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Devuan GNU/Linux

A fork of Debian created specifically to keep offering a systemd-free init-system option after Debian itself adopted systemd as its default, without otherwise diverging from Debian's package base.

Based on

Debian

First released

2016

Package manager

APT (.deb)

Desktop environments

Xfce, GNOME (Devuan's own de-systemd-ed build), KDE Plasma, MATE

Devuan exists for one clearly stated reason: when Debian adopted systemd as its default init system, a segment of the Debian community strongly preferred to keep using alternatives (SysVinit, OpenRC, or runit), and Devuan forked specifically to keep that option available as a first-class, fully supported choice rather than an unsupported manual workaround on top of a systemd-default Debian. Outside of the init-system difference and the patching work needed to make some Debian packages (and desktops like GNOME, which has taken systemd dependencies in places) work without it, Devuan tracks Debian's releases and package base closely, aiming to remain as close to 'Debian without systemd' as practically possible. It's become the reference base other systemd-free projects build on top of, including Artix's Arch-side equivalent taking inspiration from the same underlying motivation.
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