An atomic, image-based Linux distro, with your package manager intact.
Transactional image updates. Immutable base. Instant rollback. Install anything natively.
RakuOS is an atomic, image-based Linux distribution. The entire base system ships as a bootc OCI image, updates swap the image atomically, so there's no partial-upgrade state, no broken system mid-update, and instant rollback to the previous image if anything goes wrong.
Atomic means updates apply as a single transaction, the system either fully updates or stays exactly as it was. Immutable means the base OS cannot be accidentally modified at runtime, protecting system integrity. These are two distinct, complementary properties, and RakuOS has both.
On top of that immutable base, RakuOS adds a persistent overlay on /usr so you can install any native RPM package and have it survive every system update automatically, no slow layering, no rebuilds.
dnf, dnf5, or RakuOS Software Center
$ sudo dnf install steam
$ rakuos install lutris heroic-games-launcher
$ rakuos update
RakuOS exists because atomic Linux had real problems. We solved them without throwing out what makes atomic Linux great.
rpm-ostree layering is painfully slow and breaks after major updates. RakuOS replaces it entirely with a fast persistent overlay, packages install in seconds and survive every update automatically.
Your base system is always immutable and recoverable. A bad update? Boot into the previous image instantly with bootc rollback. Overlay packages stay intact either way.
RakuOS Software Center works natively with the overlay. Browse and install native packages from a full GUI, no terminal required.
Steam, Lutris, and Heroic Launcher install natively for maximum Proton and Wine compatibility. Native packages outperform Flatpak for gaming, now possible on an atomic distro.
Overlay mounts in milliseconds during early boot, before the login manager even starts. Installed packages are available immediately.
Want a clean system? Wipe the overlay and reboot, your OS returns to pristine state instantly.
RakuOS doesn’t just protect your system, it makes it faster.
Improved responsiveness, lower latency, and better CPU scheduling out of the box.
Tune CPU scheduling for gaming, workloads, or power efficiency with a click.
No bloatware. Only what you need, everything else is your choice to add.
Install Steam, Lutris, and Heroic natively for Proton/Wine compatibility. Pair with CachyOS kernel and MangoHud for a complete gaming setup.
Compile code, run VMs, handle heavy workloads, all on a rock-solid base. Distrobox keeps dev environments fully isolated.
Browsing, media, office, creativity, RakuOS stays fast and clean. Updates never break things; system works same on day 1 and day 1000.
Every edition ships the same hybrid atomic core. Just choose the desktop you love.
Flagship edition. Powerful, customisable, and familiar. The most polished RakuOS experience.
FlagshipClean, modern, and distraction-free. Perfect for productivity-focused users.
System76's next-generation desktop. Fast, minimal, and built for the future.
Beta