4 days ago
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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- Waydog is simply a lightweight Linux distro with panache.
- This distro uses Wayland and offers some Labwc and Sway.
- Wayland does consciousness similar it's inactive successful aboriginal development.
Linux is connected the rise, and that means adjacent much distributions volition beryllium popping up. Some of those distributions are meant for modern hardware, portion others tally conscionable good connected older machines, with less strategy resources.
You cognize what I'm talking about… lightweight Linux distributions.
- Linux Lite
- Lubuntu
- Puppy Linux
- antiX
- Xubuntu
That database goes on.
There is yet different lightweight Linux organisation to leap into the fray: Waydog.
Waydog picks up wherever Lilidog (RIP) near off, lone adopting the Wayland compositor, alternatively of X11. Although determination was an update to Lilidog successful 2025, the organisation inactive remains dormant. Given that Lilidog was portion of a trio (made up of Lilidog, Beardog, and Waydog), it's astonishing that 1 would extremity and the others continue. Although that had maine question the viability of the *dogs, I cognize that Waydog was updated connected January 17, 2025. If that's immoderate indication, it surely seems astatine slightest Waydog is inactive live and barking.
For a lightweight Linux distribution, Waydog surely doesn't look similar it was created successful the aboriginal 2000s. If you're an aesthete similar me, that matters.
On the juncture that I request a lightweight Linux distribution, I'm going to look for thing that checks each the boxes. It indispensable tally good connected older hardware, indispensable person a modern bundle manager, and indispensable person a modern aesthetic.
Such is the lawsuit with Waydog.
Also: The champion old-school Linux model managers that inactive clasp up
Before I continue, it's important to cognize that Waydog is inactive successful aboriginal improvement (or truthful it seems). The crushed I accidental that is due to the fact that the desktop acts a spot flaky. That could besides beryllium due to the fact that I'm moving it arsenic a virtual machine, and I've experienced immoderate wonkiness connected distributions that would different tally fine.
With each of that said…
What is Waydog?
Waydog is simply a lightweight Linux distribution, based connected Debian "Trixie." As the sanction implies, Waydog uses the Wayland compositor and offers 2 antithetic desktops: Labwc and Sway.
Labwc stands for Lab Wayland Compositor. This desktop is simply a lightweight stacking compositor for Wayland inspired by Openbox, designed to negociate windows efficiently without added bloat. Labwc focuses connected simplicity and performance.
Sway, connected the different hand, is simply a lightweight tiling model manager and Wayland compositor that allows for a grid-like layout of exertion windows to maximize surface efficiency.
Sway is simply a keyboard-centric desktop, truthful it does necessitate knowing respective keyboard shortcuts.
Think of it this way: Waydog offers desktops for caller users and precocious users. If you're caller to Linux, you would usage Labwc. If you're a seasoned user, spell with Sway.
What's truly absorbing astir this is that, connected Waydog, Labwc and Sway look astir identical; they don't, however, enactment the aforesaid way. Labwc is mouse-driven, and Sway is keyboard-driven. Both see the Fuzzel menu, truthful you tin click the House icon successful the precocious near country to unfastened the desktop paper and entree each of the installed applications.
The Fuzzel paper is elemental to use.
There is 1 constituent of disorder that I ran into. As I mentioned, Sway is simply a tiling model manager that leans heavy into keyboard shortcuts. For example, Super + Return opens the terminal window. However, if you log into Labwc, Suer + Return besides opens the terminal window.
The quality is that Sway tiles the windows, whereas Labwc does not.
Labwc besides includes a right-click desktop menu, wherever you tin besides entree programs and more.
This useful small paper makes maine deliberation of the Enlightenment model manager.
Within the realm of Waydog, the lines betwixt Sway and Labwc are reasonably blurred, but I would inactive suggest that caller users opt for Labwc. What you tin bash is commencement to familiarize yourself with the keyboard shortcuts and, erstwhile you consciousness comfy with them, log into the Sway desktop for much efficiency.
Is this acceptable for the world?
From what I experienced with Waydog, there's excessively overmuch surface tearing and different ocular glitches that forestall Waydog from being acceptable for regular usage.
Also: The champion Linux distributions for beginners
Again, instrumentality this with a atom of salt, fixed that I ran Waydog arsenic a virtual instrumentality and not connected bare metal. Even so, I truly enjoyed playing astir with Waydog (both Labwc and Sway). The much I usage tiling model managers, the much I similar them; truthful I would astir apt opt for Sway implicit Labwc.
In the end, I loved that Waydog gives lightweight Linux a spot of an aesthetic propulsion into the future. What I would truly similar is for the developer to adhd thing similar Hyprdog into the mix, with the Hyprland compositing model manager. I find that Hyprland is 1 of the champion tiling model managers due to the fact that it tin beryllium truthful highly customized. The "dog pound" could past see Beardog (for implicit minimal installation), Waydog (for a much accepted desktop), and Hyrpdog (for a much modern and customizable look and feel).
I anticipation the developer continues with Waydog due to the fact that it has a batch of possibilities. I would suggest you download a Waydog ISO, burn it to a USB drive, and instal it connected a spare (aging) machine. Who knows, you mightiness find your caller favourite Linux distribution.
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