Hey there! I'm searching for a Linux distribution that's super lightweight and doesn't hog resources. I want to use it for running virtual machines (VMs) with GUI access, including Windows Server. Most of my functionality will be coming from VMs inside Windows and/or other VMs or containers. I'm also looking to handle tasks like emulating NAT, managing a router/modem through Ethernet if possible, running multiple web servers, multimedia applications, and spanned storage. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
Just a heads up, I've been using standard Debian with a virtual machine manager and KVM. This setup works really well for my needs, especially with GNOME. If anyone has tips on improving performance, I'd love to hear them!
For something really light, have you thought about Alpine Linux? It's super minimal. Debian is a bit heavier but offers a good balance of comfort and stability.
If you're planning to put everything into VMs, Proxmox is a great option! It's based on Debian and is really solid for virtualization. On the other hand, if you want a little more flexibility and don’t mind setting things up, any Linux server like Rocky or Alma will work well. Just for a web frontend, I like using Cockpit!
Proxmox is excellent because it's basically a Debian base tweaked for virtualization purposes. It comes loaded with the tools you need to manage your VMs and containers seamlessly.
I highly recommend checking out YunoHost. It can be a bit tricky to set up, but it really packs a punch for server needs. If you want something simpler, ZimaOS might fit the bill, although keep in mind that it's partially closed source.
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