Lilidog Linux It's one of those distributions that, as soon as you try it, you realize was designed by someone who actually uses the system daily. It doesn't try to impress with exaggerated visual effects, but rather to offer a user-friendly environment. Lightweight, fast, and highly customizable built on a solid foundation like Debian. If you're tired of bloated distros or want to get the most out of a modest PC, you'll find plenty of features here, just like in other lightweight distributions such as Alpine Linux.
Throughout this article we will calmly break down exactly what Lilidog offers, its different editions, how to install it, what special tools it includes, and why it has earned a place among those who value a system minimalist but very well tunedWe'll also see little tricks, customization options, and practical details that help you get the most out of it without complicating your life.
What is Lilidog Linux and what is it based on?
In essence, Lilidog is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian It uses the Openbox window manager as its main environment. Its philosophy is very clear: to offer a lightweight system with very low resource consumption, while maintaining the advantages of Debian and adding many of its own utilities that facilitate configuration and daily use.
The distribution is based on Debian with the repositories contrib and non-free enabled by defaultThis simplifies the installation of drivers and certain additional software that you might have to manually enable in a standard Debian installation. Lilidog relies on the stable branch (like Bullseye in current versions) to ensure stability, but also offers test images based on Bookworm (testing) and Sid (unstable) for those who enjoy tinkering.
One of Lilidog's defining characteristics is that all of its builds are made with the policy of “not recommended”In other words, during installation only the strictly necessary dependencies are included, without any recommended or suggested packages. This results in a very clean system where you decide what to add, preventing it from becoming cluttered with programs you'll never use. If you prefer, this policy can be changed after installation to revert to Debian's standard behavior.
Lilidog Linux versions and flavors
To cater to different types of users and hardware, Lilidog is distributed in several editions. Each maintains the common core but with varying levels of pre-installed software and usage approaches. All images can be downloaded from its website. SourceForge.
Lilidog-amd64: the full version for daily use
The Lilidog-amd64 edition is the variant “full” for 64-bit architecturesIt is designed for users who want to have almost everything ready from the first boot, without investing initial time in installing a lot of basic applications.
This version comes pre-installed with programs that are commonly used on a daily basis, such as the browser. Firefox, the email client ThunderbirdThe Thunar file manager, Geany text editor, Gpicview image viewer, Smplayer media player, Gparted partitioning tool, Synaptic package manager, GIMP graphics editor, and many others are included. With this initial set, you can browse the web, work with small documents, manage files, edit photos, or watch videos without installing anything extra.
Despite being a fairly complete software version, it maintains the idea of a lightweight system. The use of Openbox, the absence of unnecessary services, and a selection of minimalist applications allow Lilidog-amd64 to run very smoothly, even on low-end machines. not too modern, provided they are 64-bit.
Lilidog-Minimal-amd64: total control over what you install
If you like starting from a solid foundation but being the one who decides practically everything that gets installed, the edition Lilidog-Minimal-amd64 It fits like a glove. This variant retains all the structure, scripts, and "magic" of Lilidog, but with a much smaller set of programs so you can build your system to your specifications.
To begin with, the Minimal version includes the essentials: the terminal xfce4-terminalThe Thunar file manager and Mousepad text editor are included so you can start managing the system, configuring it, and adding packages. From there, the idea is that you gradually complete your desktop with what you actually need, without dragging along unnecessary software.
To make things easier, it is recommended to run the command in the console sudo apt update && sudo apt install synapticThis will give you the familiar Synaptic graphical package manager. With it, you can easily install applications, thanks to a visual interface that simplifies searching for and selecting programs in the Debian repositories.
Lilidog-i386: Support for legacy hardware
For those who still use very old computers, Lilidog offers a special edition. i386 for 32 bitsThis version shares the same foundation as the full amd64 edition, but is adapted to run on older machines that don't support modern architectures. It's a very efficient way to give a second life to computers that struggle with other operating systems, similar to other lightweight options like... absolutely linux.
