Alpine Linux is a crazy-fast distro for your desktop – with just one caveat

known primarily for containers and servers, Alpine Linux isn’t always considered for traditional desktop use. I think this lightweight distro could be your daily driver.

I've used every conceivable Linux distribution, from the extremely lightweight to the overstuffed and bloated. With almost every distribution type, I can find a rock-solid use to make the most of what it offers. Also: The best Linux laptops: Expert tested for students, hobbyists, and pros Alpine Linux is no outlier. However, for the most part, I've used this lightweight, security-focused distribution for container deployments — one of the most common use cases for Alpine Linux because its base image is incredibly small (between 2.67 and 5 MB – yes, megabytes). This gives Alpine Linux a minimal attack surface, which is great for containers. But is Alpine Linux an option for the desktop? The answer to that is yes, but with a big honking asterisk. Alpine Linux is a very minimal distribution, which translates to, "It doesn't ship with a desktop environment or a lot of apps/tools you're accustomed to." In fact, it doesn't ship with sudo or even bash.  Consequently, it does take some work to make Alpine Linux a viable option for the desktop. But that doesn't preclude it from being an option, especially for those who value simplicity and security. Also: Want to save your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions At the same time, getting Alpine Linux readied for desktop usage isn't exactly for the faint of heart. If you know what you're doing, you can have a solid desktop up and running in minutes. If you don't know what you're doing, it could take a while. Is it time well spent? If you like a slight challenge and want to enjoy the end result of your efforts, the answer is yes.