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KaOS screenshot

KaOS

KaOS is a desktop Linux distribution that features the latest version of the Noctalia desktop environment, the Calligra office suite, and other popular software applications that use the Qt toolkit. It was inspired by Arch Linux, but the developers build their own packages which are available from in-house repositories.

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AerynOS screenshot

AerynOS

AerynOS is an independently-developed, rolling-release Linux distribution designed for general desktop use. Its main features include the GNOME desktop, a custom package manager called "moss", atomic updates with rollback options, a package build system called "boulder", and smart boot management with complex EFI configuration through a utility called "blsforme".

Technical Specs Comparison
KaOSAerynOS
IndependentBaseIndependent
pacman / pkgPackage Managermoss / flatpak, moss
systemdInit Systemsystemd
Rolling ReleaseRelease ModelRolling Release
2026.02Latest Version2026.01
IntermediateDifficultyIntermediate
February 15, 2026Release DateJanuary 31, 2026
x86_64
Architecture
x86_64
niriNoctaliaCOSMICGNOMEKDE Plasma
Desktops
niriNoctaliaCOSMICGNOMEKDE Plasma