On some older processors, especially certain Intel models, it may be necessary to boot by adding the kernel parameter forcepae for the system to boot correctly. This is an important detail if you encounter unexpected problems when trying to boot the ISO on a 32-bit PC.
It's worth noting that this i386 edition has an expiration date: it will no longer be available when Debian switches from Bullseye to Bookworm as a stable branchFrom that moment on, the focus shifted definitively towards 64-bit architectures, so it's a good idea to consider it as a transitional solution for very old equipment.
Beardog: the “ultra minimal” version
Within the Lilidog family, Beardog is the alternative for those who want to start almost from scratch. It is a extremely minimalist edition, without Lilidog's typical theme changer and with a bare-bones application set.
In Beardog, the default file manager is pcmanfm The chosen terminal emulator is lxterminal. Upon logging in, the system presents a window with a list of common optional components that many people want to install: a login manager, the jgmenu menu with icon control, the dunst notification system with sound management, transparency effects, backports repositories, an alternative kernel, and the remaining Lilidog installers if desired.
This edition is geared towards users who want to build their system piece by piece starting from a base truly nakedIf you're looking for the equivalent of "building your own distro" but with the convenience of pre-made scripts and utilities, Beardog is a very attractive option.
Bookworm and Sid images for those who like to experiment
In addition to the stable versions based on Debian Bullseye, it is possible to find Lilidog images based on certain sources at certain times. Bookworm (testing) and Sid (unstable)These builds are not intended as the primary option for everyone, but rather as a testing ground for users who enjoy having very recent software, even if there is room for errors.
In these trial versions, it's important to understand that unexpected bugs, frequently updated packages, or minor conflicts that haven't yet been ironed out may appear. Anyone using these editions should be prepared to update the system quite frequently and accept that some Lilidog-specific installers or scripts may not be available until Bookworm officially becomes the new stable branch (something planned for summer 2023 in the Debian cycle).
If you want to tinker with these branches, good backup management and the habit of reading the Lilidog forum are highly recommended, where the community shares warnings, solutions, and suggestions for keeping these test systems in good condition.
Download, create USB drive and boot Lilidog
Lilidog Linux images are hosted on SourceForge, on the main route of ReleasesFrom there you can choose the edition that best suits your equipment and your way of working (full, minimal, i386 or Beardog) and download it in ISO format.
Once the image is downloaded, one of the easiest ways to try Lilidog is to use a USB drive. The project recommends using the tool live-usb-maker developed by the MX Linux teamIt is available as an AppImage. You can download it from its official repository on GitHub, in the corresponding releases section.
The typical process involves downloading the AppImage.tar.gz file, extracting it, and then running the AppImage from a terminal with the appropriate permissions. Within the application, it's advisable to use the appropriate mode. “image mode” When burning the Lilidog ISO to the USB drive, ensure the copy is as faithful as possible to the original image and the system boots without problems.
When turning on the computer and booting from the USB, the Lilidog startup menu shows the option to start a live session or proceed directly to the installation process. It's more common to try the Live mode first to confirm that the hardware is recognized correctly and that the environment is satisfactory before installing to disk.
Installation and Live mode in Lilidog Linux
The installer used by Lilidog is Debian's own, with the option to use either the interface in text mode like the graphical installationThis ensures a robust, well-tested, and familiar process for anyone who has previously installed Debian. The tool guides the user through partitioning, disk selection, basic configuration, and bootloader installation.
While working in Live mode, it's important to remember the default credentials: the username is "user" and the administrator password (sudo) is "Live"These credentials are also used to unlock the screen during the live session. Once you install the system on your disk, you can create your own usernames and passwords just like in any other distribution.
After booting, the Live system gives you the freedom to explore the Openbox-based desktop, try out programs, change themes, and see how the computer responds. At any time, you can launch the installer from the menu itself if you decide to permanently install Lilidog on your machine.
