Independent Linux distribution ranking

Ranked by evidence.
Not by page hits.

DistroRank audits Linux distributions and related projects against one fixed public methodology. Every score can be decomposed into evidence. Missing evidence stays unknown; it is never silently converted into failure.

UNKNOWN ≠ 0Unresolved evidence stays unresolved.
14 FIXED TESTSThe same checks apply to every project.
100 POINTSA transparent evidence floor.
≥70% COVERAGERequired for a qualified rank.
710projects in the global dataset
511DistroWatch-ranked projects
199DistroWatch submissions
200projects with ≥70% coverage

Global ranking

The complete 710-project AES dataset. Score and coverage are shown separately because a low evidence score and missing evidence are not the same thing.

710 / 710
Status Dataset
UNKNOWN ≠ ZEROUnknown criteria reduce coverage. Explicit zeroes count as resolved evidence.
SHA256 ≠ SIGNATUREA checksum proves integrity, not cryptographic authentication.
NO AUTOMATIC INHERITANCEUpstream points require an explicitly shared authenticated chain.
QUALIFIED ≥70%Projects below the evidence threshold remain visible but unqualified.

The 14 tests

Each project is evaluated against the same public criteria. Click any ranking row to see its actual resolved values and unknowns.

Maintenance10
Security accountability10
Primary delivery authentication5
ISO / image authentication5
Source map10
Package / build recipes10
ISO / image recipe10
Issue tracker5
Contribution workflow5
Governance / release process5
User / admin documentation5
Developer / build documentation5
Reproducibility10
Recovery / rollback5

How to read a score

AES Evidence Floor and Coverage answer two different questions: how much evidence scored, and how much of the methodology was actually resolved.

AES Evidence Floor
94.56
Coverage
100%
Unknown weight
0%
A project with 30 points at 30% coverage is not equivalent to a project with 30 points at 100% coverage. DistroRank keeps that distinction visible.