Which Linux Distros Can I Install Using Crostini? My Real-World Take

Posted byneifferhussian

I’m Kayla, and I run Linux on two Chromebooks: an Acer Spin 714 (Core i5, 16 GB RAM) and an older Pixelbook Go (Core i5, 8 GB). I use Crostini almost every day for work and play—coding, photo edits in GIMP, random scripts, and, yes, a little tinkering just for fun.

For an expanded narrative that mirrors this post, see my full write-up over on Which Linux Distros Can I Install Using Crostini? My Real-World Take.

You asked which distros work. Short answer: more than you’d think. Long answer: some feel smooth, some need a few nudges, and a few are “fun” only if you like fixing stuff at 11 pm. I’ve done that. Twice.

Here’s how it went for me.

The Quick Answer

  • Easiest and supported: Debian (the default “penguin” container)
  • Smooth with tiny tweaks: Ubuntu, Kali
  • Works with some fixes: Fedora, Arch, Alpine
  • Usable but fussy: openSUSE, Void
  • What I skip now: Gentoo on Crostini (it runs, but I like sleep)

That’s the headline. Now the how and why.

If you’re looking for deeper, distro-by-distro breakdowns, I’ve found the reviews over at Desktop Linux Reviews concise and on point.

My Daily Driver: Debian (Bookworm)

Debian is what ChromeOS sets up by default. It just works. Apps show in the launcher. Files share nicely. GPU, audio, copy/paste—solid. (If you need a refresher on what that means, the ChromeOS Wikipedia page offers a clear overview.)

Real stuff I do:

  • VS Code, Python, Node, Git
  • GIMP and Inkscape
  • Small Postgres databases

What I like:

  • Stable and calm. It doesn’t break on me mid-week.
  • “cros-guest-tools” installs cleanly, so apps feel native.

What bugged me:

  • Packages can be a bit old. Not a deal-breaker for me. When I need newer, I use backports or a toolbox container just for that project.

Tip I actually use:

  • I keep the default “penguin” for daily work. Then I spin up extra containers when I want to try something wild.

If you’re curious about putting Debian on even smaller hardware, you might enjoy reading how a tablet became a full work machine in I Turned a Debian Linux Tablet Into My Daily Sidekick.

Ubuntu: My “I Need Newer Stuff Fast” Container

I made an Ubuntu 22.04 container for modern packages. It feels like Debian with newer bits.

What worked great:

  • Desktop apps showed up after I installed the guest tools.
  • GPU and audio were fine.
  • Snaps are hit or miss in containers, so I stick with apt.

Use case:

  • Data science libs
  • Web dev stacks that want newer compilers

Tiny hiccup:

  • First launch took a minute to settle. After that, smooth.

Kali: Same Comfort, Security Tools Ready

Kali runs well because it’s Debian-based. I use it for labs and training.

Why I keep it:

  • All the security tools in one place.
  • Same easy menus once guest tools are in.

Reminder:

  • Don’t turn Kali into your daily browser box. Keep it for its job.

Side note: big, headline-grabbing breaches are exactly why I quarantine security testing to a dedicated container. One of the most infamous examples was the dating-site leak a few years back—the overview at JustSugar’s Ashley Madison breach breakdown details what data spilled, how the attackers pulled it off, and the lessons we can all steal to tighten our own opsec.

For a more current, boots-on-the-ground practice target that isn’t quite as high-profile, I sometimes poke around regional classifieds portals to see how they handle things like session cookies and image uploads. A good case study is the Chesapeake-focused listings hub Backpage Chesapeake, where you can observe a modern Backpage-style site in the wild—perfect for mapping endpoints, testing content-security policies, and generally exercising your Kali toolkit without touching your production servers.

Fedora: Fast and Fresh, With a Few Knobs

Fedora was fast on my Spin 714. Package updates were quick. GNOME apps felt snappy.

What I had to fix:

  • I installed guest tools to get the app launcher perks.
  • Audio needed a check on PipeWire packages.
  • Wayland apps were fine; a few X11 apps needed fonts set.

Worth it?

Arch: My “I Want it My Way” Setup

You know what? Arch worked better than I feared. Pacman is fast, and I loved rolling updates.

What I did:

  • Installed base-devel and fonts right away.
  • Grabbed guest tools from the AUR so apps show in the ChromeOS launcher.

Good for:

  • Latest compilers, tiling window app tests, fast dev work.

Watch out:

  • Updates can pull big changes. I snapshot my work or use a separate project container. One time I broke my Python env on a Friday. Don’t be me.

Alpine: Tiny, Mighty, Mostly CLI

Alpine is small and quick. I used it for simple scripts and Docker-ish testing.

Good things:

  • Starts fast, uses very little RAM.
  • apk is simple.

Limits I hit:

  • GUI apps need extra love—fonts, themes, more packages.
  • I keep it CLI-first. That’s where Alpine shines.

openSUSE (Tumbleweed): Polished, But I Had to Tinker

Tumbleweed ran fine, and zypper is clean. But desktop tie-ins took work.

What I ran:

  • zypper basics, dev tools, and some GTK apps.

What felt rough:

  • App icons didn’t show up in the launcher right away.
  • I had to hand-tune .desktop files for a couple of apps.

Verdict:

  • Nice once set. Just slower to settle than Debian or Ubuntu for me.

Void: Lean and Nerdy (In a Good Way)

Void is light and crisp. I used the glibc image, not musl, so more apps worked.

Where it clicked:

  • Fast boot, fast install, clean xbps package manager.

Where it didn’t:

  • Desktop integration took time. I kept it CLI-only in the end.

What I Tried and Don’t Keep Now: Gentoo

Gentoo can run, but it ate my weekend. Build times in a container on a laptop felt… long. If you love tuning every knob, sure. I don’t, not here.

How I Actually Set These Up

Here’s the pattern I use in the ChromeOS Terminal. It’s not fancy. If you’d like a deeper dive into launching and managing LXC containers specifically on Chromebooks, the tutorial from ARM—Chrome OS LXC Learning Path—is a great step-by-step resource.

  • List containers:
    • lxc list
  • Make a new one (examples):
    • lxc launch debian:bookworm my-debian
    • lxc launch ubuntu:22.04 my-ubuntu
    • lxc launch images:fedora/40 my-fedora
    • lxc launch images:archlinux/current my-arch
    • lxc launch images:alpine/3.19 my-alpine
    • lxc launch images:opensuse/tumbleweed my-suse
    • lxc launch images:voidlinux/current my-void

If “images:” isn’t set, add the images remote with lxc and follow the prompts. After launch, enter the container with:

  • lxc exec my-ubuntu — bash

Then I update packages and install the guest tools package so apps show up in the ChromeOS launcher and copy/paste works better.

What Works Well Across Distros

  • File sharing to “Linux files” is stable.
  • GPU for most desktop apps is good now. I use VS Code, GIMP, and Krita without lag.
  • Audio is fine once the stack is set. PipeWire has been kinder than Pulse for me.

What Can Be Touchy

  • System trays: a few legacy apps act weird.
  • Heavy 3D games: still not the best place for that.
  • USB device pass-through: some tools are fine; some won’t see the device. I test before a real job.

If you’re experimenting beyond stock ChromeOS, you might appreciate the lessons learned in How I Downloaded Linux on FydeOS and What Actually Worked.

What I’d Pick, Based on You

  • I want easy, I want stable: Debian