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Tiny Core Linux

{{Short description|Lightweight Linux distribution}}

{{Infobox OS

| name = Tiny Core Linux

| logo = tcl logo.png

| logo_size = 150px

| logo_alt = Logo of TCL

| screenshot = Tiny Core Linux 7.1 screenshot.png

| screenshot_size = 250px

| caption = Tiny Core Linux 7.1

| family = Linux (Unix-like)

| released = {{Start date and age|2009|01|05}}

| latest preview version =

| language = English

| userland = BusyBox

| ui = FLWM

| license = GNU GPLv2

| website = {{URL|tinycorelinux.net}}

| source_model = Open source

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|reference|P348}}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P577}}}}

| kernel_type = Monolithic

| working_state = Current

| supported_platforms = x86
x86-64
armv7
Raspberry Pi

| updatemodel =

| package_manager = appbrowser (GUI) / tce (CLI)

}}

Tiny Core Linux (TCL) is a minimal Linux kernel based operating system focusing on providing a base system using BusyBox and FLTK. It was developed by Robert Shingledecker, who was previously the lead developer of Damn Small Linux.{{cite web |url=https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090330#feature |title=Interview with Robert Shingledecker, creator of Tiny Core Linux |author= |date=March 23, 2009 |website=DistroWatch Weekly |access-date=April 3, 2021 }}{{cite web|title=Robert Shingledecker's Projects |url=http://www.shingledecker.org/ |accessdate=June 6, 2012 |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716003842/http://www.shingledecker.org/ |archivedate=July 16, 2012}} The distribution is notable for its small size (11 to 16 MB) and minimalism; additional functions are provided by extensions. Tiny Core Linux is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2.{{cite web|url=http://tinycorelinux.net/faq.html|title=Frequently Asked Questions|last=Shingledecker|first=Christopher|website=Tiny Core Linux|access-date=2013-07-07|archive-date=2013-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115173844/http://tinycorelinux.net/faq.html|url-status=live}}

Types

  • Tiny Core (23 MB) is the recommended option for new users who have a wired network connection. It includes the base Core system and a dynamic FLTK/FLWM graphical user interface.{{cite web|title=Downloads - Tiny Core Linux|url=http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/downloads.html|access-date=September 13, 2012|author=Robert Shingledecker|year=2012|archive-date=January 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108134212/https://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/downloads.html|url-status=live}}
  • Core (17 MB) (also known as "Micro Core Linux") is a smaller variant of Tiny Core without a graphical desktop, though additional extensions can be added to create a system with a graphical desktop environment.{{r|CORES}}
  • Core64 is a port to the x86_64 architecture with a 32-bit user land, i.e. it uses a 64-bit kernel and 64-bit modules, but it can use the same extensions as Core.{{cite web|title=Forum Post - tinycore vs. tinycore64|url=https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,20089.msg124920.html#msg124920|access-date=27 March 2024|author=Juanito|year=2016|archive-date=27 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327100000/https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,20089.msg124920.html#msg124920|url-status=live}}
  • CorePure64 is a port of "Core" to the x86_64 architecture. 64-bit kernel and 64-bit extensions.{{r|CORE64}}
  • dCore (12 MB) is a core made from Debian or Ubuntu compatible files that uses import and the SCE package format,{{cite web|title=dCore-5.0.alpha1 released|url=http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,15612.0.html|access-date=May 30, 2013|author=Juanito|archive-date=June 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619175328/http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,15612.0.html|url-status=live}} a self-contained package format for the Tiny Core distribution since 5.x series.
  • Core Plus (106 MB) is "an installation image and not the distribution".{{r|CORES}} It is composed of Tiny Core with additional functionality, most notably wireless support and non-US keyboard support.{{r|CORES}}
  • piCore is the Raspberry Pi port of "Core".

System requirements

Minimal configuration:

Tiny Core needs at least 46 MB of RAM in order to run, and (micro) Core requires at least 28 MB of RAM. The minimum CPU is an i486DX.{{cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions: What are the minimum requirements?|url=http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html#req|access-date=September 13, 2012|author=Robert Shingledecker|archive-date=October 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023103212/http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html#req|url-status=live}}

Recommended configuration:

A Pentium II CPU and 128 MB of RAM are recommended for Tiny Core.

