Editing CRUX

{{Short description|Linux distribution}}
{{About|the Linux distribution||Crux (disambiguation)}}
{{primary sources|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = CRUX Linux
| logo = [[File:cruxlogo.png|250px|left|The Crux Linux Logo]]
| screenshot = [[File:CRUX screenshot.jpg|250px|KDE Desktop for Crux Linux OS]]
| caption = Screenshot KDE Desktop for Crux Linux OS (2007).
| website = {{URL|http://crux.nu/}}
| developer = Per Lidén and CRUX community
| family = [[Linux]] ([[Unix-like]])
| source_model = [[Open-source software|Open source]]
| released = {{Start date and age|2002|12}}
| latest_release_version = 3.8<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://crux.nu/Main/ReleaseNotes3-8 |title=Release Notes for CRUX 3.8|date=21 April 2025 |access-date=2025-05-11 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2025|04|21}}
| latest_test_version = 
| latest_test_date = 
| marketing_target = 
| language = 
| kernel_type = [[Linux kernel|Linux]] ([[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]])
| userland = [[GNU Core Utilities|GNU]]
| influenced = [[Arch Linux]]
| ui = [[Openbox]]
| license = Various
| working_state = Active
| supported_platforms = [[x86-64]]
| updatemodel = ports
| package_manager = {{not a typo|pkgutils}}<ref name="pkgmgmt">{{citation |url=http://crux.nu/Main/Handbook3-0#ntoc13 |title=The Package System |work=Handbook |publisher=Crux.nu |access-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122034034/http://crux.nu/Main/Handbook3-0#ntoc13 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
'''CRUX''' is a lightweight [[x86-64]] [[Linux distribution]] targeted at experienced [[Linux]] users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with [[BSD]]-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Loli|first1=Eugenia|title=Interview With the Creators of CRUX and Root Linux|url=http://www.osnews.com/story/232|website=OS News|access-date=29 March 2016|archive-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527080417/http://www.osnews.com/story/232|url-status=live}}</ref>  It also utilizes a [[ports system]] to install and upgrade applications.<ref>{{citation |url=http://crux.nu/ |title=HomePage |publisher=Crux.nu |access-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-date=August 13, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010813044920/http://www.crux.nu/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Although ''[[wikt:crux#Latin|crux]]'' is the Latin word for "cross," the choice of the name "CRUX" itself has no meaning. Per Lidén chose it because it "sounded cool," and ends in "X" which puts it in line with various other [[Unix]] flavors such as [[IRIX]], [[Ultrix]], [[Mac OS X]] and [[IBM AIX]].<ref>{{citation |url=http://crux.nu/Main/Faq#ntoc2 |title=6. Miscellaneous |work=FAQ |publisher=Crux.nu |date=July 22, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2012 |archive-date=February 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220182444/http://crux.nu/Main/Faq#ntoc2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Installation==

CRUX does not include a [[Graphical user interface|GUI]] installation program.  Instead, the user boots the [[Linux kernel|kernel]] stored on either a [[Compact Disc|CD]] or [[Floppy disk|diskette]]; [[Disk partitioning|partitions]] the [[Hard disk drive|hard disk drive(s)]] to which the [[operating system]] will be installed (using a program such as [[fdisk]] or [[cfdisk]]); creates the appropriate [[file system]]s on the various partitions; [[mount (Unix)|mounts]] the CD or [[Distributed file system|NFS]] share along with the partitions made previously for use by the package installation script; compiles a new kernel; and installs a [[Booting|bootloader]], all via [[Command-line interface|shell commands]].<ref>{{citation |url=http://crux.nu/Main/Handbook2-6#ntoc9 |title=Installing CRUX |work=Handbook |publisher=Crux.nu |access-date=March 26, 2012 |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527101535/http://crux.nu/Main/Handbook2-6#ntoc9 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://crux.nu/Wiki/NFSInstall |title=NFSInstall |work=Wiki |publisher=Crux.nu |date=July 15, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2012 |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924120703/http://crux.nu/Wiki/NFSInstall |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Package management==
{{Further|Ports system}}

CRUX implements an infrastructure similar to that of [[BSD]]-based operating systems for package management.  Packages consist of a Pkgfile (which is a [[shell script]]), any [[patch (computing)|patches]] required to adjust the program to work, [[md5sum]] hashes used to verify the integrity of the downloaded files and a footprint file listing the files to be included in the packages. These files are downloaded from a CRUX [[software repository]], [[compiled]], and installed using the prt-get frontend to {{not a typo|pkgutils}}.<ref name="pkgmgmt"/> The software sources are downloaded from the websites of their respective upstream at the address specified in the Pkgfile.

== Releases ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ x86 Release History
|-
! Version
! dmy|Date
|-
|1.0
|2002 December
|-
|1.1
|2003 March
|-
|1.2
|2003 August
|-
|1.3
|2003 December
|-
|1.3.1
|2004 February
|-
|2.0
|2004 March
|-
|2.1
|2005 April
|-
|2.2
|2006 April
|-
|2.3
|2007 March
|-
|2.4
|2007 December
|-
|2.5
|2008 December
|-
|2.6
|2009 September
|-
|2.7
|2010 October
|-
|2.7.1
|2011 November
|-
|2.8
|2012 October
|-
|3.0
|2013 January
|-
|3.1
|2014 July
|-
|3.2
|2015 November
|-
|3.3
|2017 February
|-
|3.4
|2018 May 
|-
|3.5<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crux.nu/Main/ReleaseNotes3-5|title=CRUX {{!}} Main / ReleaseNotes3-5|website=crux.nu|access-date=2020-12-11|archive-date=2021-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512011703/https://crux.nu/Main/ReleaseNotes3-5|url-status=live}}</ref>
|2019 June
|-
|3.6<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crux.nu/Main/ReleaseNotes3-6|title=CRUX {{!}} Main / ReleaseNotes3-6|website=crux.nu|access-date=2020-12-11|archive-date=2020-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127231328/https://crux.nu/Main/ReleaseNotes3-6|url-status=live}}</ref>
|2020 December
|-
|3.6.1
|2020 December
|-
|3.7
|2022 September
|-
|3.8
|2025 April
|}

== Reviews ==
Simone Rota reviewed CRUX for OSNews:<ref>[http://www.osnews.com/story/4720/Review_CRUX_Linux Review: CRUX Linux] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140817/http://www.osnews.com/story/4720/Review_CRUX_Linux |date=2018-06-12 }}, '''OSNews'''</ref> {{quote|Since to use CRUX you must compile your own kernel and modules, the hardware compatibility list is basically the same as the Linux kernel.(2.4.21 on the tested release). No third-party modules are available on the CD, in case of unsupported hardware the only option is to fetch the drivers from another machine. The bootable CD-Rom kernel is compiled with a relatively small set of options, that should be enough to boot the machine and proceed with installation.}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://crux.nu/}}
* [http://crux.nu/Main/Links CRUX for Alternative Architectures: x86_64, ppc, ppc64, arm, sparc64]
* {{DistroWatch|CRUX|NAME=CRUX}}

{{Linux distributions}}

[[Category:Source-based Linux distributions]]
[[Category:Linux distributions without systemd]]
[[Category:Linux distributions]]