Draft:RoshanOS
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Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Asakpke (talk) 20:17, 23 August 2026 (UTC)
| RoshanOS | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Aamir Shahzad (ASAKPKE) |
| OS family | Linux |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | January 2021 |
| Latest release | 4.0 Qalandari / May 2026 |
| Package manager | APT |
| Supported platforms | x86-64 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Official website | https://esite.pk/roshan-os/ |
RoshanOS is a Linux distribution developed by Pakistani software developer Aamir Shahzad, also known by the online identity ASAKPKE. The project was first released in January 2021. Early releases were based on Linux Mint and used the Cinnamon desktop environment. Later releases adopted an MX Linux and Debian base and introduced additional desktop customization, pre-installed software, development tools and programming resources.[1]
The distribution is primarily intended for desktop use, with an emphasis on providing a ready-to-use and customizable Linux environment. The project has developed from a Linux Mint-based distribution into an MX Linux/Debian-based distribution with its own desktop configuration, software selection and development resources.[1][2]
The current major release is RoshanOS 4.0 Qalandari, released in May 2026. The release follows the project's MX Linux/Debian-based development line and uses the KDE Plasma desktop environment.[3]
History
[edit]RoshanOS was first released in January 2021. The project was registered on SourceForge in January 2021 under the account of Aamir Shahzad (ASAKPKE).[2]
The first generation of RoshanOS was based on Linux Mint and used the Cinnamon desktop environment. Distroware describes the early releases as Linux Mint Cinnamon remixes and identifies Aamir Shahzad as their developer.[1]
The first release, RoshanOS 1.0, was published in January 2021. It was followed by RoshanOS 1.1 in March 2021.[3]
The early development of RoshanOS emphasized ease of use for people new to Linux. The project included pre-installed software, desktop customizations and programming resources intended to allow users to explore the system without extensive initial configuration.[2]
RoshanOS 2.0 was released in August 2022. During the development of later releases, the project moved from its original Linux Mint base toward an MX Linux and Debian base.[3]
RoshanOS 3.0.7, identified as RoshanOS 3.0.7 Qalandar, was released in November 2023. It continued the MX Linux/Debian-based approach and included additional desktop customization, software and programming resources.[4]
Development subsequently continued with RoshanOS 4, culminating in the release of RoshanOS 4.0 Qalandari in May 2026.[3]
Versions
[edit]RoshanOS 1
[edit]The first generation of RoshanOS was based on Linux Mint and used the Cinnamon desktop environment. The initial RoshanOS 1.0 ISO was published on 28 January 2021. It was followed by RoshanOS 1.1 on 23 March 2021.[3]
RoshanOS 1 introduced the project's approach of providing a preconfigured Linux desktop with additional software, desktop customization and resources intended to make Linux more accessible to new users.[1]
RoshanOS 2
[edit]RoshanOS 2.0 was released on 7 August 2022.[3]
The second major generation marked the project's move away from its original Linux Mint base toward an MX Linux and Debian-based system. The RoshanOS 2.0 ISO is preserved in the project's SourceForge archive.[3]
RoshanOS 3
[edit]RoshanOS 3.0.7, identified as RoshanOS 3.0.7 Qalandar, was released on 7 November 2023.[3]
RoshanOS 3 continued the MX Linux/Debian-based approach and provided a customized desktop environment together with pre-installed software and programming resources. Its documentation described a Tryouts folder containing examples for programming languages including Basic, C, C++, Java, Python, PHP and Perl, as well as development software such as MySQL, phpMyAdmin and XAMPP.[4]
RoshanOS 4
[edit]RoshanOS 4 is the fourth major generation of the distribution.
The release is identified in the project's public archive as RoshanOS 4.0 Qalandari. The ISO image was uploaded to SourceForge in May 2026.[3]
RoshanOS 4 represents a transition to the KDE Plasma desktop environment while continuing the project's MX Linux/Debian-based development approach.[3]
The project documentation and development repository include desktop customization resources, programming examples and other files associated with RoshanOS 4.[5]
A paid edition, RoshanOS 4 Pro Qalandari, extends RoshanOS 4 with integrated Android application support and Windows virtualization, with graphical setup intended to simplify configuring these additional environments.[6]
Design and features
[edit]RoshanOS has historically focused on providing a preconfigured Linux desktop rather than requiring users to assemble a desktop environment and development tools themselves.
