What is Mageia? Who it is for
Mageia is built independently rather than on another distribution. It uses KDE Plasma or GNOME as its desktop and dnf for software, and it follows numbered releases on a fixed schedule.
Mageia at a glance
- Foundation: built independently rather than on another distribution
- Desktop: KDE Plasma or GNOME
- Software tools: dnf
- Release style: numbered releases on a fixed schedule
- Installer: the Mageia installer
Who Mageia suits
Mageia suits people who want a community-run, rpm-based desktop system.
Strengths
- Changes arrive slowly and are tested first, so the system rarely surprises you.
- The KDE Plasma desktop, with a great deal of customisation built in.
Things to consider
- Stability means some software is not the very newest version.
- As a rough guide, about 2 GB of RAM is a comfortable minimum for a desktop session.
Try Mageia from a USB drive
The easiest way to find out is to start it from a USB drive without changing your computer. See the Mageia bootable USB drive, then follow our install guide when you are ready. New to this? Read how to try Linux without installing it and how to boot from a USB drive.
Installing software on Mageia
Mageia uses dnf. These commands search for a program and install it (replace name with the program):
dnf search name sudo dnf install name
Most desktop systems also have a graphical software store. See how to install software on Linux.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mageia good for beginners?
It can be used by beginners, but Mageia is aimed more at people who want a community-run, rpm-based desktop system. If you are brand new, a beginner-friendly distribution such as Linux Mint or Ubuntu is usually an easier first step.
What desktop does Mageia use?
Mageia uses KDE Plasma or GNOME. To learn how desktops differ, read what GNOME, KDE, Xfce and Cinnamon are.
How much RAM does Mageia need?
As a rough guide, about 2 GB of RAM is a comfortable minimum for a desktop session.
Is Mageia based on another distribution?
Mageia is built independently rather than on another distribution.
How often is Mageia updated?
Mageia follows numbered releases on a fixed schedule.
How can I try Mageia without installing it?
Write it to a USB drive, restart, choose the drive from the boot menu and pick the live or try option. Nothing on your internal disk changes unless you choose to install.