Intel Ends Clear Linux OS Development (And Users Need to Migrate Now)

Intel has called time on Clear Linux, its home-grown, performance-focused Linux distribution, ending support for the distro with immediate effect.

That means no more security patches, no more updates, and the Clear Linux GitHub repositories will be archived in read-only mode. Current users are urged to migrate to an actively maintained distribution as soon as feasible.

Shocked by this news, or by hearing that Intel had its own Linux distribution?

What Was Clear Linux OS?

Clear Linux was not a traditional desktop Linux distribution similar to Canonical’s Ubuntu or RedHat’s Fedora Workstation. Clear Linux was custom-made for cloud computing, data centers, and developer workstations. There, performance matters more than general-purpose use-cases and broad hardware compatibility.

Wringing out every drop of performance out of hardware was a USP. Intel applied aggressive compiler optimizations, kernel tweaks, and other adjustments across the software stack. This included profile-guided optimization (PGO), link-time optimization (LTO), and support for advanced instruction sets like AVX-512.

Interestingly, though designed primarily for Intel hardware, Clear Linux often performed as well on AMD systems.

If you ever browsed PC benchmarks on sites like Phoronix you’d find Clear Linux at the top of performance benchmarks. Impressive, but not a surprise: building a Linux distribution from the ground up for speed rather than compatibility meant it was faster than competitors.

Fast boot times, aggressive CPU scheduling, and a stateless design that made system updates and configuration easier to manage, Clear Linux had a clear lead in many things.

What’s Next?

Why has Intel killed off Clear Linux? Intel hasn’t specified why, but it comes amid layoffs (over 5,000 employees) and other cost-cutting measures at the tech giant.

In a closing statement, Intel says it remains committed to the Linux ecosystem and will continue to support other open-source projects and distributions, with a view to improving performance on Intel hardware.

Many of Clear Linux’s innovations are already present in other performance-focused distributions, like CachyOS.

“If you’re currently using Clear Linux OS, we strongly recommend planning your migration to another actively maintained Linux distribution as soon as possible to ensure ongoing security and stability,” reads the official statement.

“A heartfelt thank you to every developer, user, and contributor who helped shape Clear Linux OS over the last 10 years. Your feedback and contributions have been invaluable.”

For current Clear Linux users, the clock is ticking. While the distribution will continue working, the lack of security updates will make switching to an actively maintained alternative a priority for system admins and cloud infrastructure managers.

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Source: OMG! Linux