SliTaz GNU/Linux
About SliTaz
SliTaz GNU/Linux is a free, community-driven operating system that runs completely in RAM from a LiveCD or USB stick — and installs cleanly to disk. Small, fast, and built from scratch. No bloat. No compromises.
ISO image — boots and runs entirely in RAM
packages available via Tazpkg from the mirror
founded — 20 years of minimalism and counting
a polished stable for users, an active cooking branch for devs
Philosophy
SliTaz follows the UNIX philosophy: everything is a text file, every tool does one thing well, and the whole system stays transparent and hackable. Configuration lives in plain text. Boot scripts are shell scripts. Nothing happens without your knowledge.
The goal has never changed: a complete, usable GNU/Linux system that fits in your pocket, runs on old hardware, and gives you full control. Less is more. KISS. POSIX.
Technical overview
- ISO image under 50 MB — root filesystem under 100 MB uncompressed.
- Linux kernel + Busybox base — 300+ standard GNU/Linux commands.
- Openbox desktop with homemade SliTaz graphical tools.
- Tazpkg package manager — 5000+ packages in the wok.
- Runs entirely in RAM: eject the CD, the system keeps running.
- Persistent storage via USB or mounted partition.
- Boot from CD, USB stick, hard drive, or network (PXE/iPXE).
- Midori and Firefox web browsers, Lynx in text mode.
- SSH client and server (Dropbear), web-based admin panel.
- SQLite database engine, ALSA sound support.
- 32-bit and 64-bit (native 64-bit in active development).
- ARM support — Raspberry Pi edition available.
History
SliTaz was created in early 2006 by Christophe Lincoln (Pankso) in French-speaking Switzerland. The first public version — 15 MB, built entirely from source — launched quietly with a small announcement on Libordux.Org. Within months a community formed, the mailing list grew, and the project found its rhythm.
Version 1.0 shipped in March 2008, reviewed in Linux Journal, Distrowatch, Linux Pro Magazine and dozens of blogs. Versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 followed through 2012. In 2018 SliTaz moved to a rolling release model — no more numbered releases, just a continuously updated, weekly-built ISO.
In December 2022, Stanislas Leduc (Shann) took charge of the infrastructure. Pankso and the contributors keep running the project. In 2025 the entire infrastructure was migrated to new servers and the domains renewed. In 2026 a new website launched and work on a full native 64-bit SliTaz is well underway. The project turns 20 this year — and has no plans to stop.
License
SliTaz is free software, published under the GNU General Public License. Free to use, copy, modify and redistribute. No warranty — but a community that has been helping users for nearly two decades.
Reviews
A selection of reviews from over the years. Some links may be stale — this is history, not a press kit.
4.0 — April 2012
3.0 — March 2010
- Linux Journal — Susan Linton.
- Distrowatch — Jesse Smith.
1.0 — March 2008
- Distrowatch — Ladislav Bodnar.
- Linux Pro Magazine — Dimitri Popov.
- Dedoimedo — Dedoimedo.
- Free Software Magazine — Gary Richmond. 📦