Linux From Scratch (LFS) is a project that provides you with step-by-step instructions for building your own custom Linux system, entirely from source code. This lets you audit everything, if you wish to do so, and apply all the security patches you want or need to apply. You don’t have to wait for someone else to provide a new binary package that (hopefully) fixes a security hole. Often, you never truly know whether a security hole is fixed or not unless you do it yourself.
Building LFS teaches you about all that makes Linux tick, how things work together and depend on each other. And most importantly, how to customize it to your own preferences and requirements.
When you install a Linux distribution, you often end up installing a lot of programs that you would probably never use. They’re just sitting there wasting disk space. It’s not hard to get an LFS system installed under 500 MB. Does that still sound like a lot? A few individuals have been working on creating an LFS system even smaller.
Building LFS could be compared to a finished house. LFS will give you the skeleton of a house, but it’s up to you to install plumbing, electrical outlets, kitchen, bath, wallpaper, etc. You have the ability to turn it into whatever type of system you need it to be, customized completely for you.
| Working state: | Active |
| Desktop: | - |
| Init Software: | systemd, SysV |
| Package Management: | SRC |
| Release Model: | Fixed |
| Platforms: | x86_64, i386 |
| Home Page: | www.linuxfromscratch.org |
| Developer: | Gerard Beekmans |
| This article is part of our Big List of Active Linux Distros which is currently under development. |
What's a Linux distribution ("distro")? |
| A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system. Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies. Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros. |