Peppermint OS Devuan Edition Enters Testing Phase, Offers systemd-Free Alternative
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Open Source · Linux
Peppermint OS Devuan Edition Enters Testing Phase, Offers systemd-Free Alternative
The Peppermint OS team has made available a testing build of its Devuan-based edition, giving users who prefer to run Linux without systemd a chance to evaluate what may eventually become a stable, parallel distribution track alongside the existing Debian 13 “Trixie” base.
The move responds to a longstanding interest within the Linux community in init system choice. While systemd has become the dominant init system across major distributions, a consistent group of users prefers simpler, more modular alternatives rooted in Unix tradition.
What is Devuan?
Devuan is a Debian fork created specifically to offer a systemd-free Linux experience. Its latest stable version, Devuan 6 “Excalibur,” tracks Debian 13 “Trixie,” inheriting its stability and package ecosystem while preserving support for multiple init systems. The core philosophy is user choice over enforced defaults.
What Devuan 6 brings
Three init system options
The defining feature of this build is the ability to choose an init system at install time. Three options are available:
- SysVinit Classic Unix-style initThe traditional initialization system, set as the default for users who are unsure which to choose.
- OpenRC Service management frameworkWidely used in Gentoo and Alpine Linux; dependency-based and easily scriptable.
- runit Lightweight supervisionA minimal service manager and supervisor known for its simplicity and speed.
What is different from the Debian edition
According to the official announcement, the Devuan testing build looks and behaves almost identically to the Debian-based Peppermint OS. Key technical differences include the removal of the legacy sources.list file in favor of a fully Deb822-format source configuration under /etc/apt/sources.list.d/, the addition of GPG signature verification for ISO files, and the use of custom build tooling rather than Debian’s live-build system.
A small number of applications with hard dependencies on systemd may not function correctly in this build, but the overall desktop experience is otherwise comparable.
Installation
Installation follows the same pattern as the standard Peppermint OS. After booting the live environment, users open the Applications menu, search for “install,” and launch the Peppermint installer. The only added step is selecting a preferred init system during setup. The testing ISO is currently available in a 64-bit (amd64) build.
Why this matters
Peppermint OS has built its reputation as a lightweight, approachable desktop distribution well-suited to older hardware. Extending that experience to a systemd-free base broadens its appeal to users who value architectural simplicity, prefer traditional Unix-style service management, or simply want more direct control over their system’s initialization stack.
For now, the team asks testers to submit feedback before the build graduates to a stable release. Those interested can find ISO downloads and verification files at the official Peppermint OS nightly builds directory.
