SparkyLinux 7.5 arrives with updated kernel and software packages

SparkyLinux, a lightweight Linux distribution based on Debian, has released its latest point update, Sparky 7.5, codenamed "Orion Belt." This is the fifth update to the Sparky 7 series and focuses on improving stability and performance. As with previous versions, Sparky 7.5 is built upon Debian 12 "Bookworm," maintaining full compatibility with its parent distro.

For this release, Sparky 7.5 has updated its core components and applications. Notably, it ships with the Linux kernel 6.1.106 LTS for PCs, with other kernel versions, such as 6.11.0 and 5.15.167-LTS, available in Sparky repositories. ARM devices running Sparky can utilize the 6.6.47 LTS kernel. LibreOffice remains a central part of the productivity suite, though users can find newer versions in the backports repo. Other software updates include KDE Plasma 5.27.5, LXQt 1.2.0, MATE 1.26, Xfce 4.18, and Openbox 3.6.1.

Some significant changes come with the removal of the popular package manager nala, although it remains available in the official repositories. Additionally, VirtualBox has been updated to version 7.1, requiring users to uninstall version 7.0 before upgrading.

The new Sparky 7.5 images are available in multiple versions, including Xfce, LXQt, MATE, and KDE Plasma, with MinimalGUI and MinimalCLI options for those who prefer lightweight or text-mode setups. The distro supports a wide range of architectures, from amd64 to i686 and ARM variants.

Existing users who already have Sparky 7 installed don’t need to worry about reinstalling -- keeping the system updated will suffice to bring it up to the latest version. New users can grab an ISO here.