Features and configuration have varied between releases.
Desktop environment
[edit]The first RoshanOS releases used the Cinnamon desktop environment as part of their Linux Mint base.[1]
Later versions adopted an MX Linux/Debian base. RoshanOS 4 uses the KDE Plasma desktop environment.[3]
The project includes custom desktop layouts, interface configuration and other desktop modifications.
Pre-installed software
[edit]RoshanOS has historically included a selection of software intended for everyday desktop use.
The RoshanOS 3 documentation describes productivity software, multimedia applications, web browsers and development tools as part of the distribution's pre-installed software selection.[4]
The exact software included has changed between releases.
Development resources
[edit]A distinctive feature of later RoshanOS releases is the Tryouts collection. It contains programming examples, experiments and instructional material intended to allow users to explore programming languages and development tools.
The RoshanOS 3 documentation describes examples involving Basic, C, C++, Java, Python, PHP and Perl, together with development software including MySQL, phpMyAdmin and XAMPP.[4]
The RoshanOS 4 development repository contains a dedicated RoshanOS 4 Tryouts directory.[5]
Development
[edit]RoshanOS is developed by Aamir Shahzad under the online identity ASAKPKE. The project's public SourceForge account identifies ASAKPKE as the maintainer.[2]
The project's GitHub repository contains development files, RoshanOS 4 Tryouts material, desktop action files, screenshots and other resources associated with the distribution.[5]
The GitHub repository is licensed under the MIT License. The repository contains development material rather than representing the complete source code of every component included in a RoshanOS installation.[5]
RoshanOS uses software from the wider Linux and open-source ecosystem. Its releases combine upstream Linux distribution components with project-specific configuration, customization, documentation and development resources.
Distribution
[edit]RoshanOS ISO images have historically been distributed through SourceForge. The archive contains release images, checksum files, documentation, screenshots and videos from multiple generations of the project.[3]
The SourceForge archive currently lists RoshanOS 4.0 Qalandari as the latest major release.[3]
RoshanOS also has an entry in the DistroWatch distribution database.[7]
RoshanOS-Lite
[edit]RoshanOS-Lite is a related edition of RoshanOS designed for older computers.
RoshanOS-Lite is based on Linux and was developed as a lower-resource alternative to the standard RoshanOS distribution. The project documentation describes it as an operating system intended for older computers.[8]
The RoshanOS-Lite project included releases in the 1.x and 2.x series. Its documentation and download material are preserved separately from the main RoshanOS project.[8]
Reception
[edit]RoshanOS has received coverage and discussion from technology publications and online communities.
In August 2026, All Things Pakistan published a feature titled From Attock to the World: A Pakistani Entrepreneur Building His Own Linux Distro. The article discussed RoshanOS, its developer Aamir Shahzad, the project's development in Attock, the challenges of introducing Linux to users familiar with Windows, and the project's connection with the wider open-source community.[9]
RoshanOS has also been discussed in online Linux and Pakistani technology communities. A 2021 discussion on Reddit's r/pakistan following the RoshanOS 1.1 release included discussion of the distribution's Linux Mint base, target audience, programming tools and desktop customization.[10]
A 2023 discussion on r/unixporn showed a customized RoshanOS 2 desktop based on MX Linux and included discussion of the relationship between RoshanOS and its upstream distribution.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 "RoshanOS". Distroware. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "RoshanOS". SourceForge. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "RoshanOS Files". SourceForge. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "RoshanOS-3.0.7-Qalandar.iso". SourceForge. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "RoshanOS". GitHub. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "RoshanOS 4 Pro". RoshanTech. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "RoshanOS". DistroWatch. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 "RoshanOS-Lite". RoshanTech. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "From Attock to the World: A Pakistani Entrepreneur Building His Own Linux Distro". All Things Pakistan. 7 August 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "RoshanOS 1.1". Reddit. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "RoshanOS 2". Reddit. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
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