Maple Linux Core
A Canadian Linux distribution built on Debian’s rock-solid foundation
Maple Linux Core is a minimalist, professionally branded Linux distribution designed specifically for Canadian users. Built on Debian 13 “Trixie” with the elegant Cinnamon desktop environment, it combines Debian’s legendary stability with thoughtful Canadian defaults and a cohesive visual identity.
Why Maple Linux Core?
Made for Canada 🍁
Bilingual by Design: Ships with both English and Canadian French locales pre-configured, making it easy to work in either official language.
Canadian Infrastructure: Uses CIRA Canadian Shield DNS for live sessions—privacy-focused, malware-blocking DNS servers operated right here in Canada.
Local Defaults: Pre-configured with America/Toronto timezone, Canadian keyboard layouts prioritized, and settings that make sense for Canadian users.
Built the Right Way
We believe Linux distributions should be maintainable by humans. Maple Linux Core follows a core principle: minimal, surgical modifications that stay close to upstream Debian. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel—it’s about taking Debian’s proven foundation and adding just enough polish to create a cohesive, professional experience.
After 30+ years in the Linux ecosystem, we’ve learned that fighting upstream is a losing battle. Instead, we work withDebian’s design decisions, extending its patterns rather than replacing them. The result? A distribution that’s about 98% pure Debian with targeted enhancements where they matter most.
Professional From Boot to Desktop
Consistent Branding: Clean red-themed color scheme throughout, from the installer to your desktop wallpaper.
Modern Installer: Calamares installer with full Maple branding makes installation straightforward and professional.
Polished Desktop: Custom Cinnamon desktop settings, themed login screen, and carefully selected wallpapers create a cohesive experience out of the box.
What’s Included
Maple Linux Core comes with a curated selection of applications to get you started:
- LibreWolf: Privacy-focused Firefox fork for secure browsing
- LibreOffice: Complete office suite with multilingual support
- Thunderbird: Email client with language packs
- Creative Tools: Krita for digital painting, Inkscape for vector graphics
- VLC Media Player: Handle all your media needs
- And More: All the Debian tools you expect, plus Cinnamon’s polish
Perfect For
- Canadian Users: Who want their OS to reflect Canadian settings and values
- Debian Lovers: Who appreciate Debian but want a more polished out-of-box experience
- Privacy-Conscious Users: Who value Canadian infrastructure and privacy-focused defaults
- Professionals: Who need a reliable, maintainable Linux distribution for work
- New Linux Users: Who want something that “just works” with minimal configuration
Our Philosophy
Minimal, Surgical Modifications
We don’t believe in heavily customizing for customization’s sake. Every modification serves a clear purpose and is implemented as a proper Debian package. This approach means:
- Future-Proof: Updates from Debian should “just work” with minimal intervention
- Transparent: You can see exactly what we’ve changed and why
- Maintainable: Simple systems are easier to maintain and debug
- Reliable: We build on Debian’s stability rather than undermining it
Open and Honest
Maple Linux Core is open source and developed in the open. Our build process is transparent, our decisions are documented, and our code is available for anyone to inspect, modify, or learn from.
Getting Maple Linux Core
Download
Visit our Codeberg releases page to download the latest ISO.
System Requirements
- Processor: 64-bit (x86_64) processor
- Memory: 2GB RAM minimum (4GB recommended)
- Storage: 20GB available disk space minimum
- Boot: UEFI or BIOS/Legacy boot support
Installation
- Download the ISO file
- Create a bootable USB drive using tools like Etcher, Rufus, or dd
- Boot from the USB drive
- Follow the Calamares installer prompts
- Restart and enjoy Maple Linux Core
Technical Details
For developers and Linux enthusiasts who want to understand how we build Maple Linux Core:
Architecture
Maple Linux Core uses ISO remastering rather than building from scratch. We start with the official Debian Live Cinnamon ISO and add our customizations through proper Debian packages:
- maple-calamares-branding: Installer appearance and configuration
- maple-cinnamon-settings: Desktop environment defaults and theming
- maple-lightdm-userlist: Login screen customization
- maple-grub-text: Boot menu branding for installed systems
Each package handles a specific domain with clear separation of concerns, making maintenance straightforward and updates predictable.
Why Remastering?
This approach preserves all of Debian’s proven functionality while applying targeted customizations only where needed. It also means:
- We inherit all of Debian’s security updates automatically
- Less maintenance burden on our small team
- Users benefit from Debian’s extensive testing and quality assurance
- Future Debian releases require minimal rework
Build From Source
Want to build your own ISO or contribute? Check out our repository on Codeberg for complete build instructions and development documentation.
Support and Community
Documentation
- User Guide: Coming soon
- Build Instructions: Available in our repository
- FAQ: Check our wiki on Codeberg
Get Help
- Issues: Report bugs or request features on our issue tracker
- Community: Join discussions in our issue tracker or start a new conversation
Contributing
We welcome contributions that align with our minimalist philosophy. Whether you’re fixing bugs, improving documentation, or proposing features, please open an issue first to discuss your approach.
Guidelines for Contributors:
- Stay close to Debian upstream patterns
- Package properly—never hack system files directly
- Test in both live and installed environments
- Document your changes clearly
- Keep it simple and maintainable
License
Maple Linux Core’s custom components are released under the MIT License. The distribution incorporates Debian GNU/Linux and many upstream packages that retain their original licenses.
About the Project
Maple Linux Core is developed by a small team with decades of Linux experience and a passion for creating maintainable, user-focused systems. We believe that Linux distributions should be:
- Honest about what they are: We’re Debian with Canadian polish, not a revolutionary new OS
- Maintainable by humans: Simple systems that real people can understand and improve
- Respectful of upstream: Standing on the shoulders of giants, not fighting them
- Purpose-driven: Every customization serves a clear user need
Acknowledgments
- The Debian Project: For creating an outstanding foundation
- The Cinnamon Desktop Team: For a polished, user-friendly environment
- The Calamares Team: For a flexible, modern installer framework
- The Linux Mint Project: For inspiration on thoughtful defaults
- CIRA: For providing Canadian Shield DNS infrastructure
- Everyone who believes in maintainable, honest Linux distributions
Maple Linux Core: Simple, lean, and proudly Canadian. 🍁