Linux distro no gui

Is there a distro of Linux without GUI? What do hosting companies install? [closed]

I believe OS GUI takes some machine resources and is not really needed for a web server.
What OS do people install to make a Linux-based web server without GUI?

12 Answers 12

We’ve been using CentOS for our SaaS app for a long time. Just configure the install to not include any GUI (X)

You can fully automate the install starting from a simple kickstart approach, to a full PXE setup.

BTW, the advantage of CentOS, is that it will be supported for a longer time than other distros. I think 7 years at the moment.

Personally I like Debian the most for servers. The installer gives you the option to install a desktop environment, print server, file server, base system.

For your case you would just select install base system. In that case the installer will just install the base packages to get your server up and running. From that moment you have a rock-solid and very lightweight server and it’s trivial to install other packages that you may need via apt-get or aptitude

The Debian Stable base install makes for a very nice small installation, and it’s easy to add anything missing using aptitude.

Most linux distros can be installed without a GUI. Personally I would recommend Debian for servers, but you’ll probably also hear from the Gentoo, Linux from scratch, and Red Hat crowd. Pretty much any distro could handle a web server pretty easily.

From what I’ve seen, Ubuntu Server, Debian, Gentoo, RedHat, CentOS, and one or two that I’m missing are the popular server distros.

I personally use two Ubuntu servers because they were fairly idiot-proof to install/maintain. One is my public website, the other my Subversion repository and test deployment box. Any of the distros listed can do the job.

Ubuntu server is fairly common I think.

It is also a good choice for the inexperienced, as it is quite user-friendly and there is tons of online help.

Ubuntu has a great community, most of their support is applicable to Debian also, so either one would be good.

Yeah. I’m just learning linux and I picked Ubuntu Server. It’s worked well for me so far and it’s ubiquitous enough that it’s easy to find help.

The distributions I most often encounter are:

All of them come with a CLI only setup for server use AFAIK.

Ubuntu server only has CLI.

Most other distributions offer a server or headless install.

I think most Linux servers operate in runlevel 3, which doesn’t run a GUI. As part of the install process, just don’t install X and you should be all set. I’m not sure what will happen if you try to switch to runlevel 5 (normal windowing system on most systems) on a system that doesn’t have a GUI. it may just act like runlevel 3.

I’ve used SuSE, RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, and Ubuntu for servers. The ones that I set up, I just let have the GUI (in runlevel 5). it comes in handy when you need to remote in, and with no one logged in the overhead is negligible. The ones that I didn’t set up myself I think normally ran in runlevel 3, but I don’t know if they had a GUI installed. I prefer the Fedora/CentoOS/RedHat family for any system just because of the massive number of well-maintained packages available for install.

«Run level 5 = GUI, run level 3 = no GUI» is a Red Hat-ism. Run levels 0 (shutdown), 1 (single-user mode), and 6 (reboot) are the only ones with universal meaning. Run levels 2-5 can be arranged however the distro/sysadmin likes — in Debian, they are all identical by default.

Note this is only true for init based linux. Ubuntu uses a different mechanism (upstart) and always runs at run level=3

@mgb that’s wrong on two counts. Ubuntu like Debian runs by default at level 2 regardless of if you have X installed or not. If you don’t believe me open up a terminal and type runlevel to display the current init runlevel. By default it will start gdm if present in level 2. Which you can see in /etc/rc2.d. Also upstart emulates sysv init so things should work pretty similar on a Linux distro that uses upstart vs the standard init system.

@mgb I stand corrected about the gdm being in /etc/rc2.d/. It’s a symlink in /etc/init.d/ which a directory with all the tasks that upstart runs. But runlevel 2 is the default runlevel in Ubuntu not 3.

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Best lightweight Linux server Distros without GUI

Most of the Linux server Distro can become an ultimate lightweight Linux server operating system if we use them in their minimal form. Although a wide range of open-source Linux distros can be used to perform server tasks by installing applications and tools needed by a server such as Apache, PHP, MySQL and more, the thing we have to make sure is the stability, Long term support and security. If you are going to opt any Linux Distro on your Server, you will never want it to be bloated or crashed oftentimes.

Lightweight Linux server Distros

If you see mainly Linux web server distros on commercial hosting providers servers or enterprises are without Graphical user interface, it is because the GUI makes Distros heavy and tend them to consume more RAM. Thus, we should avoid GUI on servers, moreover, even with GUI on Linux most of the time we work with command terminal only.

Thus, here are some popular distros with links to download their minimal ISO for lightweight without compromising the performance for home or commercial usage…

CentOS- minimal Small Distro

A lightweight server for both home and commercial users including Raspberry Pi.

If we look at the hosting service providers most of them are using CentOS as their Linux web server distro. The first reason is, it is a fork of most popular RedHat enterprise Linux, uses open-source code of the same; along with similar stability, Long Term support and security updates. One can install its minimal ISO image on their server hardware as a lightweight server OS for home as well as enterprise utilization.

Easily can be converted into Apache web server, Database server, Conatainred Docker and more…

The online world is full of tutorials on CentOS that means if you stuck somewhere, hundreds of howtos and forums will help you to cut the problem off.

If you are using Raspberry pi where one cannot install a heavy server operating systems, the small CentOS is available for that in the size of but around 220MB.

The Minimal ISO image of CentOS server is of around 900MB while full distro with GUI comes in the size of 4 GB.

