.1 0.3.2 0.2 0.1 Full Package List
Package 8.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Package
alsa-lib (1.2.15.1) 1.2.11 1.2.6 1.2.2 1.2.2 1.1.3 1.1.3 1.1.0 1.0.27.2 1.0.25 1.0.23 alsa-lib (1.2.15.1)
amdgpu (25.0.0) 23.0.0 22.0.0 19.1.0 19.1.0 19.1.0 18.0.1 -- -- -- 8.780 amdgpu (25.0.0)
apparmor (4.1.2) 4.0.1 3.0.4 2.13.3 2.13.3 2.12 2.12 2.10.95 2.8.95 2.7.102 -- apparmor (4.1.2)
apt (3.1.12) 2.8.3 2.4.10 2.0.6 2.0.6 1.6.12 1.6.3 1.2.20 1.0.1 0.8.16 0.8.3 apt (3.1.12)
bash (5.3) 5.2.21 5.1 5.0 5.0 4.4.18 4.4.18 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.1 bash (5.3)
bind (9.20.17) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- bind (9.20.17)
chromium (143.0.7499.169) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- chromium (143.0.7499.169)
cinnamon (6.6.3) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- cinnamon (6.6.3)
cups (2.4.16) 2.4.7 2.4.1 2.3.1 2.3.1 2.2.7 2.2.7 2.1.3 1.7.2 1.5.3 1.4.4 cups (2.4.16)
e2fsprogs (1.47.3) 1.47.0 1.46.5 1.45.5 1.45.5 1.44.1 1.44.1 1.42.13 1.42.9 1.42 1.41.12 e2fsprogs (1.47.3)
ffmpeg (8.0.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ffmpeg (8.0.1)
firefox (146.0.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 42.0 -- -- firefox (146.0.1)
flatpak (1.16.2) 1.14.6 1.12.7 1.12.2 1.10.2 1.6.3 -- -- -- -- -- flatpak (1.16.2)
freetype (2.14.1) 2.13.2 2.11.1 2.10.1 2.10.1 2.8.1 2.8.1 2.6.1 2.5.2 2.4.8 2.4.2 freetype (2.14.1)
gcc (15.2.0) -- -- -- -- -- 7.3.0 5.3.1 4.8.2 4.6.3 4.4.4 gcc (15.2.0)
gimp (3.0.6) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gimp (3.0.6)
git (2.52.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- git (2.52.0)
glibc (2.42) 2.39 2.35 2.31 2.31 2.27 2.27 2.23 2.19 2.15 2.12.1 glibc (2.42)
gnome-shell (49.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gnome-shell (49.2)
grub (2.12) 2.12 2.06 2.04 2.04 2.02 2.02 2.02beta2 2.02beta2 1.99 1.98 grub (2.12)
gtk (4.20.3) 4.14.5 4.6.9 3.24.20 3.24.20 3.22.30 3.22.30 3.18.9 3.14.15 3.4.2 2.22.0 gtk (4.20.3)
httpd (2.4.66) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- httpd (2.4.66)
inkscape (1.4.3) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- inkscape (1.4.3)
kmod (34.2) 31 29 27 27 24 24 22 15 -- -- kmod (34.2)
krita (5.2.14) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- krita (5.2.14)
LibreOffice (25.8.4) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- LibreOffice (25.8.4)
Package 8.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Package
libselinux (3.9) 3.5 3.3 3.0 3.0 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.2.2 2.1.0 2.0.94 libselinux (3.9)
linux (6.18.3) 6.14 6.2 5.11 5.11 5.4 4.15 4.8 3.19 3.2 2.6.35 linux (6.18.3)
mariadb (12.1.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mariadb (12.1.2)
mate-desktop (1.28.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mate-desktop (1.28.2)
mesa (25.3.3) 25.0.7 23.0.4 21.0.3 21.0.3 20.0.8 18.0.5 12.0.6 10.5.9 9.0.3 7.9git mesa (25.3.3)
mysql (9.5.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mysql (9.5.0)
nautilus (49.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2.32.2 nautilus (49.2)
NVIDIA (590.48.01) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 260.19.06 NVIDIA (590.48.01)
openjdk (25) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- openjdk (25)
openssh (10.2p1) 9.6p1 8.9p1 8.2p1 8.2p1 7.6p1 7.6p1 7.2p2 6.6p1 5.9p1 5.5p1 openssh (10.2p1)
openssl (3.6.0) 3.0.13 3.0.2 1.1.1f 1.1.1f 1.1.1 1.1.0g 1.0.2g 1.0.1f 1.0.1 0.9.8o openssl (3.6.0)
perl (5.42.0) 5.38.2 5.34.0 5.30.0 5.30.0 5.26.1 5.26.1 5.22.1 5.18.2 5.14.2 5.10.1 perl (5.42.0)
php (8.5.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- php (8.5.1)
plasma-desktop (6.5.4) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- plasma-desktop (6.5.4)
postfix (3.10.7) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postfix (3.10.7)
postgresql (18.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postgresql (18.1)
Python (3.14.2) 3.12.3 3.10.6 3.8.2 3.8.2 3.6.7 3.6.7 2.7.11 2.7.5 2.7.3 2.6.6 Python (3.14.2)
qt (6.10.1) 5.15.13 5.15.3 5.12.8 5.12.8 5.9.5 5.9.5 5.5.1 -- -- -- qt (6.10.1)
samba (4.23.4) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4.1.6 3.6.3 3.5.4 samba (4.23.4)
systemd (259) 255.4 249.11 245.4 245.4 237 237 229 -- -- -- systemd (259)
thunderbird (146.0.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- thunderbird (146.0.1)
vim (9.1) 9.1 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.0 8.0 7.4 7.4 7.3 -- vim (9.1)
vlc (3.0.23) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vlc (3.0.23)
wayland (1.24.0) 1.22.0 1.20.0 1.18.0 1.18.0 1.16.0 1.14.0 1.9.0 1.6.0 -- -- wayland (1.24.0)
xfdesktop (4.20.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- xfdesktop (4.20.1)
xorg-server (21.1.21) 21.1.12 21.1.4 1.20.13 1.20.11 1.20.8 1.19.6 1.18.4 1.15.1 1.11.4 1.9.0 xorg-server (21.1.21)

