Textbook of Linux

← Software

Alpine Linux

A small, security-oriented Linux distribution based on musl libc.

Alpine Linux uses the musl libc and busybox userland to fit a fully working Linux system in tens of megabytes. The distribution emphasises security (it ships PaX/grsecurity-style hardening defaults), simplicity (apk is a small, fast package manager), and small footprint, which together make Alpine ideally suited to containers, embedded systems, and edge appliances.

Alpine is the default base image for "small" Docker images (node:alpine, python:alpine) — a conscious trade-off, since musl sometimes behaves slightly differently from glibc and not every piece of software handles the difference gracefully. For most applications the size savings are worth it.

Alpine Linux Development Team has maintained the distribution since 2005. Releases ship every six months, supported for two years, plus a continuously-updated edge branch for power users. Beyond Docker, Alpine is widely used for Kubernetes node images, NAS firmware, and OpenWrt-style embedded routers.

Download an ISO from https://alpinelinux.org/downloads/
Or in a container:
  docker run -it alpine:latest sh