Tiny Core Linux
A 16 MB graphical Linux desktop that runs entirely in memory and boots very quickly.
- Category
- general
- Status
- active
- Init
- BusyBox
- Package manager
- tce
- Footprint
- Described as “a 16 MB graphical Linux desktop” that runs entirely in memory.
Tiny Core is a very small Linux based on a recent kernel, BusyBox, Tiny X, FLTK and Flwm. According to DistroWatch it runs entirely in memory, uses BusyBox for init and the tce package manager, and is categorised under load-to-RAM, live medium, old computers and Raspberry Pi. Version 17.1 was listed as released on 2026-07-17 and the status as active.
Because it loads into RAM, the running system is not written to disk unless you configure persistence — a useful trait for flash-based devices, but it also means you design what persists.
The project’s own website was unreachable at the time of verification, so the facts here come from DistroWatch. Re-check against the project site when it is reachable.
Key terms
Last verified 2026-09-20. Sources:distrowatch.com. Official site: www.tinycorelinux.net.