Reader Ratings
Reader supplied reviews for elementary OS

Average rating
5.0
from 169 review(s)



What are your thoughts on elementary OS?
Please include a few pros and a few cons, along with your overall impression of the operating system.
Our FAQ page has tips on writing a good mini-review.

Version:

Rating:    out of 10

Your review (minimum 250 words):




Past reviews - sort by:

Version: 8.1
Rating: 1
Date: 2026-01-03
Votes: 0


I agree with the other users who tried to install this distro but were thwarted by a popup that was hidden under the installation options dialogue. To have an impediment imbedded in the actual initial installation process, tends to encourage a potential user to abandon the distro for safety sake - what other issues would arise if you made it past the flawed install process? Perhaps the developers might wish to test the install process themselves to see what the genuine critical comments are referring to. This, combined with the invitation to donate, tends to leave potential users disappointed at the very least.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: 8.1
Rating: 5
Date: 2025-12-26
Votes: 3


I give credit for the devs keeping this OS up and running, but this distro is full of bugs. I ran 7.1 for the last month while I waited for 8.1 release. Once 8.1 was, out I immediately installed it. I was optimistic that this would be a flawless operating system. Nope. It's almost like they made the distro to troll the linux community. It looks great. Runs fast. They made the navigation frustrating though. Innately you can't minimize an open application. You have to install Pantheon Tweaks just to add that option to the window controls (minimize, maximize, close). The changed plank to not allow you to click to minimize to plank. Sometimes when you open a window or menu, it opens maximized and slightly off screen. Also when you use the multitask feature, you can't click and drag any open windows to your other virtual desktop. You have to open a new virtual desktop, then open a new window there.

I tried really hard to use the system the way I thought they wanted it used, but they put WAY too many hurdles in the way. I'm sorry Elementary OS Devs, but I think you guys need to step back and seriously consider keeping things simple. Your base desktop environment is nice, but the "polish" your adding is making it overly complex for no reason. By "complex", I mean infuriating.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: 8.1
Rating: 8
Date: 2025-12-24
Votes: 1


Elementary is an interesting, unusual distribution. I like the moxie shown by the developers. They're doing some interesting work -- especially in terms of accessibility, and in getting programmers paid for their work. It's also a very pretty distribution -- the macOS design cues will be immediately recognizable. The default, custom ElementaryOS apps (aside from the Gnome web browser, called "Web" here) work well for the most part, but you have a full repository from which to add any programs you like. If your computing needs match what this distro is offering, it'll work for you like a comfortable pair of shoes.

If it doesn't work for you, the pool of people prepared to give advice is perhaps smaller than with some of the more established, larger distributions. Pantheon (the desktop environment) is subtly different from what you're used to, so you'll have to poke around a bit. It's a relatively simple distro, so it's something a normal person can get a good handle on in a short period of time.

This isn't my daily driver, but in general I enjoy this distro and note that it has improved greatly in just a few years. I'm curious to see what they'll do next.


Was this review helpful? Yes No

See all 169 reader reviews of elementary OS...



Copyright © 2001 - 2026 Atea Ataroa Limited. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Privacy policy. Change privacy settings.
DistroWatch.com is hosted at Copenhagen.

Contact, corrections and suggestions: Jesse Smith

Tips: bc1qxes3k2wq3uqzr074tkwwjmwfe63z70gwzfu4lx
lnurl1dp68gurn8ghj7ampd3kx2ar0veekzar0wd5xjtnrdakj7tnhv4kxctttdehhwm30d3h82unvwqhhxarpw3jkc7tzw4ex6cfexyfua2nr
86fA3qPTeQtNb2k1vLwEQaAp3XxkvvvXt69gSG5LGunXXikK9koPWZaRQgfFPBPWhMgXjPjccy9LA9xRFchPWQAnPvxh5Le
PayPal.me/distrowPatreon.com/distrowatch