Haiku

Haiku

Haiku is an open source operating system inspired by the BeOS operating system. It is designed to be fast, simple, lightweight, and easy to use. It prioritizes performance, stability, and user experience.
Haiku image
open-source lightweight beoscompatible multitasking

Haiku: Fast & Simple Open Source OS

An open source operating system inspired by BeOS, prioritizing performance, stability, and user experience, designed for speed, simplicity, and ease of use.

What is Haiku?

Haiku is an open source operating system designed to recreate the look and feel of the discontinued BeOS operating system. It first became publicly available in 2009 and has been in continual development ever since.

Like BeOS, Haiku is optimized to be fast, lightweight, and responsive, prioritizing performance and usability over other considerations. It supports preemptive multitasking with pervasive multithreading to make the most of modern hardware advancements.

Some key features and highlights of Haiku include:

  • Fast boot times, typically under 10 seconds on modern hardware
  • A clean and intuitive user interface focused on efficiency
  • Backward compatibility for many BeOS applications
  • Native support for Haiku software packages
  • Multimedia capabilities like audio and video playback
  • Basic compatibility with some Linux software through emulation

The goal of the Haiku project is to realize the potential of BeOS as a fast, powerful, yet easy to use desktop operating system. It is open source and community-driven, with an emphasis on modularity, extensibility, and customizability.

Haiku Features

Features

  1. Lightweight and fast performance
  2. Clean and intuitive user interface
  3. Compatibility with BeOS applications
  4. Supports a wide range of hardware
  5. Open source development model

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Very fast and responsive

Resource efficient

Stable and reliable

Easy to use interface

Active development community

Cons

Limited hardware support

Small user base and app ecosystem

Lacks some features of mainstream OSes

Not always compatible with latest hardware


The Best Haiku Alternatives

Top Os & Utilities and Operating Systems and other similar apps like Haiku


Windows 10 icon

Windows 10

Windows 10 is the latest version of Microsoft's operating system, released in 2015. It builds on the core foundations of Windows 7 and 8 and brings back the familiar Start menu while also introducing new features.Some key new features and improvements in Windows 10 include:The return of the Start Menu...
Windows 10 image
Ubuntu icon

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions available today. It is based on Debian and completely free and open source. Some key points about Ubuntu:It has an easy to use and intuitive interface, making it great for Linux beginners.It has a wide variety of official flavors featuring different...
Ubuntu image
MacOS icon

MacOS

macOS is the operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its Macintosh computers and laptops. It was originally named Mac OS X until 2012 and then OS X until 2016, when Apple renamed it to macOS to bring it inline with the branding of its other operating...
MacOS image
Linux Mint icon

Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a Linux distribution built on top of Ubuntu that aims to provide a more complete out-of-the-box experience. Some key aspects of Linux Mint include:User-friendly desktop environment with a familiar workflow for Windows usersComes with a lot of pre-installed software for common tasks like office productivity, internet browsing,...
Linux Mint image
Windows 7 icon

Windows 7

Windows 7 is a personal computer operating system that was produced by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing in July 2009 and became generally available in October 2009 as the successor to Windows Vista.Some of the key features and improvements...
Windows 7 image
Arch Linux icon

Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a lightweight, flexible Linux distribution designed for experienced Linux users who want control and customization of their system. Some key features of Arch Linux include:Rolling release model - Arch gets continuous updates rather than point releases, ensuring you always have the latest software.Uses Pacman package manager -...
Arch Linux image
Elementary OS icon

Elementary OS

elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that focuses on providing a fast, open, and privacy-respecting computing experience. It comes with a custom desktop environment called Pantheon that features a sleek and intuitive user interface designed for productivity.Some key features of elementary OS include:An app store called AppCenter...
Elementary OS image
Debian icon

Debian

Debian is one of the oldest and most popular Linux distributions available today. First released in 1993, it is known for its stability, commitment to free software principles, and huge repository of over 50,000 software packages.Some key facts about Debian:It is developed by a worldwide community of volunteers working together...
Debian image
Fedora icon

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux distribution developed by the Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat. It is one of the most popular community-driven Linux distributions and is known for showcasing the latest innovations in open source software on a stable and easy-to-manage platform.Some key features of Fedora include:Uses the RPM...
Fedora image
Manjaro Linux icon

