CRUX Linux

Screenshot KDE Desktop for Crux Linux OS (2007).
Developer	Per Lidén and CRUX community
OS family	Linux (Unix-like)
Working state	Active
Source model	Open source
Initial release	December 2002; 21 years ago (2002-12)
Latest release	3.7[1] / September 26, 2022; 15 months ago (2022-09-26)
Update method	ports
Package manager	pkgutils[2]
Platforms	x86-64
Kernel type	Linux (Monolithic)
Userland	GNU
Default user interface	Openbox
License	Various
Official website	crux.nu

CRUX is a lightweight x86-64 Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution.^[3] It also utilizes a ports system to install and upgrade applications.^[4]

Although crux is the Latin word for "cross," the choice of the name "CRUX" itself has no meaning. Per Lidén chose it because it "sounded cool," and ends in "X" which puts it in line with various other Unix flavors such as IRIX, Ultrix, Mac OS X and IBM AIX.^[5]

Installation

CRUX does not include a GUI installation program. Instead, the user boots the kernel stored on either a CD or diskette; partitions the hard disk drive(s) to which the operating system will be installed (using a program such as fdisk or cfdisk); creates the appropriate file systems on the various partitions; mounts the CD or NFS share along with the partitions made previously for use by the package installation script; compiles a new kernel; and installs a bootloader, all via shell commands.^[6][7]

Package management

CRUX implements an infrastructure similar to that of BSD-based operating systems for package management. Packages consist of a Pkgfile (which is a shell script), any patches required to adjust the program to work, md5sum hashes used to verify the integrity of the downloaded files and a footprint file listing the files to be included in the packages. These files are downloaded from a CRUX software repository, compiled, and installed using the prt-get frontend to pkgutils.^[2] The software sources are downloaded from the websites of their respective upstream at the address specified in the Pkgfile.

Releases

Reviews

Simone Rota reviewed CRUX for OSNews:^[10]

Since to use CRUX you must compile your own kernel and modules, the hardware compatibility list is basically the same as the Linux kernel.(2.4.21 on the tested release). No third-party modules are available on the CD, in case of unsupported hardware the only option is to fetch the drivers from another machine. The bootable CD-Rom kernel is compiled with a relatively small set of options, that should be enough to boot the machine and proceed with installation.