CRUX is a lightweight, i686-optimized GNU/Linux distribution.

CRUX is a lightweight, i686-optimized GNU/Linux distribution targeted at experienced GNU/Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It also utilizes a ports system to install and upgrade applications.

Although crux is the Latin word for "cross," the choice of the name "CRUX" itself has no meaning. Per Lidén created it for "sounding cool", using an ending "-X" to evoke GNU/Linux and Unix.

Arch Linux is a GNU/Linux distribution that, while independent of CRUX, drew inspiration from the minimalist philosophy on which it and other distributions are built.

CRUX, unlike other GNU/Linux distributions, doesn't 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.

Updates:

Tilman Sauerbeck has announced the release of CRUX 2.7, a minimalist Linux distribution designed for intermediate and advanced users: "I'm announcing the release of CRUX 2.7. Release notes: toolchain updates - CRUX 2.7 includes glibc 2.12.1, GCC 4.5.1 and Binutils 2.20.1; Linux kernel 2.6.35.6; X.Org 7.5 and X.Org Server 1.9.0; to save space, all packages shipped with the image are compressed with xz, which requires a new version of pkgutils, a gz compressed package of pkgutils has been placed the /tools subdirectory; besides the usual ISO image, an image suitable for USB thumb drives is available from our download mirrors. New features in pkgutils: in addition to gzip, pkgmk has been enhanced to optionally compress newly built packages with bzip2 or xz; pkgutils can read packages that have been compressed with bzip2 and xz in addition to gzip...." Read the release announcement and release notes for further information. Download: crux-2.7.iso (226MB, MD5, torrent).

Recent releases:

• 2010-10-03: Distribution Release: CRUX 2.7
• 2009-09-09: Distribution Release: CRUX 2.6
• 2009-08-21: Development Release: CRUX 2.6 RC1
• 2008-12-19: Distribution Release: CRUX 2.5
• 2008-11-30: Development Release: CRUX 2.5 RC1
• 2007-12-23: Distribution Release: CRUX 2.4

Screenshots.