SerpApi.Org
I often talk about switching to Linux as an alternative to Windows 11, something I've done myself on many of my machines. But while it's common to put Linux on the same playing field as Windows, it bears repeating that Linux itself isn't an operating system, and as a kernel, it's an extremely versatile piece of software that can be used for a lot of things.
Sure, there are various Linux distros that just function as typical computers, but there are also multiple Linux-based operating systems that have one very specific purpose and only let you do that. So let's take a look at some of the Linux distros you might not really think of when you think of using Linux, and we're going to get increasingly unconventional here, so buckle up.
Tails
Privacy above all else
Let's start with what might be the most typical-looking distro of the bunch. Tails is an operating system I've personally tested, and it's very specifically designed to provide the highest level of privacy possible to the user. It runs entirely off of your USB drive, and it leaves no data behind on whatever device you plug it into. Like most live distros, it also won't typically keep your data on the USB drive itself, though you can create a permanent space to keep a small selection of files available across sessions.
Tails also comes with a small selection of apps you can install that help protect your privacy, and importantly, it comes with Tor built-in at the OS level. The entire system communicates over the Tor network, so even network monitoring can't tell what websites you're visiting.
Tails is advertised for people such as investigative journalists working on extremely sensitive stories, or even users in abusive and violent home situations, where Tails OS may be the only way to secretly use a PC and avoid having your activity tracked. That's a very valuable purpose to have, and Tails does it better than any other option out there. If you're in one of those situations, or you simply want an OS you can use and carry with you, this is worth checking out.
Kali Linux
For security experts
Switching gears to something even more specific, we have Kali Linux, a distro that's completely designed around the idea of security. But it's not just about having it, it's about creating and testing it. Kali Linux is focused on things like penetration testing, security research, and similar workloads.
Kali Linux comes packed with a ton of security testing and monitoring tools that help you identify and diagnose any potential security risks with a machine or a network. That includes things like Wireshark, Hydra, Maltego, and Nmap. There are plenty of tools here I didn't even know existed before, and it's easy to see it's an extremely comprehensive solution for security experts.
A regular user probably won't have much use for this, but if you rely on multiple security tools such as the ones mentioned above, having Kali Linux ready to go may make your life a whole lot easier.
Rancher
All about Docker
We've talked quite a bit about Docker containers here on XDA, and you might be tempted to try it out yourself. Of course, you can run Docker on any modern platform already, but once it takes over your life and you want a lot of Docker containers, why not have a dedicated operating system for it?
Enter Rancher, a Linux-based distribution designed to run Docker and nothing but Docker. In fact, all the processes that run in Rancher are containers managed by Docker, and because it contains nothing else, this is a very lightweight operating system on its own, saving as much of your PC's resources as possible for your Docker containers.
If you're starting to get too deep into self-hosting and testing different services, Rancher is the way to do it, and absolutely worth checking out.
GParted Live
Does this count?
GParted is an interesting one because calling it a distro on its own may be a bit generous, but it's also hard to deny that it kind of is that. You can run GParted on any Linux distro as an aplication, but it's also available as a standalone, bootable operating system you can run off of any USB, called GParted Live.
What do you use it for? Well, GParted is an excellent tool for managing and manipulating disks and partitions. It can help you resize partitions, format them to any file system of your choice, and more. In many cases, GParted is not only better than a built-in disk management tool like what's included in Windows 11, but even better than third-party solutions that might ask you to pay up. GParted Live is a very small but very useful utility, and just about anyone should consider having it on a USB drive, especially if you can just include it in a Ventoy setup alongside other operating systems.
Proxmox
Create your homelab
We talk about Proxmox quite a lot on XDA, and it's not for no reason — its full name is Proxmox Virtual Environment, and that should clue you in on what it does. If you need to run multiple operating systems or containers from a single machine, Proxmox is the way to go.
Essentially, Proxmox is an operating system designed to run containers and virtual machines inside of it. You can install pretty much any other operating system or self-hosted service on it, and it's a very lightweight solution that also makes it very easy to manage the resources allocated to each machine and how everything works. I use Proxmox for my home lab, and it includes things like Home Assistant, TrueNAS and Jellyfin.
Much like Rancher, Proxmox is great if you're embarking on a self-hosting journey like I did. I highly recommend it if you want to start building all kinds of smart services in your home.
TrueNAS Scale
It's kind of self-explanatory, right?
Following in the steps of Proxmox, TrueNAS is yet another Linux-based operating system designed for a very specific purpose, and perhaps even more so. As the name suggests, TrueNAS Scale is an operating for NAS devices, meaning it's meant to be used as a storage pool for your network.
While there is dedicated NAS hardware that can run TrueNAS Scale, one of the great things about this operating system is that it can run on any old computer, and even inside a virtual environment like Proxmox. You can assign one or (preferably) multiple hard drives to TrueNASA to create a storage pool, create network shares to make the NAS accessible, and even install apps which are essentially Docker containers for all kinds of self-hosted services.
In addition storing your files, you can use a service like Nextcloud to manage them easily, and even integrate an office suite so you can edit documents directly in your NAS. You can also use apps like Immich to store your photos and view them in a UI that feels very much like Google Photos, among many other things.
TrueNAS is phenomenal if you just want to create a "private cloud" of sorts, but it can do so much more within that scope. It's fantastic.
OpenWrt
Did you even know this existed?
Finally, let's talk about one of the most specific Linux-based operating systems you can install yourself. OpenWrt is a family of operating systems designed exclusive for embedded devices, and specifically Wi-Fi routers. As expected, it offers the suite of management tools you might expect from a router, such as configuring DHCP, DNS servers, and more.
OpenWrt can be installed by itself on many models, but some brands use OpenWrt out of the box, such as GL.iNet. The great thing about OpenWrt isn't just that it works, is that it's because community maintained and open-source, it could potentially extend the life of your router for many more years with new security updates and mitigations that the manufacturer might not have provided normally.
This isn't something you can install on a PC or anything like that, but by all accounts, it's a Linux-based operating system, and it has a very specific purpose. If you have an older router that hasn't been updated in some time, it's worth checking if it's supported by OpenWrt, as it could greatly improve your security.
Linux is everywhere
Even if your desktop PC isn't running Linux, that kernel is everywhere. From servers to a NAS, or even something as specific as a router, the operating systems that power so much of the world are based on Linux, and there are a ton of uses you probably never thought of. It kind of helps prove the point that Linux is not an operating system, and you can do a lot more with it than just make it a typical desktop computer.
