EasyOS is an experimental Linux distribution created by Barry Kauler, who is also known for developing Puppy Linux and Quirky Linux.
Launched in January 2017, EasyOS incorporates several innovative features and design philosophies that set it apart from other Linux distributions.
EasyOS is built from scratch to support containers, allowing any application or even an entire desktop environment to run in a container. This is managed through a simple GUI called "Easy Containers," which is highly efficient and consumes minimal overhead.
Run-as-Root Philosophy:
The user operates the system as the root user, which eliminates the need to use commands like sudo or su. Applications running in containers operate as a "crippled root" or a specific user, such as 'firefox' for Firefox, enhancing security and simplifying file permissions.
Frugal Installation:
EasyOS installs in "frugal" mode, occupying a single folder in a partition rather than requiring a full partition. This allows users to maintain other installations on the same partition without the need for dual-boot configurations.
Snapshot and Rollback Features:
Users can take snapshots of the system and roll back to previous states, even across version and kernel changes. This feature applies to both the main filesystem and containers, providing robust system recovery options.
SFS Mega-Packages:
EasyOS uses SFS mega-packages, which are collections of software bundled into a single file with the ".sfs" extension. These packages are mounted in the overlay filesystem and can be easily uninstalled by removing the file.
Optimized Performance:
All packages in EasyOS are compiled from source, ensuring optimized performance. The system is designed to run applications quickly, with many operations happening in RAM for near-instantaneous startup times.
Isolation from Drives:
EasyOS can boot with an option to copy the session to RAM and disable drives, providing an additional layer of security by isolating the system from the PC's drives.
User-Friendly Configuration:
EasyOS is distributed as an image file (.img) that can be written to a USB flash drive, SD card, or SSD. This method replaces the traditional ISO format and allows the system to boot without altering the hard drive. The system includes a variety of applications such as the SeaMonkey web suite, LibreOffice, and multimedia libraries, making it a comprehensive and versatile operating system.
Barry Kauler continues to develop EasyOS as a hobby, with no intention of making it a mainstream distribution. The project is supported by a community forum and detailed documentation available on the EasyOS website.
Overall, EasyOS offers a unique blend of features aimed at providing a secure, efficient, and user-friendly Linux experience, particularly for those interested in containerized applications and lightweight computing.