Garuda
Arch family, based on Arch · first released 2020
- Popularity rank
- #32
- Index
- 283
- GitHub stars
- 19
- Commits / mo
- 0
- Released
- 2020
you play games on PC or you want the newest software as soon as it's out.
Pros and cons
Good
- Striking KDE setup with gaming tools
- Btrfs snapshots set up for rollback
- Arch base with the AUR
Trade-offs
- Heavy defaults need a fairly modern PC
- Rolling updates need attention
- Busy look isn't for everyone
How Garuda fits what you do
Everyday use: Can work
Good
- Snapshots let you undo a bad update
Trade-offs
- Rolling updates change things more often
- Not mainly built as an everyday desktop
Gaming: Good fit
Good
- Built with gaming in mind
- New kernels and graphics drivers arrive quickly
- A bad driver update can be undone
Trade-offs
None we know of.
Older computers: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Needs about 4 GB of RAM to feel smooth
- No 32-bit images
Programming: Can work
Good
- Newest compilers, languages and tools
Trade-offs
- Fewer developer guides than the big distros
AI & Local LLMs: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- No official CUDA packages, so NVIDIA AI tools need workarounds
- AMD ROCm isn't officially supported
Servers & home labs: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Rolling updates mean more upkeep on a server
- Mainly a desktop system
Privacy & security: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Usage data not checked by us yet
- Privacy tools like Tor or sandboxing are up to you
Music, video & graphics: Can work
Good
- New versions of creative apps arrive quickly
Trade-offs
- Creative apps and low-latency audio setup are up to you
From our hand-written profile of Garuda. Take the quiz to compare it with other distros for your setup.
Rank over time
| Window | Rank | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last month | #85 ▼ 53 | 254 | |
| 12 months | #32 | 283 |
Shorter windows react faster. A better rank there than over 12 months means interest is growing.
Telemetry
Not checked yet. We only list what we've confirmed in the project's own documentation.
Rate Garuda
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Ranking 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.