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antiX (/ˈæntɪks/) is a Linux distribution, originally based on MEPIS, which itself is based on the Debian Stable distribution.[4] antiX initially replaced the MEPIS KDE desktop environment with the Fluxbox and IceWM window managers, making it suitable for older, less powerful x86-based systems.[4] Unlike Debian, antiX does not use the systemd init system; instead, it provides an ISO image in which Runit is set as the default init system.[1] The declared goal of the developers is to significantly extend the useful life of existing old & new computers by specifically selecting efficient software and operating system components.

antiX reflects technical influences from distributions such as sidux, TinyMe, Puppy, Absolute, and SliTaz. These influences are incorporated into current versions of the operating system.[5]

Distribution motto

The subtitle of the antiX distribution is “Proudly anti-fascist.”[4] Distro creator is Paul Banham[6] aka anticapitalista from Thessaloniki (Greece), who sees himself as a representative of a left-wing political idea.[5]

Features

AntiX 23.1 using IceWM

The distribution is lightweight and designed for older PCs, including a ‘Legacy’ 5.10 kernel for older computers and a ‘Modern’ 6.1 kernel which provides better hardware support for more recent PCs.[7] It has a large app selection from both Debian and antiX repositories,[8] and does not use the controversial[9] systemd or elogind.

  • Starting with version 19, antiX offers sysVinit and runit as a choice for the init system.
  • Starting with version 22, antiX is offered elogind-free for both 32-bit and 64-bit architecture.[10]
  • Starting with version 23.1, antiX has new apps: antiX TV, antiX Radio, Finder, antiX SAMBA manager, and several others.[11]
  • Starting with version 23.2, antiX Full comes with two kernels: Legacy 5.10 and Modern 6.1.[7]

antiX has extensive support for “live CD” and “live USB” modes, booting quickly and running independently of the system’s disk.[12][13]

Window managers

antiX comes with a default desktop built on top of the ROX or Zzzfm file managers, with the GTK library and using IceWM as the window manager.[14] antiX-full and antiX-base include these stacking window managers:

  • Lightweight: Rox-IceWM (default), IceWM and ZzzFM-IceWM
  • Minimalist: Rox-Fluxbox, Fluxbox and ZzzFM-Fluxbox
  • Very minimalist: Rox-JWM, JWM[15] and ZzzFM-JWM

Running the ROX or Zzzfm variants provides desktop icons and a drag-and-drop function. Conky provides system monitor availability.

Flavors

antiX, starting with release 26 is a multi-init system that is provided with 5 init systems. Runit (the default) and SysVinit, which had previously been provided in separate ISO files are now supplemented by dinit, S6-RC, and S6-66.[1]

They are merged into a single ISO where, at startup, the desired init system can be selected. The antiX Control Center offers the possibility to define one of these init systems is set as the standard, which antiX is automatically boots from thereafter.[16]

antiX 26 is available for IA-32 (32-bit) and x86-64 (64-bit) architectures, and comes in two flavours:[17][11]

  • Full, Includes X, four window managers, LibreOffice suite, and a ‘Package Installer’ which allows installation of a full range of applications (2.0 Gb)
  • Core, no gui environment, but should support most wireless, command-line installer without encryption, enables the user to have total control over the install (660 Mb).[18]

antiX23 was offered with two additional flavours:

  • Base, Includes X, four window managers and a ‘Package Installer’ which allows the user to choose their own application suite (1 GB). Available in antiX 23 and older.[1]
  • net, No gui environment, command-line installer without encryption, enables the user to have total control, no desktop environment by default (220 MB). Available in antiX 23 and older.[1]

antiX versions were joined by MEPIS in 2014, developed in cooperation with the MEPIS community to form MX Linux.[19] MX Linux uses Xfce as the default desktop environment,[20] is based directly on Debian Stable, and gives solid performance from a medium-sized footprint. Since November 2016, MX Linux is listed as a separate distro on DistroWatch.[21]

Releases

System requirements
Requirement Minimum Recommended
Shared specs[22]
CPU IA-32 (“i386”)x64
Memory 512 Mb1 Gb
antiX Full[22]
Free space 10 Gb
antiX Base[22]
Free space 5 Gb
antiX Core[22]
Free space 2 Gb
antiX Net[22]
Free space 1 Gb
Network Ethernet

The releases of antiX are named after prominent left-wing figures, groups and revolutionaries.

Historical versions

Supported versions

Version[23] Code Name Date
Unsupported: 21[58] Grup Yorum 31 October 2021
Supported: 22[10] 19 October 2022
Latest version: 23[59] Arditi del Popolo 28 August 2023
Latest version: 23.1[11] 22 February 2024
Latest version: 23.2[7] 6 October 2024
Latest version: 26[1][60] Stephen Kapos[61] March 21, 2026
Legend:
Unsupported
Supported
Latest version
Preview version

