Welcome to Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Linux is a very small (10 MB) minimal Linux GUI Desktop. It is based on Linux 2.6 kernel, Busybox, Tiny X, and Fltk. The core runs entirely in ram and boots very quickly. Also offered is Micro Core a 6 MB image that is the console based engine of Tiny Core. CLI versions of Tiny Core's program allows the same functionality of Tiny Core's extensions only starting with a console based system.
It is not a complete desktop nor is all hardware completely supported. It represents only the core needed to boot into a very minimal X desktop typically with wired internet access.
The user has complete control over which applications and/or additional hardware to have supported, be it for a desktop, a netbook, an appliance, or server, selectable by the user by installing additional applications from online repositories, or easily compiling most anything you desire using tools provided.
The latest version: 2.8.1
News
v2.8.1
New for this release is having a single directory for extensions and dependencies. This greatly improves systems resources by having a single copy of dependencies.
The loading of extensions is now controlled by a simple text file named 'onboot.lst'. Enter only those apps that you wish to have loaded upon boot. Do not enter dependencies as they will load when needed from optional. Appbrowser's Install will automatically add to onboot.lst. Appsaudit provides an easy to use GUI to setup and maintain onboot.lst.
v2.7
Tiny Core and Micro Core were made easier to use by standardizing on a single extension installation method (mount) while still supporting 'copy into filesystem'. Updated versions of appbrowser and appsaudit fully support this major new feature.
In TC/MC prior to v2.7, (2.0 - 2.6.1), a support extension, tce-notify, will be required. It should be loaded first, as only extensions loaded after it can benefit from its handling. This is a stopgap measure; upgrading to v2.7 is strongly recommended. tce-notify is a daemon which runs both ldconfig and depmod for every extension, so using it will put additional load on the system compared to the previous behavior.
About Our Project
Our goal is the creation of a nomadic ultra small desktop capable of booting from cdrom, pendrive, or frugally from a hard drive. The desktop boots extremely fast and is able to support additional applications and hardware of the users choice. While Tiny Core always resides in ram, additional applications extensions can either reside in ram, mounted from a persistent storage device, or installed into a persistent storage device.
We invite interested users and developers to explore Tiny Core. Within our forums we have an open developement model. We encourage shared knowledge. We promote community involvement and community built application extensions. Anyone can contribute to our project by packaging their favorite application or hardware support to run in Tiny Core. The Tiny Core Linux Team currently consists of eight members who peruse the forums to assist from answering questions to helping package new extensions.
Join us here and on IRC Freenode #tinycorelinux.
Learn. Share. Grow your knowledge of Linux.
Robert Shingledecker, December 01, 2008