Nobara (operating system)

Nobara Linux
Screenshot of Nobara with GNOME Shell
DeveloperThomas Crider, Community-driven
OS familyLinux (Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial releaseJuly 10, 2022; 4 years ago (2022-07-10)
Latest release44 Edit this on Wikidata / 28 August 2026; 2 months ago (28 August 2026)
Repositorygithub.com/Nobara-Project/nobara-images
Package managerRPM (DNF), Flatpak, OSTree
Supported platforms
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux kernel)
UserlandGNU
Default
user interface		GNOME Shell, KDE Plasma 6, Bash
LicenseVarious free software licenses, plus proprietary firmware files
Official websitenobaraproject.org

Nobara Linux is a Linux distribution based on Fedora Linux. It is developed by Thomas Crider, known pseudonymously as "Glorious Eggroll", who is also known for developing Proton-GE, a modification of Valve Corporation's compatibility layer, widely used for running Windows games on Linux.

History

Nobara Linux was first released on July 10, 2022. It was developed and maintained by Thomas Crider, previously employed as a software maintenance engineer at Red Hat, working in Denver, Colorado, United States. According to Crider in a YouTube interview, the idea for Nobara Linux originated from his efforts to fix the gaming issues his father encountered on Windows. Frustrated with the recurring problems and attempts to resolve them manually, Crider decided to create a Linux-based environment preconfigured for gaming, including compatibility lists and automated setups, leading to the development of Nobara Linux.

On May 13, 2025, version 42 was released and version 41 received these updates as rolling release updates making Nobara Linux officially a rolling release distribution. Brave replaced Firefox as the default browser.

The latest version, 44, was released on August 28, 2026, continuing the rolling release model and providing ISO images for all main editions (Official, GNOME, KDE, Steam-HTPC, Steam-Handheld). On October 13, 2026, the ISO downloads for Nobara Linux were reworked, merging the nVidia specific images with the main images. Now, instead of nVidia specific images, users can select an option to install the nVidia drivers when installing the operating system. This release still maintains version 44.

Features

Nobara Linux aims to provide users who are less technologically skilled with commonly used packages, due to the original Fedora Linux missing 3rd party and/or proprietary packages and tools, as stated on the official website: "anything involving any kind of 3rd party or proprietary packages is usually absent from a fresh install."

Nobara developers assert that "point and click users" who rely heavily on graphical user interface installation processes and activities may struggle with such tasks. Packages commonly used by gamers or in gaming-related activities are installed by default. These include:

Utilities include:

The distribution provides five desktop editions: Official (custom KDE), GNOME, KDE, Steam-HTPC, and Steam-Handheld.

Installation

The official Nobara Linux site supplies ISO images that can be run using a bootable USB device. The site recommends using Ventoy to create a bootable USB device.

Secure boot must be disabled in UEFI on the computer, as Nobara does not support it.

References

  1. 1 2 "Changelog – Page 4 – Nobara Linux | The Nobara Project". 2022-07-10. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  2. ↑ "August 28, 2026". 28 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Announcing the release of Fedora 28". Fedora Magazine. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Architectures". Fedora Project. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "alt architectures". Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  6. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions about Fedora Licensing". Fedora Project. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Nobara Linux | The Nobara Project". Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  8. ↑ "Nobara is the Fastest Growing Linux Distro for Gaming - Boiling Steam". 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  9. ↑ McGinty, JT (25 October 2022). "Nobara Linux: A Bleeding-Edge Gaming Distro for Linux Beginners". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "What Is Proton GE and How Does It Improve Game Compatibility on SteamOS and Linux?". MUO. 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  11. ↑ Crider, Thomas (2026-01-05). "Why You Should Game on Linux". YouTube. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  12. ↑ Proven, Liam. "Nobara Project aims to make Fedora 35 viable for gaming". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  13. ↑ Crider, Thomas (2025-05-13). "Nobara 42 Officially released!". nobaraproject.org. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  14. 1 2 "Download – Nobara Linux | The Nobara Project". 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  15. ↑ "FAQ – Nobara Linux | The Nobara Project". 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2024-08-04.