elementary OS vs EndeavourOS
Elementary OS and EndeavourOS compared on the facts that matter: release model, desktop, package management, init system, memory floor and installation size.
Side by side
| elementary OS | EndeavourOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Ubuntu family | Arch family |
| Release model | Versioned releases | Rolling release |
| Desktop | Pantheon | KDE Plasma (offline) / choice |
| Package manager | APT + Flatpak (AppCenter) | pacman |
| Init system | systemd | systemd |
| Immutable root | Yes | Yes |
| Wayland by default | No | Yes |
| Minimum RAM | 4 GB | 2 GB |
| ISO size | 3 GB | 2.7 GB |
| Latest kernel | 6.8 | 6.12 |
| Releases archived | 0 | 0 |
| Latest release | 2024 | 2026 (rolling) |
What differs
Release model
Elementary OS uses versioned releases, while EndeavourOS uses rolling releases.
Package manager
Elementary OS ships APT + Flatpak (AppCenter); EndeavourOS ships pacman.
Minimum RAM
EndeavourOS runs on less memory: 2048 MB against 4096 MB.
Verdict
Both are solid choices for their goals — the practical differences are in the table and the points above. Full range tables for each are on their distro pages.
{$AFFBLOCK}FAQ
Which one is easier for beginners?
Check the installer row and minimum RAM: a graphical installer with a low memory floor is the friendlier first step.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the current release snapshots of each distribution archived by the linux2u.ru team.