Alpaquita Linux Download Center

Alpaquita Linux is a lightweight Linux distribution based on Alpine for Cloud and Server use.

Alpaquita is distinguished by multiple performance and security optimizations and LTS releases optimal for enterprise use. Alpaquita comes with three additional malloc for various workloads and best Java support. In addition, we enhanced stock musl libc. Our musl perf is similar or superior to glibc performance. We also provide two Alpaquita variants based on musl perf or glibc.

Alpaquita Cloud Native Platform is an end-to-end solution for enterprises deploying cloud-native applications. It includes Alpaquita LTS, Liberica JDK Lite, Liberica Native Image Kit, and BellSoft’s support both for Linux and Java.

Alpaquita Stream is a free rolling release of Alpaquita with the latest updates and fixes. Alpaquita LTS is a stable version supported for four years with two-years overlap with the previous version.

Alpaquita comes in two versions, musl and glibc-based. Our musl perf is 100% compatible with musl def (a default musl implementation similar to the upstream release version), but boasts performance enhancements making it as efficient as glibc.

The process of migrating to Alpaquita depends on several factors, such as libraries utilized for development (statically or dynamically linked) and so on. If you build an application outside Docker and copy the binary into the Docker image, simply substitute the image you are currently using.

Alpaquita's enhanced security sums up to low attack surface, additional kernel security hardening, regular updates, and emergency patches provided within the scope of commercial support. Security advisory (underway) will provide information about discovered vulnerabilities and available patches.

Alpaquita is distributed under EULA (End-user license agreement) — we verified all the packages regarding clean licenses and substituted some software to eliminate the risk of license violation.

Alpaquita Stream is continually updated with fresh packages, features, and fixes. It can be used by developers who want the latest software, but is not recommended for enterprise applications requiring stability. Alpaquita LTS is aligned with Linux Kernel LTS. It is a stable production-grade version with a focus on security patches and critical fixes without significant package changes.

Alpaquita uses APK as a package manager. Use apk update to update the index of available packages and apk upgrade to upgrade the currently installed packages. Docker images, ISO, and WSL are also regularly updated and available from the corresponding locations.

Alpaquita Stream is free to use. In addition, we offer enterprise-grade support for Alpaquita Cloud Native Platform.

BellSoft's subscription model includes 24x7 support both for Linux and Java, Alpaquita LTS versions, and emergency patches and bug fixes. There is no man-in-the-middle, meaning that you receive prompt help directly from our engineers.

We provide Standard and Premium support for our customers. Both options include emergency security patches, off-cycle updates and fixes, and a two-hour initial consultation. The response times are as fast as 24 hours based on SLA for Standard subscription and 1 hour for Premium. Premium customers also get a dedicated engineer.

We provide updates for Alpaquita LTS for min. four years with two-year overlap between the latest versions.

No. Alpaquita is tailored specifically for Cloud/Server deployments with low resource consumption and high performance in mind. To keep it lightweight, we refrained from the GUI functionality.

Alpaquita Linux supports x86 hardware architecture.

Alpaquita comes with Docker and QEMU support.

There are several ways of obtaining Alpaquita binary: directly from our website, Linux repositories, or Docker Hub Container Image Library.

Alpaquita Linux supports various languages for application development — Java, Python, C/C++. It is also compatible with Liberica NIK, a GraalVM-based utility for native image generation.

A lightweight Linux distribution contributes to significant container size reduction. Such distribution contains only the libraries your application needs plus optional packages you can remove or add as required.

You can add, list, remove, or update packages with the APK Package Manager tool that comes pre-installed on all Alpaquita versions. A comprehensive guide on working with APK on Alpaquita can be found here.