Desktop environment: Openbox, panel and menu
The visual heart of Lilidog is the window manager open boxIt is not a complete environment like KDE or GNOME, but a very lightweight manager that provides windows and basic management, and is complemented by other utilities to offer a complete desktop experience.
The main panel is used by default. tint2Although you can also switch to FbPanel if you prefer. Tint2 includes several very practical features: settings for transparency, time format, autohide, autoshrink, and screen position (top or bottom). These parameters can be modified both through the Lilidog menu and from the panel itself, where you'll see a small icon labeled "T2" that provides direct access to the settings.
The system's main menu is provided by jgmenuLilidog's menu system is highly customized and offers extensive adjustability. You can open the configuration file, where entries, categories, appearance, and other details are defined, by navigating to Settings → jgmenu.conf. A "Jgmenu Theme Changer" is also included, allowing you to easily modify the menu's visual style.
Themes, backgrounds, icons, and visual customization
One of the great things about Lilidog is that, despite being a lightweight system, it offers a great many visual customization options without needing to install fifty extra packages. Almost everything you could want to change is just a few clicks away.
Desktop backgrounds are managed with fehThe system expects to find your preferred images in the ~/Pictures/wallpapers directory. From the menu, under Settings → Wallpaper Chooser, you can easily change the active wallpaper. Additionally, within the Thunar file manager itself, you can right-click on any image and select the option to set it as your desktop background or copy it to the wallpapers directory. Extra features include... random background toggleThis is very useful if you like your desktop to change its appearance from time to time.
Regarding icons, the default set is BreezeFrom there, Lilidog offers menu entries for quickly installing the Papirus and GNOME themes, with various color options. There's even an additional script that expands the Papirus theme selection even further, offering up to 24 different color combinations. This allows for very fine-tuning the desktop's appearance without leaving the distribution's ecosystem.
The Openbox window themes, GTK look, Geany colors, and xfce4-terminal style are coordinated through a collection of Lilidog custom themesThe default fonts are Liberation Sans for most elements and DejaVu for urxvt and Conky modules. All of this is integrated into a quick theme switching system, which we'll discuss below.
Quick theme changer and creation of your own styles
To save you from having to change themes and colors program by program, Lilidog includes a tool called Quick Theme ChangerIt is located in the menu, within the Settings section, and its purpose is to apply complete themes to the desktop in a couple of clicks.
When you use this quick changer, the GTK theme, Openbox theme, Geany color scheme, LightDM login manager appearance, desktop background, menu theme, and terminal theme are all modified simultaneously. Everything is readjusted on the fly, so you can try different combinations until you find the one that best suits your taste.
If you'd like to go a step further, all the files related to these topics can be found in ~/.config/lilidog-themesThere you can inspect how existing themes are set up, modify them, or even create your own. You can add new buttons to the theme switcher so they appear as extra options, allowing you to instantly apply your custom design. A README file is included in the folder, and there are discussion threads on SourceForge that explain the process step-by-step with practical examples.
Toggles and Extras: Quick settings and additional software
One of Lilidog's most convenient features is the use of special sections in the menu: “Toggles” and “Install Extras”These sections concentrate many of the quick actions that normally require editing files manually or running commands in the terminal.
In the Toggles area, you'll find buttons to enable or disable features such as automatic login, notification sounds, screen color correction, running Conky, random background changes, and several other options. It's a very practical way to test behaviors and customize the system to your liking without having to wrestle with low-level configuration files.
On the other hand, the section of Install Extras It includes shortcuts for installing popular but not necessarily essential applications for all users. These include the Liquorix kernel, virtualization tools like QEMU, the Steam gaming platform, the Etcher image burner, the Discord chat client, and other similar programs. All of these are installed from their respective repositories, leveraging the Debian base and the additional repositories enabled by Lilidog.
