Wednesday, November 11, 2026

TuxWraith

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DistroDebian-basedFixed release

elementary OS

A thoughtful, fast, and ethical replacement for Windows and macOS. elementary OS pairs an Ubuntu LTS base with the Pantheon desktop and a curated AppCenter.

No guides yet · Last reviewed 7 Nov 2026

elementary.io ↗
At a glance

elementary OS

Family
Debian-based
First release
2011
Release model
Fixed release (based on Ubuntu LTS)
Package manager
apt (Flatpak via AppCenter)
Init system
systemd
Architecture
x86_64, aarch64
Installer
elementary installer (custom graphical installer)
Default desktop
Pantheon

Overview

elementary OS is built on Ubuntu LTS and ships Pantheon, a desktop environment designed in-house with a dock, a multitasking view, and a consistent set of apps that share one design language.

Software comes mainly through AppCenter and Flatpak, with a pay-what-you-can model that lets you support developers. Snap is not installed by default, and the system keeps a minimal, opinionated set of defaults.

Is it for you?

Good fit if you…

  • want a clean, consistent desktop that stays out of the way
  • prefer curated apps and a pay-what-you-can AppCenter
  • are moving from macOS and like a familiar dock workflow

Look elsewhere if you…

  • need the newest kernels or desktop versions quickly (try Fedora)
  • want a traditional start-menu desktop with deep customization (try Linux Mint)

Everyday commands

Full cheat sheet →
sudo apt update
Update package lists from elementary OS and Ubuntu repositories.
sudo apt upgrade
Upgrade installed packages to their latest versions.
apt search <query>
Search the repositories for a package.
sudo apt install <package>
Install a package and its dependencies.
flatpak update
Update all installed Flatpak applications.

Official resources