Tiny Core Linux
Lightweight Linux distribution
title: "Tiny Core Linux" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["light-weight-linux-distributions", "lightweight-unix-like-systems", "linux-distributions", "linux-distributions-without-systemd", "operating-system-distributions-bootable-from-read-only-media", "independent-linux-distributions"] description: "Lightweight Linux distribution" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Core_Linux" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Lightweight Linux distribution ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox OS"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Tiny Core Linux |
| logo | tcl logo.png |
| logo_size | 150px |
| logo_alt | Logo of TCL |
| screenshot | Tiny Core Linux 7.1 screenshot.png |
| screenshot_size | 250px |
| caption | Tiny Core Linux 7.1 |
| family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| released | |
| language | English |
| userland | BusyBox |
| ui | FLWM |
| license | GNU GPLv2 |
| website | |
| source_model | Open source |
| latest release version | |
| latest release date | |
| kernel_type | Monolithic |
| working_state | Current |
| supported_platforms | x86 |
| x86-64 | |
| armv7 | |
| Raspberry Pi | |
| package_manager | appbrowser (GUI) / tce (CLI) |
| :: |
| name = Tiny Core Linux | logo = tcl logo.png | logo_size = 150px | logo_alt = Logo of TCL | screenshot = Tiny Core Linux 7.1 screenshot.png | screenshot_size = 250px | caption = Tiny Core Linux 7.1 | family = Linux (Unix-like) | released = | latest preview version = | language = English | userland = BusyBox | ui = FLWM | license = GNU GPLv2 | website = | source_model = Open source | latest release version = | latest release date = | kernel_type = Monolithic | working_state = Current | supported_platforms = x86 x86-64 armv7 Raspberry Pi | updatemodel = | package_manager = appbrowser (GUI) / tce (CLI)
Tiny Core Linux (TCL) is a minimal Linux kernel based operating system focusing on providing a base system using BusyBox and FLTK. It was developed by Robert Shingledecker, who was previously the lead developer of Damn Small Linux. The distribution is notable for its small size (11 to 16 MB) and minimalism; additional functions are provided by extensions. Tiny Core Linux is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2.
Types
- Tiny Core (23 MB) is the recommended option for new users who have a wired network connection. It includes the base Core system and a dynamic FLTK/FLWM graphical user interface.
- Core (17 MB) (also known as "Micro Core Linux") is a smaller variant of Tiny Core without a graphical desktop, though additional extensions can be added to create a system with a graphical desktop environment.
- Core64 is a port to the x86_64 architecture with a 32-bit user land, i.e. it uses a 64-bit kernel and 64-bit modules, but it can use the same extensions as Core.
- CorePure64 is a port of "Core" to the x86_64 architecture. 64-bit kernel and 64-bit extensions.
- dCore (12 MB) is a core made from Debian or Ubuntu compatible files that uses import and the SCE package format, a self-contained package format for the Tiny Core distribution since 5.x series.
- Core Plus (248 MB) is "an installation image and not the distribution". It is composed of Tiny Core with additional functionality, most notably wireless support and non-US keyboard support.
- piCore is the Raspberry Pi port of "Core".
System requirements
Minimal configuration: Tiny Core needs at least 46 MB of RAM, and (micro) Core requires at least 28 MB of RAM. The minimum CPU is an i486DX.
Recommended configuration: A Pentium II CPU and 128 MB of RAM are recommended for Tiny Core.
Design philosophy
The developers describe TCL as "a nomadic ultra small graphical desktop operating system capable of booting from cdrom, pendrive, or frugally from a hard drive." As of version 2.8.1, the core is designed to run primarily in RAM but with three distinct modes of operation:
- "Cloud" or Internet mode — A "testdrive" mode using a built-in appbrowser GUI to explore extensions from an online application extension repository loaded into RAM only for the current session.
- TCE/Install — A mode for Tiny Core Extensions downloaded and run from a storage partition but kept as symbolic links in RAM.
- TCE/CopyFS — A mode which installs applications onto a Linux partition like a more typical Linux installation.
Release history
::data[format=table]
| Version | Stability | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Older version | January 5, 2009 |
| 2.0 | June 7, 2009 | |
| 3.0 | July 19, 2010 | |
| 4.0 | September 25, 2011 | |
| 4.7.7 | May 10, 2013 | |
| 5.0 | September 14, 2013 | |
| 5.0.1 | October 1, 2013 | |
| 5.0.2 | October 18, 2013 | |
| 5.1 | November 28, 2013 | |
| 5.2 | January 14, 2014 | |
| 5.3 | April 19, 2014 | |
| 5.4 | September 10, 2014 | |
| 6.0 | January 5, 2015 | |
| 6.1 | March 7, 2015 | |
| 6.2 | May 3, 2015 | |
| 6.3 | May 30, 2015 | |
| 6.4 | September 8, 2015 | |
| 6.4.1 | November 4, 2015 | |
| 7.0 | February 23, 2016 | |
| 7.1 | May 22, 2016 | |
| 7.2 | July 4, 2016 | |
| 8.0 | April 10, 2017 | |
| 8.1 | September 3, 2017 | |
| 8.2 | September 22, 2017 | |
| 9.0 | February 26, 2018 | |
| 10.0 | January 20, 2019 | |
| 10.1 | June 11, 2019 | |
| 11.0 | February 9, 2020 | |
| 11.1 | April 1, 2020 | |
| 12.0 | February 17, 2021 | |
| 13.0 | January 31, 2022 | |
| 13.1 | May 8, 2022 | |
| 14.0 | April 12, 2023 | |
| 15.0 | Supported version | February 22, 2024 |
| 16.0 | Supported version | March 31, 2025 |
| 16.1 | Latest version | June 16, 2025 |
| :: |
References
References
- . (March 30, 2009). ["Interview with Robert Shingledecker, creator of Tiny Core Linux"](https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090323#feature).
- . (March 23, 2009). ["Review of Tiny Core Linux 1.2 and 1.3 RC2"](https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20090330#feature).
- "Robert Shingledecker's Projects".
- Shingledecker, Christopher. "Frequently Asked Questions".
- Robert Shingledecker. (2012). "Downloads - Tiny Core Linux".
- Juanito. (2016). "Forum Post - tinycore vs. tinycore64".
- Juanito. "dCore-5.0.alpha1 released".
- Robert Shingledecker. "Frequently Asked Questions: What are the minimum requirements?".
- Robert Shingledecker. (December 1, 2008). "Welcome to The Core Project - Tiny Core Linux".
- Robert Shingledecker. "Tiny Core: Core Concepts".
- [http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/board,31.0.html Final Releases] {{Webarchive. link. (2015-05-08 – Release Announcements and Change log from Tiny Core Linux Forum)
- Smart, Christopher. (2009-08-06). "Tiny Core: The Little Distro That Could {{!}} Linux Magazine".
- "DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 440, 23 January 2012".
- "DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 527, 30 September 2013".
- "Tiny Core Linux 7.0 [LWN.net]".
- (March 31, 2025). "Tiny Core v16.0".
- (June 16, 2025). "Tiny Core v16.1".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::