Manjaro Linux

Manjaro Linux is an open source, independently developed GNU/Linux distribution based on Arch Linux. It aims to provide an accessible entry point for new Linux users, while maintaining the DIY spirit and technical simplicity that Arch Linux is known for.Some key features of Manjaro Linux include:User-friendly graphical installers for quick...
Manjaro Linux image
Porteus icon

Porteus

Porteus is a Slackware-based Linux distribution designed to be completely portable and run on a variety of systems. The key features of Porteus include:Runs completely from RAM for increased speed and privacy. No data is written to hard drive.Small ISO image size for fast downloads.Persistent option available to save settings/data...
Porteus image
OpenSUSE icon

OpenSUSE

openSUSE is a versatile Linux distribution that can be used on desktops, laptops, and servers. It focuses on being easy to use, having up-to-date software packages, and providing flexibility for different types of users.Some key features and information about openSUSE:Sponsored by SUSE Linux and other companies, but community-developedRegular release cycle...
OpenSUSE image
Tiny Core Linux icon

Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Linux is an open source lightweight Linux operating system focused on providing a minimal environment and small resource usage. The base system is only about 12 MB in size, allowing it to run well on older computers and hardware that may not have enough performance or resources for...
Tiny Core Linux image
Slax icon

Slax

Slax is a Linux distribution that is designed to run completely from a USB drive or CD, without needing to be installed to a hard drive. It is based on Slackware and aims to be simple, small, fast and portable.Some key features and characteristics of Slax include:Very lightweight - under...
Slax image
Hello System icon

Hello System

hello System is a free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted messaging and voice/video call application. It was created in 2014 by hello Technologies as a secure and private alternative to other messaging apps.Some key features of hello System include:End-to-end encryption - All chats, group chats, media, and calls are encrypted using the...
Hello System image
MenuetOS icon

MenuetOS

MenuetOS is an experimental open-source operating system for personal computers. It is written mostly in assembly language and designed to be fast, lightweight, and include a graphical user interface.Some key features of MenuetOS:Monolithic kernel architecture - All core OS functionality is handled by the kernel rather than separate processes.Very small...
MenuetOS image
TempleOS icon

TempleOS

TempleOS is an open source operating system developed by Terry A. Davis starting in 2003. It was created as a hobby operating system using a homemade compiler and self-made programming language called HolyC. The OS and programming language incorporate elements of Davis's religious and spiritual beliefs, including many references to...
TempleOS image
Minimal Linux Live icon

Minimal Linux Live

Minimal Linux Live is a Linux distribution designed to be extremely small and lightweight so that it can run entirely from removable media like a USB flash drive or CD. Despite its small size, it still provides a usable Linux environment focused on everyday tasks.When booted, Minimal Linux Live loads...
Macpup icon

Macpup

Macpup is a Linux distribution that is optimized for running on older, 32-bit Apple Macintosh computers. It provides a lightweight yet fully-featured Linux desktop environment and software on systems that can no longer run modern macOS releases.Macpup is based on Puppy Linux, which focuses on low system resource usage for...
Macpup image
Legacy OS icon

Legacy OS

Legacy OS is an operating system specifically designed to work on older, legacy computer systems and hardware. Unlike modern operating systems which require relatively powerful and recent system specifications, Legacy OS is optimized to run on computers that are 5, 10, or even 15+ years old.By supporting legacy hardware, Legacy...
Mezzano icon

Mezzano

Mezzano is an open-source operating system project that aims to reimagine and recreate 16-bit operating systems from the 1990s like MS-DOS or Windows 95/98 and bring their look, feel, and APIs to modern 64-bit hardware. It is implemented from scratch in Common Lisp and Assembly and can run on bare...
Mezzano image
Sabayon icon

Sabayon

Sabayon is a Linux distribution designed to be beginner-friendly while still providing advanced features for experienced users. It is based on Gentoo Linux and utilizes a rolling release model, meaning users can continually update to the latest versions of software without needing to manually reinstall big new releases.One of the...
Sabayon image
Absolute Linux icon

Absolute Linux

Absolute Linux is a lightweight Linux distribution based on Slackware Linux. It strives to be simple, lightweight and fast while still being a fully functional desktop operating system.Some key features of Absolute Linux:Uses Slackware as its base, which is known for stability and simplicityVery lightweight - can run well on...
Absolute Linux image
DeLicate Linux icon

DeLicate Linux

DeLicate Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution specifically designed to breathe new life into aging computers that may not have the resources to run newer mainstream distros comfortably. It uses the lightweight Openbox window manager by default and comes preloaded with a carefully curated selection of applications chosen for their...