Solus
getsol.us
What it is
Solus is a free, independent Linux operating system for home and office use on personal computers. It comes in Budgie, GNOME, Plasma and Xfce desktop editions. Budgie includes settings tools and Raven for notifications, media playback and sound-device controls; Xfce is intended as a lightweight option for less powerful hardware. Solus follows a stable rolling release model, with weekly updates that the project says are tested before release and do not require system reinstalls. It ships with Firefox, Thunderbird and LibreOffice, and supports Flatpak applications. The Software Center provides graphical software management, while eopkg handles package operations from the command line. Minimum requirements are a 64-bit x86-64 processor, 4 GB RAM and 10 GB free disk space. Solus is available as installable ISO images for physical computers, including desktops and laptops. Installation help is available through its documentation, Matrix community and forum. The project describes itself as volunteer-run and reliant on community donations.
Spec sheet
- Product
- Solus is an independent Linux-based operating system designed for home and office use.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Integrations
- Solus supports Flatpak applications, according to its technology information.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Support
- Installation help is available through Solus documentation, its Matrix community, and its forum.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Maker
- The maker identifies itself as the Solus Project, an independent organization maintaining the Solus operating system.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Budgie
- The Budgie edition includes Budgie Desktop Settings and Raven for notifications, media playback, and sound-device controls.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Community contributions
- The project welcomes contributions to package maintenance, issue reporting, and documentation.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Desktop editions
- The download page offers Budgie, GNOME, Plasma, and Xfce editions.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Download verification
- Solus provides image hashes and signature files, and says checking them helps determine whether a download was corrupted or tampered with in transit.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Editions
- Solus is available in Budgie, GNOME, Plasma, and Xfce desktop editions.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- For creators
- The site lists creative applications including GIMP, Inkscape, Kdenlive, and Shotcut, and says it maintains ROCm support for AMD GPU acceleration.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- For developers
- Solus supports development editors, programming languages, compilers, version control systems, Docker, and Podman.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- For gaming
- The site lists Steam, Proton, and Heroic Games Launcher among the ways to play games on Solus.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- GNOME
- The GNOME edition includes extensions such as Speedinator and AppIndicatorSupport.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Hardware requirements
- The download page lists minimum requirements of 10 GB free disk space, 4 GB RAM, and a 64-bit x86-64 processor.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Included software
- Solus ships with Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, and LibreOffice.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Minimum requirements
- The listed minimum requirements include a 64-bit x86-64 processor, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB free disk space.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Organization
- The Solus Organization describes itself as an independent organization dedicated to creating and maintaining Solus, a Linux-based operating system.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Plasma
- The Plasma edition provides a curated desktop experience with sensible defaults.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Project funding
- Solus says it is volunteer-run and relies on community donations.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Release model
- Solus provides rolling software updates without requiring system reinstalls.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Security contact
- The Solus security page provides a channel for reporting security issues.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Security reporting
- Solus accepts vulnerability reports through GitHub security issues or email to [email protected].Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Security updates
- Solus says both unstable and stable (“Polaris”) package releases are supported with security updates.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Update cadence
- Solus says updates are pushed weekly after testing.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Updates
- Solus describes its release model as stable rolling, with software updates intended to avoid system breakage.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- What it is
- Solus describes itself as a modern open-source operating system for personal computers.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
- Xfce
- The Xfce edition is described as a lightweight desktop intended to provide a full-featured experience on less powerful hardware.Read 9 Oct 2026 · getsol.us
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Four desktop editions are available.
- Weekly tested rolling updates.
- Includes Firefox, Thunderbird and LibreOffice.
- Supports Flatpak applications.
Limits
- Requires a 64-bit x86-64 processor.
- Minimum 4 GB RAM and 10 GB free disk space.
- No fixed support duration specified.
Who it suits
Solus suits desktop and laptop users seeking a Linux operating system with a choice of four desktop editions. Its Xfce edition is intended for less powerful hardware.
Verdict
Solus combines four desktop choices with rolling updates and built-in software management. Check the listed hardware requirements and available desktop editions against the computer you plan to use.
Where Specifiction places it
- Linux Distributions#8 of 208.0
- Operating Systems#18 of 427.9