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f anticapitalista (21 March 2026). “antiX-26 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Thessaloniki, Greece. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  2. ^ Robin. “antiX FAQ”. robin-antix.codeberg.page. antiX Linux. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  3. ^ anticapitalista (2025). “antiX Linux – Proudly anti-fascist “antiX Magic” in an environment suitable for old and new computers”. antixlinux.com. antiX Linux. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b c “about antiX page”. about antiX. antiX. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b anticapitalista (10 May 2010). “History of antiX”. antiX-forum. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  6. ^ Hackmann, Joachim (25 November 2008). “Mini operating systems: Six Linux variants for special use”. Computer Week (in German). IDG. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2026. Behind antiX is the MEPIS fighter Paul Banham, also known in the Linux community under the codename ‘anticapitalista’.
  7. ^ a b c anticapitalista (6 October 2024). “antiX-23.2 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. antiX Linux. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  8. ^ Storey, Robert. “Review: antiX M11”. DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 434, 5 December 2011. DistroWatch.com. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  9. ^ Müller, Martin (2026). “Resources against systemd and alternatives”. No systemd. nosystemd.org. Retrieved 27 May 2026. If this is the solution, I want my problem back.
  10. ^ a b anticapitalista. “antiX-22 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. antiX. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b c anticapitalista (22 February 2024). “antiX-23.1 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Thessaloniki, Greece: antiX Linux. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  12. ^ “The Most Extensive Live-usb on the Planet! – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  13. ^ Fosdick, Howard (2025). “antiX Linux Distribution Review”. Tech Articles by Howard Fosdick. rexxinfo.org. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  14. ^ “antiX-FAQ antiX-FAQ”. download.tuxfamily.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  15. ^ Wingbermuehle, Joe. “JWM (Joe’s Window Manager)”. joewing.net. St. Louis, Missouri. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  16. ^ anticapitalista (21 March 2026). “antiX-26 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Thessaloniki, Greece: antiX Linux. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  17. ^ “About antiX – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  18. ^ Robin (28 January 2026). “antiX 26 FAQ”. robin-antix.codeberg.page. antiX Linux. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  19. ^ “About Us – MX Linux”. mxlinux.org. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  20. ^ “MX Linux – Midweight Simple Stable Desktop OS”. mxlinux.org. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  21. ^ “DistroWatch.com: MX Linux”. distrowatch.com. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  22. ^ a b c d e “So what are the minimum and suggested requirements to run antiX?”. AntiX-FAQ. November 7, 2019. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  23. ^ a b AntiX announcements on DistroWatch.com
  24. ^ “Distribution Release: antiX 6.5 (DistroWatch.com News)”. July 9, 2007.
  25. ^ “Distribution Release: antiX 7.0 (DistroWatch.com News)”. October 30, 2007.
  26. ^ Daniel Voicu (October 29, 2007). “AntiX Lysistrata 7.0 Available Now!”.
  27. ^ “Distribution Release: antiX 7.2 (DistroWatch.com News)”. May 16, 2008.
  28. ^ Daniel Voicu (May 16, 2008). “AntiX 7.2 Revives Your Antique Computer”.
  29. ^ “Distribution Release: antiX 7.5 (DistroWatch.com News)”. August 24, 2008.
  30. ^ Mihai Mircea (August 24, 2008). “AntiX 7.5 Released”.
  31. ^ adminguy (February 8, 2009). “Fast and Light AntiX (8) is Released – MEPIS Linux”. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  32. ^ Daniel Pop-Silaghi (February 16, 2009). “Available Now: AntiX MEPIS 8.0 (Intifada)”.
  33. ^ Antix Team does it again with AntiX 8.2 Final | MEPIS Linux
  34. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 8.2 (DistroWatch.com News)
  35. ^ AntiX MEPIS 8.2 Released
  36. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 8.5 (DistroWatch.com News)
  37. ^ antiX-M11 ‘Jayaben Desai’ released – antiX Forum
  38. ^ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 434, 5 December 2011
  39. ^ “Old News – antiX”. Archived from the original on 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  40. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 12 (DistroWatch.com News)
  41. ^ A distribution for less-powerful systems: antiX-12 [LWN.net]
  42. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 13.2 (DistroWatch.com News)
  43. ^ Give that old computer a boost with antiX Linux Archived 2018-06-17 at the Wayback Machine, Everyday Linux User
  44. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 15 (DistroWatch.com News)
  45. ^ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 622, 10 August 2015
  46. ^ Distribution Release: antiX 16 (DistroWatch.com News)
  47. ^ antiX-17 released – antiX Linux
  48. ^ antiX-17.1 released – antiX Linux
  49. ^ “antiX-17.2 released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  50. ^ anticapitalista (28 March 2019). “antiX-17.4.1 now out”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
  51. ^ anticapitalista (9 January 2022). “antiX-17.5 point release update”. antiX-forum. AntiX. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  52. ^ “antiX-19 isos available. – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  53. ^ anticapitalista (23 December 2019). “antiX-19.1 bug-fix/upgrade isos available”. antiX-forum. antiX. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  54. ^ anticapitalista (28 March 2020). “antiX-19.2 (Hannie Schaft) bug-fix/upgrade isos available”. antiX-forum. antiX. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  55. ^ anticapitalista (16 October 2020). “antiX-19.3 (Manolis Glezos) bug-fix/upgrade isos available – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  56. ^ anticapitalista (22 May 2021). “antiX-19.4 (Grup Yorum) available – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  57. ^ anticapitalista. “antiX-19.5 (Grup Yorum) available – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
  58. ^ anticapitalista; Thessaloniki (31 October 2021). “antiX-21 (Grup Yorum) released”. antixlinux.com. antiX Linux. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  59. ^ anticapitalista (August 28, 2023). “antiX-23 (Arditi del Popolo) released – antiX Linux”. antixlinux.com. antiX Linux. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  60. ^ anticapitalista (28 January 2026). “antiX-26-rc1 available”. antiX-forum. antiX Linux. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  61. ^ Lavalette, Michael (8 April 2025). “A life through dictatorship, Holocaust and protest: Interview with Stephen Kapos”. Counterfire. London. Retrieved 21 March 2026.