GhostBSD


GhostBSD is a Unix-like operating system based on FreeBSD for x86-64, with MATE as its default desktop environment and an Xfce-desktop community based edition. It aims to be easy to install, ready-to-use and easy to use. The project goal is to combine security, privacy, stability, usability, openness, freedom and to be free of charge.

History

Prior to GhostBSD 18.10, the project was based on FreeBSD. In May 2018 it was announced that future versions of the operating system would be based on TrueOS. In 2020, with the discontinuation of TrueOS, GhostBSD switched back to FreeBSD.

Version history

TrueOS-based releases (18.10 - 21.01.20)

From GhostBSD 18.10 to 21.01.20, the project moved its base from FreeBSD to TrueOS. Following are TrueOS-based GhostBSD releases.
GhostBSD versionRelease dateDesktop environmentChanges
18.10November 1, 2018MATE 1.20First release based on TrueOS
19.04April 13, 2019MATE 1.22 and XFCE
19.09September 16, 2019MATE and XfceMoved from TrueOS CURRENT to STABLE
19.10October 26, 2019MATE and Xfce
20.01January 22, 2020MATE and Xfce
20.03March 31, 2020MATE and Xfce
20.04August 10, 2020MATE 1.24 and Xfce
21.01.20January 23, 2021

FreeBSD based releases (21.04.27 - present)

Beginning from GhostBSD 21.04.27, the project has moved its base back to FreeBSD.
GhostBSD versionRelease dateDesktop environmentChanges
21.04.27April 29, 2021GhostBSD is now based on FreeBSD 13.0-STABLE
21.5.11May 11, 2021
21.09.06September 7, 2021Switch from OpenRC to FreeBSD rc.d
21.09.08September 9, 2021-
22.06.15June 18, 2022
22.06.18June 20, 2022
23.06.01June 5, 2023
23.10.01October 28, 2023MATE 1.26.0
24.01.01February 13, 2024Based on FreeBSD 14.0-STABLE
24.04.1May 20, 2024MATE 1.28.1Based on FreeBSD 14.0-STABLE
24.07.3September 12, 2024
24.10.1November 17, 2024UFS installation support removed from installer
25.01-R14.2p1February 28, 20251.28.2Now based FreeBSD RELEASE with a new versioning scheme
25.02-R14.3p2August 25, 2025Addition of a new community supported Gershwin desktop environment

License

GhostBSD was originally licensed under the 3-clause BSD license
In 2014 Eric Turgeon re-licensed GhostBSD under 2-clause license. GhostBSD contains some GPL-licensed software.

Recommended system requirements

The following are the recommended requirements.

Reception

Jim Salter of Ars Technica concluded that GhostBSD was "... perfectly reasonable choice for a desktop distribution." However, Google Chrome support was unlikely to come anytime soon. Without a specific desire for running BSD he wouldn't recommend the operating system instead of a more mainstream Linux distribution.