Design philosophy

The developers describe TCL as "a nomadic ultra small graphical desktop operating system capable of booting from cdrom, pendrive, or frugally from a hard drive."{{cite web|title=Welcome to The Core Project - Tiny Core Linux|url=http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/welcome.html|access-date=June 6, 2012|author=Robert Shingledecker|date=December 1, 2008|archive-date=July 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730213825/http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/welcome.html|url-status=live}} As of version 2.8.1, the core is designed to run primarily in RAM but with three distinct modes of operation:

  • "Cloud" or Internet mode — A "testdrive" mode using a built-in appbrowser GUI to explore extensions from an online application extension repository loaded into RAM only for the current session.
  • TCE/Install — A mode for Tiny Core Extensions downloaded and run from a storage partition but kept as symbolic links in RAM.
  • TCE/CopyFS — A mode which installs applications onto a Linux partition like a more typical Linux installation.{{cite web|title=Tiny Core: Core Concepts|url=http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/concepts.html|access-date=June 6, 2012|author=Robert Shingledecker|archive-date=May 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531170905/http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/concepts.html|url-status=live}}

Release history

class="wikitable sortable"
Version

! Stability

! Release date

style="background-color:Salmon;"| 1.0[http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/board,31.0.html Final Releases] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508040037/http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/board,31.0.html |date=2015-05-08 }} – Release Announcements and Change log from Tiny Core Linux Forum

| rowspan="32" | Older version

| January 5, 2009

style="background-color:Salmon;"| 2.0{{Cite web|last=Smart|first=Christopher|date=2009-08-06|title=Tiny Core: The Little Distro That Could {{!}} Linux Magazine|url=http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7457/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202135753/http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7457/|archive-date=2019-02-02|access-date=2020-09-11|website=Linux Magazine}}

|June 7, 2009

style="background-color:Salmon;"| 3.0

| July 19, 2010

style="background-color:Salmon;"| 4.0{{Cite web |url=https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20120123#feature |title=DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 440, 23 January 2012 |access-date=26 June 2018 |archive-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627005203/https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20120123#feature |url-status=live }}

| September 25, 2011

style="background:Salmon;"| 4.7.7

| May 10, 2013

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.0{{r|REL}}{{Cite web |url=https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20130930#feature |title=DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 527, 30 September 2013 |access-date=26 June 2018 |archive-date=26 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626192352/https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20130930#feature |url-status=live }}

| September 14, 2013

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.0.1

| October 1, 2013

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.0.2

| October 18, 2013

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.1

| November 28, 2013

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.2

| January 14, 2014

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.3

| April 19, 2014

style="background:Salmon;"| 5.4

| September 10, 2014

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.0

| January 5, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.1

| March 7, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.2

| May 3, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.3

| May 30, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.4

| September 8, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 6.4.1

| November 4, 2015

style="background:Salmon;"| 7.0{{Cite web |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/673622/ |title=Tiny Core Linux 7.0 [LWN.net] |access-date=2018-06-26 |archive-date=2018-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626192629/https://lwn.net/Articles/673622/ |url-status=live }}

| February 23, 2016

style="background:Salmon;"| 7.1

| May 22, 2016

style="background:Salmon;"| 7.2

| July 4, 2016

style="background:Salmon;"| 8.0

| April 10, 2017

style="background:Salmon;"| 8.1

| September 3, 2017

style="background:Salmon;"| 8.2

| September 22, 2017

style="background:Salmon;"| 9.0

| February 26, 2018

style="background:Salmon"| 10.0

| January 20, 2019

style="background:Salmon"| 10.1

| June 11, 2019

style="background:Salmon;"| 11.0

| February 9, 2020

style="background:Salmon;"| 11.1

| April 1, 2020

style="background:Salmon;"| 12.0

| February 17, 2021

style="background:Salmon;"| 13.0

| January 31, 2022

style="background:Salmon;"| 14.0

| April 12, 2023

style="background:#A0E75A;"| 15.0

|Supported version

|February 22, 2024

style="background:#A0E75A;"| 16.0{{cite web |author1=Juanito |title=Tiny Core v16.0 |url=https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,27578.0.html |website=forum.tinycorelinux.net |access-date=21 April 2025 |language=en-US |date=March 31, 2025}}

|Latest version

|March 31, 2025

See also

{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://tinycorelinux.net}}
  • {{DistroWatch|tinycore}}
  • {{cite journal|title=Interview with Robert Shingledecker, creator of Tiny Core Linux|journal=DistroWatch Weekly|date=March 23, 2009|issue=295|url=http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090323#feature|access-date=September 13, 2012}}.
  • {{cite news|last=Ferrill|first=Paul|title=Tiny Core Linux -- A Minimal Distro with Big Possibilities|url=http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/6702/1/|access-date=September 13, 2012|newspaper=LinuxPlanet|date=March 19, 2009|archive-date=June 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604050021/http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/6702/1|url-status=dead}}
  • {{cite web|title=Tiny Core Linux Wiki|url=http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/|access-date=July 5, 2023}}
  • {{cite news|last=Bernard|first=Joey|title=Tiny Core Linux|url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/11023|access-date=September 13, 2012|newspaper=Linux Journal|date=Sep 1, 2011}}
  • {{cite web|title=Tiny Core 4.5.....Almost In Love With A Core.!!| date=25 April 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n70UVv1JVU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/-n70UVv1JVU |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|publisher=YouTube|access-date=September 13, 2012}}{{cbignore}}

{{Linux distributions}}

Category:Light-weight Linux distributions

Category:Lightweight Unix-like systems

Category:Linux distributions

Category:Linux distributions without systemd

Category:Operating system distributions bootable from read-only media

Category:Independent Linux distributions