- Rolling releaseAlways up to date
- KDE PlasmaDefault desktop
- Arch Linux basePacman packages
- Intermediate level8 GB RAM suggested
Strengths
- AppArmor, auditd, and firewalld active from the first boot
- Secure Boot with a signed Unified Kernel Image and LUKS2 encryption
- Tor, Proton VPN, WireGuard, and MAC randomization preconfigured
Trade-offs
- Very young project led by a single developer
- UEFI only, with no legacy BIOS support
- Many in-house tools to learn, and rolling Arch updates still need attention
Popularity snapshot · 30 days
Not ranked: no separate reader-interest source.
What is Maze Linux?
Maze Linux is an Arch-based rolling distribution that ships a hardened KDE Plasma 6 desktop on Wayland with defensive and anonymity tools already set up. AppArmor, auditd, and the firewalld firewall are active from the first boot, and its own Maze Guard tool watches public Wi-Fi for man-in-the-middle and ARP-spoofing attacks and responds through the firewall. Secure Boot uses a single signed Unified Kernel Image (kernel, initramfs, and command line sealed together) with a machine-unique key you approve once on first boot, and the installer offers LUKS2 full-disk encryption. For privacy it preconfigures Tor, Proton VPN, WireGuard, and the Session messenger, and adds in-house tools for MAC address randomization (Maze Cloak), an amnesic Tor session (Maze Ghost), metadata cleaning, and opening suspicious files safely; the developer says the system has no telemetry. ClamAV, rkhunter, and Lynis are included for scanning, along with Ollama for running AI models offline and Steam for gaming. It is a young project from a single developer, and it requires a UEFI PC: legacy BIOS is not supported.
Who is Maze Linux for?
Maze Linux fits best for privacy and development. Where it ranks in our lists:
- #5 of 5: best Linux distros for privacy and security
- #16 of 16: best rolling release Linux distros
- #29 of 30: best Linux distros for programming and development
Maze Linux system requirements
For a comfortable desktop with a modern web browser, plan for about 8 GB of RAM. Maze Linux is available for x86_64. Leave at least 25 GB of storage for the system and applications. These figures are editorial guidance; check the official documentation for minimums.
Try Maze Linux before you install
Write the image to a USB stick and boot it as a live session to test Wi-Fi, graphics, sound, and suspend on your own computer. A browser trial on DistroSea shows the desktop, but cannot verify your hardware.
Popular apps on Maze Linux
Flatpak versions published by each app’s developer, from Flathub. Set up Flathub first if Maze Linux does not include it. Open an app for other install options.
| App | Install command |
|---|---|
| Firefox on Linux | flatpak install flathub org.mozilla.firefox |
| Discord on Linux | flatpak install flathub com.discordapp.Discord |
| Brave on Linux | flatpak install flathub com.brave.Browser |
| Telegram on Linux | flatpak install flathub org.telegram.desktop |
| OBS Studio on Linux | flatpak install flathub com.obsproject.Studio |
| GIMP on Linux | flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP |
More apps that run on Maze Linux
Compare Maze Linux with…
8 side-by-side comparisons of Maze Linux, each built from the same catalog and support data.
More around Maze Linux
- Other Arch-based distros: Arch Linux, Manjaro, CachyOS, EndeavourOS, Garuda Linux, Omarchy, CobaltX, SteamOS, Artix Linux (all Arch-based Linux distros)
- Other distros with KDE Plasma: Debian, MX Linux, openSUSE Tumbleweed, Kali Linux, NixOS, Bazzite, Kubuntu, RakuOS, Anatase, openSUSE Leap, Alpine Linux, Nobara Project (all Best KDE Plasma distros)
Best Maze Linux alternatives
Maze Linux: common questions
What is Maze Linux based on?
Maze Linux is based on Arch Linux. It uses Pacman · AUR via paru · Flatpak for software and systemd as its init system.
Is Maze Linux good for beginners?
It is manageable if you are comfortable troubleshooting and occasionally using a terminal. Complete beginners may prefer Linux Mint or Ubuntu first.
How much RAM does Maze Linux need?
We suggest about 8 GB of RAM for a comfortable desktop experience with a modern browser. This is editorial guidance, not the project’s official minimum, which can be lower. It runs on x86_64.
What desktop does Maze Linux use?
Maze Linux offers KDE Plasma (Wayland).
Is Maze Linux a rolling release?
Yes. Maze Linux updates continuously, so there are no version upgrades to perform.
Is Maze Linux free?
Yes, Maze Linux is free to download and use.