Boot management, dual boot, and GRUB background
If you use a dual-boot system and run other distributions simultaneously, there's a Lilidog detail worth noting. To enable the system to detect other operating systems, you need to edit the file / Etc / default / grub As superuser, uncomment the line that sets GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false. After saving the changes, simply run sudo update-grub in a terminal so that the boot manager can search for other installations and add them to the menu.
In addition, Lilidog comes with a tool for easily changing the GRUB menu background. This utility opens a window from which you can browse your images and choose the one you want to use as your background. By default, the distribution already includes six funds to choose from, so you can give the boot manager a more personal look even before adding your own images.
Conky, hotcorners and small desktop aids
Another interesting aspect of the Lilidog desktop is its suite of utilities that provide real-time information or add useful shortcuts. Among these, the system stands out. Conky Chooseraccessible from the Toggles menu. This selector allows you to activate up to six different Conky configurations, each with its own focus: a large clock, a full system information panel, a Conky focused on shortcuts and keyboard shortcuts, a module with phrases or “fortunes”, a world clock, and a panel with current weather conditions.
All these Conkys are stored and configured in the directory ~/.config/conkyalong with the script that acts as a selector. You can activate them independently, combine them, or modify them as you wish. The current conditions module takes a few seconds to display data initially, which is normal because it needs to query external information before updating.
Lilidog also includes a system of hotcorners (ld-hotcorners) assigns actions to each corner of the screen. It can be activated from a button in the lower left corner or from the Toggles section of the menu. By default, the corners execute, clockwise from the top left, the file manager, the Picom switch (composer), the exit menu, and the terminal. All these actions can be redefined by editing the configuration file at ~/.config/ld-hotcorners.
Lilidog Linux Terminals, dmenu, and Icon Bars
Regarding terminals, Lilidog uses by default the following: xfce4-terminalBut it also comes with URXVT pre-installed for those who prefer something even lighter and more customizable. You can change the default terminal emulator from the "App Alternatives" option in the menu or with the command sudo update-alternatives –config x-terminal-emulator executed in a terminal.
URXVT in Lilidog comes with several practical features: keyboard shortcuts for changing font size on the fly (Ctrl + up/down arrow), transparency support, and opening links directly in Firefox or other browsers. lightweight web browsers when you click on them. This allows you to combine a lightweight visual environment with a Highly flexible terminal work experience.
For those who prefer to search for applications by name instead of navigating through menus, Lilidog incorporates dmenu There are two different shortcuts: Alt + F2 opens the full dmenu with all applications, while Alt + F3 launches a filtered version with only the most common apps. In the Settings menu, you can adjust which programs appear in this simplified dmenu, tailoring it to your preferences.
If you like dock-style icon bars, you also have wbarWbar, which is activated from the Toggles section, provides a panel of icons on the desktop that you can customize and organize to your liking, offering very direct visual access to your favorite apps without cluttering the main panel.
File manager, right-click and utilities included in Lilidog Linux
The central file manager in the main editions of Lilidog is ThunarKnown for its good balance between simplicity and power, Lilidog Thunar comes with an extra set of pre-configured right-click actions designed to save time on common tasks.
These actions include options such as opening a folder as administrator (Open as Root)Rotate and resize images, copy files to specific locations (like the wallpaper folder), compare files with the Meld tool, and several other useful everyday shortcuts. These small automations make the file manager a much more versatile tool without cluttering the interface.
In the area of notifications, Lilidog uses hazeA lightweight yet configurable system that discreetly displays app notifications on screen. For power and energy management, xfce4-power-manager is integrated, easily accessible by right-clicking the battery icon. This allows you to adjust sleep behavior, screen timeout, and other options without much hassle.
Graphic compositor, screen brightness, and RSS
For those seeking soft effects like transparencies and shadows on windows, Lilidog uses the compositor PicomThe main configuration file is located at ~/.config/picom.conf, and can be opened directly from the Settings menu to edit parameters for transparency, smooth animations, shadows, and other visual effects. Enabling or disabling Picom is also linked to hotcorners and toggles. to have fine control over performance.
