Alpine Linux
Linux distribution based on musl and BusyBox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alpine Linux is a Linux distribution that uses musl, BusyBox, and OpenRC instead of glibc, GNU Core Utilities, and systemd, respectively.[4][5][6][7][8] This makes Alpine one of few Linux distributions not to be based on the latter.[9] For security, Alpine compiles all user-space binaries as position-independent executables with stack-smashing protection.[3] Because of its small size and rapid startup, it is commonly used in containers providing quick boot-up times,[10][11] on virtual machines (e.g., OS-level virtualization) as well as on real hardware in embedded devices, such as routers, servers and NAS.[citation needed]
| Alpine Linux | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Alpine Linux Development Team |
| OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Working state | Active |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | August 2005[1] |
| Latest release | 3.23.2[2]  / 17 December 2025 |
| Repository | |
| Marketing target | General-purpose. Security, embedded systems and other resource-constrained systems, such as containers.[3] |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Package manager | APK (Alpine Package Keeper) |
| Supported platforms | |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Userland | BusyBox |
| Influenced | postmarketOS |
| Default user interface | Ash |
| Official website | www |
History
Originally, Alpine Linux began as an embedded-first distribution for devices such as wireless routers, based on Gentoo Linux,[12] inspired by GNAP and the Bering-uClibc branch of the LEAF Project.[1] Founder Natanael Copa has said that the name was chosen as a backronym for "A Linux-Powered Network Engine" or some such similar phrase, but that the exact phrase has since been forgotten.[13]
Alpine's package management system, the Alpine Package Keeper (apk),[a][14] was originally a collection of shell scripts[15] but was later rewritten in C.[16]
In 2014, Alpine Linux switched from uClibc to musl as its C standard library.[17]
Derivatives
postmarketOS, a Linux distribution for mobile devices, is based on Alpine Linux.[18]
Notes
- Not to be confused with the apk file format used by Android