CachyOS vs Fedora
CachyOS draws more interest (#1 vs #7).
you play games on PC or you want the newest software as soon as it's out.
you write software or you prefer tested updates on a fixed schedule.
| CachyOS #1 · Arch | Fedora #7 · RPM | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 1 | 7 |
| Rank last month | 1 | 3 |
| Index | 300 | 297 |
| Family | Arch | RPM |
| Based on | Arch | - |
| First released | 2021 | 2003 |
| Latest release | - | 45 |
| Supported until | - | Dec 2027 |
| GitHub stars | 470 | 1,383 |
| Commits, last 30 days | 10 | 6 |
| Telemetry (OS default) | - | Anonymous count, on by default |
Pros and cons
CachyOS
Good
- Performance-tuned kernels and packages
- Gaming-friendly defaults
- Graphical installer with many desktop choices
Trade-offs
- Rolling updates need regular attention
- Optimised packages need newer CPUs for the fastest builds
- Young project with a smaller team
Fedora
Good
- Recent software on a predictable six-month cycle
- Close to upstream GNOME and KDE
- Early adopter of new Linux tech (Wayland, PipeWire, Btrfs)
Trade-offs
- Each release is supported for only about 13 months
- Patented media codecs need extra setup
- Version upgrades twice a year
Questions
Is CachyOS or Fedora more popular?
CachyOS draws more interest over the last 12 months (#1 vs #7 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Is CachyOS or Fedora better for gaming?
CachyOS is set up with gaming in mind. Fedora can run Steam and Proton too, but needs more setup.
How do updates differ between CachyOS and Fedora?
CachyOS is a rolling release: software updates continuously, so you always have the newest versions. Fedora ships tested releases on a schedule, so updates are fewer and calmer.
Rankings from our composite index: English Wikipedia article views, DistroWatch page hits, GitHub stars and views on this site, built 2026-11-12. All of these measure interest, not installs. Repository activity from GitHub. Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users. "Pick if", pros and cons are LinuxStatistics editorial notes based on each project's own documentation. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0).