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Damn Small Linux is a highly versatile, mini desktop-oriented Linux distribution. DSL was originally developed as an experiment to determine how many usable desktop applications could fit inside a 700 MB Live CD.
Over time, Damn Small Linux grew into a community project with hundreds of development hours put into refinements, including a fully automated remote and local application installation system.
Also, it includes a very versatile backup and restore system. You may use it with any writable media, including a hard drive, a floppy drive, or a USB device.
Damn Small Linux has a nearly complete desktop and many command-line tools. All applications are chosen with the best balance of functionality, size, and speed.
DSL can also act as an SSH/FTP/HTTPD server right off a Live CD. To save space and have a fully functional desktop, many GUI administration tools are fast yet still easy to use.
The New Damn Small Linux 2024 has been reborn as a compact Linux distribution tailored for low-spec x86 computers. It packs a lot of applications into a small package. All the applications are chosen for their functionality, small size, and low dependencies. DSL 2024 also has many text-based applications that make it handy to use in a terminal window or TTY.
What does Damn Small Linux have:
DSL 2024 currently only ships with two window managers: Fluxbox and JWM. Both are lightweight, fairly intuitive, and easy to use.
DSL has four X-based web browsers:
- Firefox-ESR (Extended Support Release, fully HTML5 compatible)
- NetSurf GTK (quick, easy on RAM, good HTML4 and CSS support)
- Dillo (super-light GUI browser)
- Links2 (text and light GUI browser)
For office applications, DSL has:
- AbiWord word processor
- Gnumeric spreadsheets
- Sylpheed email client
- Zathura PDF viewer
For multimedia applications:
- MPV (video and audio)
- XMMS (a lightweight audio player)
Other applications:
- mtPaint (graphics editing)
- gFTP (FTP, SFTP, and SCP)
- Leafpad (quick editing)
- zzzFM (file manager lifted straight out of antiX)
There are three GUI-based games picked because they are fun and relatively light.
DSL 2024 is also loaded up with a whole bunch of handy term-based applications:
- Ranger file manager
- VisiData is a powerful CSV and spreadsheet tool
- FZF fuzzy finder
- Tmux terminal multiplexer
- Mutt email client
- CMUS music player
- CDW CD burner
- Htop, an interactive process viewer
- SurfRaw (with wrapper) to search for the term
- Weather App
- MPV video/audio player with wrapper
- Vim and Nano for editing
- Five term-based games
- Two term-compatible web browsers: W3M and Links2
- …and much more
Damn Small Linux – Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✓ Designed for low-spec x86 computers, with applications selected for small size, low dependencies, and efficient resource use. | ✗ The distribution is specifically tailored to low-spec x86 hardware, so it is not intended as a general solution for every modern PC architecture. |
| ✓ Packs a broad desktop software selection into a compact distribution, including web browsers, office tools, multimedia players, and file-management utilities. | ✗ Only two window managers are included—Fluxbox and JWM—which limits the desktop environment choices. |
| ✓ Includes both graphical and terminal-based applications, making it useful for desktop work as well as command-line workflows. | ✗ Several included applications are lightweight or text-based, which may feel limited for users accustomed to modern full-featured desktop software. |
| ✓ Provides a backup and restore system that can use writable media such as hard drives, floppy drives, and USB devices. | ✗ Its compact design prioritizes small size and low dependencies, which means the software selection favors lightweight applications over larger, feature-heavy alternatives. |
| ✓ Can run as an SSH, FTP, or HTTP server directly from a Live CD, adding server capabilities without requiring a conventional installation. | ✗ The listed download size is 685 MB, so despite its “small” design, it still requires a substantial amount of storage compared with extremely minimal Linux images. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Damn Small Linux run on very old computers?
Yes. It is specifically designed for low-spec x86 computers and uses lightweight applications selected for small size, low dependencies, and efficient resource use. This makes it suitable for older hardware that may struggle with larger Linux distributions.
Can Damn Small Linux run from a USB drive?
Yes. The distribution includes a backup and restore system that can use writable media such as USB devices, and it is designed to run as a Live CD. However, the provided article does not specifically explain the USB boot procedure.
Is Damn Small Linux still useful today?
It can still be useful for low-spec x86 computers, lightweight desktop tasks, and terminal-based workflows. However, its selection of lightweight and text-based applications may feel limited compared with modern full-featured Linux distributions.
Is Damn Small Linux better than Puppy Linux?
Both are designed with older or resource-constrained computers in mind, but they take different approaches. Damn Small Linux emphasizes a very compact distribution with lightweight graphical and terminal applications, while Puppy Linux offers a broader family of lightweight distributions with different desktop and software choices.
Official Homepage – https://damnsmalllinux.org
