CachyOS is a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux. It focuses on speed and security optimisations - the default Linux kernel is heavily optimised using the BORE (Burst-Oriented Response Enhancer) scheduler, while the desktop packages are compiled with LTO, x86-64-v3 and x86-64-v4, Zen 4 optimization, security flags and performance improvements. The available desktop environments, window managers and Wayland compositors include bspwm, Budgie, Cinnamon, COSMIC, GNOME, Hyprland, i3, KDE Plasma, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, Niri, Openbox, Qtile, Sway, UKUI, Wayfire and Xfce. CachyOS also ships with both graphical and command-line system installers.
To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
Colour scheme:green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
TUXEDO
TUXEDO Computers - Linux Hardware in a tailor made suite Choose from a wide range of laptops and PCs in various sizes and shapes at TUXEDOComputers.com. Every machine comes pre-installed and ready-to-run with Linux. Full 24 months of warranty and lifetime support included!
Learn more about our full service package and all benefits from buying at TUXEDO.
*NEW* NovaCustom
NovaCustom PrivacyGuard Laptops - Escape from Big Tech
The NovaCustom PrivacyGuard Laptop is ideal for anyone who prioritizes privacy. Comes with Dasharo coreboot open source firmware and Zorin OS Pro, free from influence of Big Tech.
Star Labs
Star Labs - Laptops built for Linux.
View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
Estoy realmente encantado con CachyOS, después de usar muchas distros, de decirme usuario de Fedora desde la edición 14, encontré la distribución de Linux ideal para mi. Me gusta mucho la filosofía que tienen de optimizar al máximo los paquetes según tu hardware, la facilidad para configurar e instalar cualquier aplicación, pero sobre todo, el hecho de poder usar Steam y la mayoría de juegos en Linux, era lo único que me detenía realmente de abandonar las ventanas. Puedo configurar un entorno de desarrollo realmente poderoso y muy grato. Gracias al equipo de CachyOS por el trabajo tan hermoso que han hecho. ¡Los amo!
Version: 260426 Rating: 10 Date: 2026-05-09 Country: France Votes: 14
I did a lot of Distrohopping in the past. The first Linux that made me stop that was Solus. Really snappy, with fresh enough packages, and very stable for a Rolling-Release. I'd still recommend Solus, but I have the feeling the team behind the project is too small, and some packages and some applications from the repo (LibreOffice) showed some unstability or lack of performance, so, being a power-user, I needed to distrohop again.
I was tempted by CachyOS and OpenSuse Tumbleweed, after all the searches I've done... and, afraid by Arch-bases (I already tried Manjaro, Antergos and a pure Arch in the past), and thinking the hype behind CachyOS was maybe exaggerated, I tried OpenSuse Tumbleweed. I won't go into details, but it was a mistake.
So, quite frustrated by Tumbleweed, I installed less than 2 weeks later CachyOS.
I took my time, read the wiki, watched videos on YouTube. And once I understood how the system needs to be installed, and how I need to install the packages, I am seriously SHOCKED! Shocked in a GOOD way, of course.
- The system is incredibly snappy
- The performance on apps and video games are top and they're very stable and fast to open
- Now, it's Limine which is recommended instead of Grub or Systemd, and that's an excellent choice, because we have snapshots saved and offered by default when we boot the system, so if an update breaks the system, unless it breaks even the boot, we can go back.
- When we read the wiki, it is very easy to install what we need for video games (Steam, Lutris, Heroic, Wine...). Just use "CachyOS Hello", press "Applications/Modifications" and "Install Gaming packages".
- To install anything else, I expected "Octopi" because of the videos I watched, but I discovered CachyOS uses "Shelly" instead now. And that's, by far, the best application manager I've ever seen. Maybe not as beginner-friendly as Discover, as there is not as much information about the softwares / packages, but it manages everything: Packages from CachyOS repository, flatpaks, AUR, and even AppImages. First time I see a single software manager doing all those things. That's a really pleasant discovery.
- The updates are really easy to make and to check, thanks to the little CachyOS icon in the notifications.
I have just one fear now, the moment an update may break my system... Because, it is still an Arch-based, so that's to be expected. But at least, there are snapshots to help me for most of the cases when it'll happen.
Right now, I am EXTREMELY HAPPY with CachyOS. And I'm now convinced that the hype behind CachyOS was deserved.
Just... if you're tempted to install it, keep in mind it's an Arch-base. You need to read the wiki, update preferably once per week or each 2 weeks, and be ready that the system may break and you'll need to repair it after an update. At least, that's the conclusion I draw after all my searches.
Version: 260426 Rating: 10 Date: 2026-05-09 Country: Brazil Votes: 3
awsome,runs perfectly and is very optimized
+fine configured
+quite performant starting and running
+easy and reliable system- and software-installer
+great amount of available software
+nice, smooth Plasma Desktop
The performance is just unreal right out of the box, especially with how it comes pre-configured with heavily optimized kernels like BORE. For gaming, it has been an absolute dream. Almost all my games work flawlessly right through Proton. I play a ton of CS2 competitively, and I was heavily worried about input lag, frame drops, or weird mouse acceleration issues. But the latency is practically non-existent, and it handles my high-polling-rate peripherals beautifully without any heavy tinkering. The only minor downside is that a few top-tier titles with those wildly complicated, kernel-level anti-cheat systems still refuse to play nice. But honestly, that's a wider industry problem, not a CachyOS problem, and it's a trade-off I'm more than willing to make to escape the Windows ecosystem.
On the daily use and productivity side, I found absolutely all the software I need to get by. Getting my development environment fully set up with VS Code, translation layers for tools like LINQPad (via Proton), and all my usual stuff was surprisingly painless. I can just dive in and work without feeling like I'm constantly fighting my operating system. It's just a remarkably smooth, stable experiance from top to bottom.