> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://itsfoss.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Serpent OS Gets an Alpha Release Right Before 2024 Ends - URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/serpent-os-alpha-release/ - Published: 2024-12-26T12:45:11.000Z - Updated: 2024-12-26T12:45:11.000Z - Description: Serpent OS is an interesting release to look forward to in 2025. - Author: Sourav Rudra - Tags: Development Updates, News, #Import 2025-11-08 21:15 The Linux ecosystem is a genuinely innovative space, where we have countless distributions. We have the popular ones like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, and their derivatives. On the other hand, we have [independent options](https://itsfoss.com/independent-linux-distros/?ref=news.itsfoss.com) like NixOS, Gentoo Linux, and Slackware. A few months ago, we took a look at the [pre-alpha release](https://itsfoss.com/serpent-os-alpha/) of a new independent distro called Serpent OS that performed quite well for an early build. It is a distro that focuses on being modern, minimal, and developer-friendly with its unique tooling. As 2024 comes to an end, its developers have introduced an alpha release with a [recent announcement](https://serpentos.com/blog/2024/12/23/serpent-os-enters-alpha/?ref=itsfoss.com) that offers many notable refinements. Let's dive in. 😃 ## Serpent OS Alpha: What to Expect? ![a screenshot of serpent os alpha release running a pre-release version of cosmic desktop environment with a fastfetch output open in the terminal](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2024/12/Serpent_OS_Alpha_COSMIC.jpg) Serpent OS Alpha running a pre-release version of [COSMIC](https://itsfoss.com/pop-os-cosmic/). Powered by **Linux kernel 6.12.6**, Serpent OS Alpha comes loaded with many updated packages like Firefox 133.0.3, LLVM 18.1.8, GNOME 47.2, and COSMIC 1.0.0\_alpha4. Similarly, key components of the distro were replaced with **Rust-based alternatives** such as [uutils coreutils](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils?ref=itsfoss.com), [Sudo-rs](https://github.com/trifectatechfoundation/sudo-rs?ref=itsfoss.com), [ntpd-rs](https://github.com/pendulum-project/ntpd-rs?ref=itsfoss.com), and curl being built with [Rustls](https://github.com/rustls/rustls?ref=itsfoss.com) support. Users can now easily download [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/?ref=itsfoss.com) from the Serpent OS repository, too. The alpha release also debuts some **new hardware support**, with patches being included for ASUS and Microsoft Surface devices and the arrival of NVIDIA drivers ([*open GPU kernel modules*](https://github.com/NVIDIA/open-gpu-kernel-modules?ref=itsfoss.com)) in the repositories. In the tooling department, [lichen](https://github.com/serpent-os/lichen?ref=itsfoss.com) installer now features a revamped UI with the ability to pick *XFS*, *ext4*, or *F2FS* as the root filesystem. The [moss](https://github.com/serpent-os/tools?ref=news.itsfoss.com) package manager receives major updates, such as the */usr* directory being replaced during system upgrades to ensure a more reliable upgrade process. And, finally, the [blsforme](https://github.com/serpent-os/blsforme?ref=itsfoss.com) boot management tool now supports drop-in command-line snippets for kernel parameters, allowing easy boot entry changes by the user. The developers mention that **they are very eager to grow Serpent OS's community and contributor base** as they enter an important phase in development. Following this, they want to focus on improving/creating documentation and continue their work on improving tooling. ## 📥 Get Serpent OS Alpha You can take Serpent OS Alpha for a run on a [virtual machine](https://itsfoss.com/virtual-machine/) by downloading either the GNOME Edition or the COSMIC Edition from the [official website](https://serpentos.com/download/?ref=itsfoss.com). Just ensure that you have enabled EFI and 3D acceleration before proceeding. If you run into any issues or just want to provide feedback, then you can visit the project's [GitHub](https://github.com/serpent-os/recipes/issues?ref=itsfoss.com) repo. [Serpent OS Alpha](https://serpentos.com/download/?ref=itsfoss.com) **Suggested Read** 📖 [13 Independent Linux Distros That are Built From ScratchUnique and independent Linux distributions that are totally built from scratch. Sounds interesting? Check out the list here.![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2022/12/android-chrome-192x192.png)It's FOSSSreenath![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2022/08/independent-linux-distros.png)](https://itsfoss.com/independent-linux-distros/?ref=news.itsfoss.com)