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LordOS: Debian Linux with Its Own Wayland Desktop

LordOS is a Debian-based GNU/Linux distribution with a C-written display server and Wayland compositor, plus a React interface engine running on QuickJS. It targets 64-bit PCs and Raspberry Pi 5, with native apps and support for familiar Linux apps.

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Stars
87
Forks
7
Last commit
today
Contributors
1
Releases, 12 months
7

Our take

Newless than six months old and changing fast

Health score

30/100

How it is scored
Activity
73
Community
4
Issues
21
Pull requests
21
  • Fewer contributors than 91% of the projects we track

LordOS is a distinctive, actively changing beta, but its single-contributor development makes it a project to evaluate carefully before relying on it long term.

Good fit if

  • You want to test a Debian-based desktop built around its own C Wayland compositor and React-on-QuickJS interface.
  • You value built-in privacy controls and are comfortable using beta software.
  • You want a project with MIT-licensed code and can assess its current state for your PC or Raspberry Pi 5.

Look elsewhere if

  • You need a mature desktop with a broader contributor base and established issue-resolution history.
  • You need a platform other than a 64-bit PC or Raspberry Pi 5.
  • You need guarantees beyond the project's stated beta status and documented security model.
All health signals
Last commit2026-10-30 (today)
Commits, last 90 days100+
Releases, last 12 months7 (latest v0.8.5-beta, 2026-10-27, pre-release)
Contributors1
Issues closed, last 90 days0
Pull requests merged, last 90 days0
Project age12 days

Checked on 2026-10-30 with the GitHub API.

Overview

LordOS is a Debian-based GNU/Linux distribution for 64-bit PCs and Raspberry Pi 5. Its own desktop combines a display server and Wayland compositor written in C with a React interface engine running on QuickJS. The project aims to provide a fast, privacy-focused desktop while still supporting familiar Linux apps such as Chromium, Firefox, and GTK and Qt applications.

It is aimed at people who want an integrated Linux desktop with native apps, visible network controls, and app isolation, rather than a desktop environment layered onto a general-purpose distribution. LordOS is currently in beta.

Key Features

  • Own display server and Wayland compositor, using DRM/KMS and evdev directly from the kernel.
  • React-based interface engine running on QuickJS, with themes that can be switched live.
  • Native apps for passwords, mail, calendar, and contacts.
  • App isolation and permission prompts for access to resources such as camera, microphone, files, and network.
  • Firewall controls to inspect connections and allow or block traffic per app, domain, address, or network.
  • Support for Linux apps, including Chromium, Firefox, and GTK and Qt apps.
  • Installable PC ISO and a ready-to-flash Raspberry Pi 5 image.

Use Cases

  • A desktop Linux user who wants to try a Debian-based system with its own Wayland desktop and native apps.
  • A privacy-conscious user who wants app permissions and network rules exposed as part of the desktop experience.
  • A Raspberry Pi 5 owner looking for a Linux desktop image built specifically for that board.
  • A Debian 13 user who wants to install LordOS components on an existing system rather than start with the live ISO.

What you need

Detected in the repository

  • Node.js (from package.json)
  • A test suite and automated checks on GitHub Actions

License in plain words

MITpermissive

  • Commercial use: yes
  • Modify and redistribute: yes
  • You must keep: the copyright and license notice
  • Share your changes: no

A summary, not legal advice: the LICENSE file is what applies.

Getting Started

On Debian 13, install LordOS with:

curl -fsSL https://lordos.org/install.sh | sh

For a clean install, download the PC ISO or Raspberry Pi 5 image from the LordOS download page. See the README for build instructions, image details, and documentation.

Considerations

LordOS is less than six months old and is changing quickly. Recent activity is high, with releases in the past year, but measured contributor activity is concentrated in one person; the available health data also shows no issues closed or pull requests merged in the recent period. That makes long-term maintenance and response capacity harder to judge. The README describes the system as beta, and its security documentation should be checked to understand exactly what is isolated today. LordOS code is MIT-licensed, while vendored third-party components retain their own licenses.

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