Regarding screen brightness and color temperature, the distribution includes the tool gammyYou can launch it from the Toggles area or with the keyboard shortcut Super + g. Gammy lets you define brightness and gamma curves for different times of day or use it as a simple switch when you want to rest your eyes. It's especially useful if you spend many hours in front of the monitor or work at night.
Another interesting inclusion is NewsboatLilidog is a terminal-based RSS reader that comes with a pre-configured file for seamless system integration. Simply add your preferred RSS feeds, and you'll have a fast and lightweight reader for following news, blogs, or repositories without leaving Lilidog's minimalist environment.
Lilidog Linux-specific scripts and tools
Beyond the graphical environment, Lilidog includes several custom scripts designed to simplify tasks that in other distributions often require more manual steps. One of them is SwapidThis is especially useful if you frequently install multiple distributions on the same computer. This script finds the UUID of your swap partition and opens the appropriate windows to update the configuration when you install a new system on another partition.
It also has scripts to easily add repositories of Bullseye backports and Debian Fast Track From the Extras → Utilities section of the menu. With a couple of clicks, you can access newer packages while still using a stable base, which is very useful when you want certain modern versions but don't want to switch to testing or unstable versions.
In terms of screen locks and screensavers, Lilidog offers options through Xscreensaver and other programs configurable from the menu or integrated into startup using the Openbox autostart file. This allows you to decide whether you want the system to lock automatically, which animations to use, or if you prefer a more understated and straightforward approach.
Lilidog Linux quick settings: keyboard, network, printers, and more
Most common system settings are centralized under the section Configuration from the menu. From there you can access the Settings Manager to change GTK themes, fonts, icons and other relevant parameters, as well as the Openbox Conf tool, which controls details such as window borders, keyboard shortcuts and other Openbox-specific behaviors.
For keyboard layouts in different languages, it is recommended to follow the instructions in the dedicated SourceForge support threads, which explain the specific steps for configuring the key layout according to country and personal preferences. Similarly, you will find an entry for this in the Utilities menu. printer configurationThis greatly simplifies the process of adding and managing printers on the network or via USB.
Regarding Conky and network monitoring, it is recommended to use the command ls /sys/class/net/ In a terminal, find out the actual name of your network interface (for example, wlp2s0, enp3s0, etc.) and replace that value in the corresponding configuration. This will ensure that the network widgets display the correct speed and traffic for your connection.
Build your own Lilidog Linux ISO
For advanced users, Lilidog offers the possibility of clone and build your own image from the distribution using Debian's live-build tools. The idea is that you can download the project repository to your home directory, enter the Lilidog folder, and launch the build process with the appropriate commands.
While installing packages like live-boot or live-config isn't strictly necessary to create the ISO, having them and their man pages helps you better understand the process and available options. If the build command fails at any point, simply repeating the process by running it again is usually sufficient. lb buildIf it still doesn't work after several attempts, it's recommended to use... lb clean to clean up artifacts from previous builds and try again with a clean build.
At the end, you'll obtain a custom ISO image that you can burn to a DVD or USB flash drive using the same live-usb-maker tool mentioned earlier. The author recommends installing this "working" ISO on a separate partition if you intend to continue building upon it, so that your own installed system becomes the working ISO. live template from which to generate new images.
To delve even deeper into the world of creating live systems with Debian, it's very helpful to consult the official examples available in the Debian Live project manual. There you'll find step-by-step tutorials that expand on what Lilidog does and offer ideas for creating even more customized versions.
Ultimately, Lilidog Linux combines a very stable Debian base with a lightweight desktop full of small details designed to make your life easier: from the different editions (full, minimal, i386 and Beardog) to the quick toggles, the theme changer, help scripts like Swapid, the use of Openbox with tint2 and jgmenu, or the customization tools and the ability to build your own ISO; everything invites you to take control of your system without wasting time on tedious configurations, getting the most out of both modern computers and veteran hardware with a polished and surprisingly complete experience.