Download CentOS Minimal ISO image

Ubuntu Server- Lightweight Minimal ISO

Another one of the most popular Linux distros amid both Desktop and Server users is Ubuntu, minimal ISO without GUI for lightweight installation.

It is available to install on a home machine with Graphical user interface and other tools to make the life easier of laypersons. Along with that Sever version in minimal form and as full-blown distros can be downloaded from the official website.

The best part of using Ubuntu is its extensive documentation support officially and from vast majority blogs and community; those have covered almost every issue of Ubuntu. Just like CentOS, one can use it as webserver distro, for Database, firewall, media server, email server or game server and more. The possibilities of usage are numerous. It is one of the most user-friendly Linux systems.

Compatible with most of the public clouds. Thus whether it is Google Cloud, DigitalOCean, Amazon Web server etc, you will find Ubuntu lightweight server distro next to CentOS.

Available for 64-bit PC (amd64, x86_64), 32-bit PC (i386, x86), 64-bit PowerPC (ppc64), and 32-bit PowerPC (ppc) systems.

Download Ubuntu minimal ISO. Also know: how to install Ubuntu minimal ISO.

Fedora Server

Fedora is another great server operating system built on Linux and Patreon by RedHat itself.

It is community-based and is rapidly adopting technical innovations. Tested and proven functions are then taken over in RedHat, which is offered to companies.

It is available as “Fedora Workstation” for Desktop and “Fedora Server” for Server hardware. To install it as a lightweight server a user either can go for NetInstall ISO image or while installing it as regular OS, server option for software or environment can be selected to reduce its size and resource consumptions.

The software and functions are mostly up-to-date, so they can run smoothly without any quirks.

Debian Stable Server

Install minimal installation with command-line UI using lightweight Debian Linux server distro’s netinst CD image which is of 300 MB only.

Although we already have covered the Ubuntu server which is based on Debian, it is worth to mention the upstream source of the same i.e Debian. Debian has been used by lots of different Linux distros as a base OS, thus it is cynosure whenever we have a talk on lightweight server distros. Just like Centos and Ubuntu, you can find it on almost every Cloud service provider as server Linux distro.

It is very stable and can be customized greatly as per server needs. One of the biggest advantages is the versatile package system Dpkg (apt-get, gnome-apt), through which you can install countless programs and functions.

Debian can be installed and set up as both a desktop and server operating system. Install the command line and minimal installation using netinst CD image which is of 300 MB only and require an internet connection to download rest of the important packages.

Download Debian netinst CD image

OpenSUSE Server

OpenSUSE, an open-source arm of SUSE enterprise Linux distribution. We can install its light and small Linux version by simply selecting the minimal server installation option.

Like most of the Linux operating systems, the OpenSUSE also comes with lots of possibilities, it can be used as a home server operating system for Workstation, Desktops and Laptops or rather install its Server version with the text-based interface and minimum supported packages for commercial usage; the choice is all yours.

It is available in two forms OpenSUSE TumbleWeed and OpenSUSE Leap. One has Long Term support and others for those need frequent updates and most recent software versions.

So, these were some best Linux Distros those can be used as LightWeight OS for Server hardware. Apart from them, as I said you can use any Linux Distro for server tools installation, thus if you want an OS for home usage then you can see:

Apart from other servers, one more OS here, extremely small. Once can try it for home or office server usage to test thing on very old hardware server machines:

4MLinux Server: A small size Linux OS to create Miniserver as DNS, FTP, HTTP, MySQL, NFS, Proxy, SMTP, SSH, and Telnet. A proxy server (Polipo with optional Tor support) is also included. Only needs 128 MB of RAM. Website.

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Best lightweight Linux server Distros without GUI

A large portion of the Linux server Distro can turn into an extreme lightweight Linux server working framework on the off chance that we use them in their negligible structure. Albeit a wide scope of open-source Linux distros can be utilized to perform server assignments by introducing applications and apparatuses required by a server, for example, Apache, PHP, MySQL and that’s only the tip of the iceberg, the thing we need to ensure is the strength, Long term backing and security. In the event that you will select any Linux Distro on your Server, you will never need it to be enlarged or smashed in many cases.

Lightweight Linux server Distros

On the off chance that you see predominantly Linux web server distros on business facilitating suppliers servers or undertakings are without Graphical UI, it is on the grounds that the GUI makes Distros substantial and tend them to devour more RAM. In this way, we ought to stay away from GUI on servers, in addition, even with GUI on Linux more often than not we work with order terminal as it were.

In this manner, here are some prevalent distros with connections to download their insignificant ISO for lightweight without trading off the presentation for home or business use…

CentOS-negligible Small Distro

A lightweight server for both home and business clients including Raspberry Pi.

On the off chance that we take a gander at the facilitating specialist co-ops the vast majority of them are utilizing CentOS as their Linux web server distro. The principal reason is, it is a fork of most well known RedHat undertaking Linux, utilizes open-source code of the equivalent; alongside comparative solidness, Long Term backing and security refreshes. One can introduce its insignificant ISO picture on their server equipment as a lightweight server OS for home just as big business use.

Effectively can be changed over into Apache web server, Database server, Conatainred Docker and then some…

The online world is loaded with instructional exercises on CentOS that implies on the off chance that you stuck some place, several howtos and discussions will assist you with cutting the issue off.

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