Alpine Linux
Alpine is a security-oriented, lightweight distribution built on musl libc and BusyBox. A full base system fits in 130 MB of RAM, which made it the default image of the container world.
Alpine started in 2005 as a small router-focused system and grew into the standard base image for Docker containers. Packages come through apk, services run under OpenRC, and the kernel is patched with an extra hardening layer. Versioned stable releases update every six months, with a continuously updated edge branch.
Key facts
- First release: 2005.
- musl libc, BusyBox userland, hardened kernel.
- apk package manager, OpenRC init.
- 128 MB minimum RAM, 230 MB standard ISO.
Best for: Containers, small servers, routers and anyone who needs a minimal, auditable Linux base.
Recent releases
| Version | Released | Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| 3.21.0 | 19 December 2024 | 6.12 LTS |
| 3.20.0 | 22 May 2024 | 6.6 LTS |
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FAQ
Why is Alpine so popular for containers?
The base image is about 5 MB, which keeps container builds tiny and the attack surface small.
What is musl?
A small, standard-conforming C library that replaces glibc. Some prebuilt binaries need gcompat to run.
Is Alpine suitable as a desktop?
Yes, with the setup-desktop script and a chosen desktop environment, though most use it headless.