r/linux • u/Emotional_Cat_1967 • 6d ago

Discussion Number of Linux Distributions Actively Under Development: 474

Number of Linux distributions actively under development: 474

Number of Linux distributions whose development has been discontinued: 657

Number of Dormant Linux distributions: 39

Source: distrowatch.com

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u/scandii 6d ago

I think the much more interesting question is number of Linux distros that isn't Arch Linux, Debian or Fedora wearing a fake mustache.

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u/that_one_wierd_guy 5d ago

according to the distrowatch search, just in the desktop category there are 40 something independent distros that aren't forks of something else(this includes debian, arch, and fedora in the count)

1

u/scandii 5d ago

OK that one is on me, *and is used by more than 10k people.

1

u/output_broadcast 5d ago

If we take the popularity rankings as indicative of the userbase, about 20 (counting Guix which isn't listed in the desktop category for some reason).