RakuOS proves immutable Linux can still use DNF

RakuOS immutable – RakuOS pairs an immutable-style security model with a working native package workflow, letting users install apps with tools like DNF without giving up the protection that comes from keeping the base system pristine. In one test, a flawed attempt to wipe /usr

The whole point of immutable Linux is simple: when the system’s key directories are mounted read-only, malicious code can’t casually rewrite the foundation. It’s the kind of security model that makes you relax—until you try to do something as ordinary as install a new application.

That frustration is exactly where RakuOS steps in. In a hybrid approach. RakuOS is described as an immutable/standard Linux distro that aims to combine “security and usability.” It can be downloaded and installed for free. and its design is built around keeping the base system “pristine” while still letting users install native packages.

My own problem started with a familiar workflow. On immutable Linux distributions, software is typically installed through containers—Flatpak or Snap are common examples. The reason is that immutable systems mount key locations as read-only. so standard package managers like apt. dnf. or pacman generally can’t install what you need.

RakuOS changes that equation. The difference showed up the moment I tried installing Ollama. On an immutable setup. I’ve learned the hard way that I can be left with the wrong version or no app at all. In this case, I currently run Ollama 0.30.7 on my Pop!_OS desktop, and I wanted a newer install through RakuOS.

When I attempted to install Ollama via Flatpak, the command completed—but the app never showed up. I tried several times, and the outcome stayed the same: failure.

Then I ran the command that shouldn’t have worked on paper:

sudo dnf install ollama

That time, it worked.

RakuOS’s explanation is central to why this matters. The official site says RakuOS uses a “persistent overlay system mounted directly on /usr.” The base system is “always pristine. ” but the distro lets you “install any native package you want. ” and that it “survives every system update.” In other words: the base stays protected. while /usr isn’t treated like a permanently sealed vault.

This hybrid setup is presented as a practical compromise. and it shows up in the features RakuOS lists: an immutable base system with instant bootc rollback; native packages that automatically persist across updates; the ability to install via dnf. dnf5. or the RakuOS Software Center; a pristine system reset with a single command; plus Flatpak for sandboxed apps alongside native packages for everything else.

And in day-to-day use, the blend felt real rather than theoretical. The RakuOS desktop might not be the most elegant interface on the market. but it still felt like a traditional Linux OS. Instead of the KDE Plasma Discover app store, RakuOS uses the RakuOS Software app store. The behavior of that store looked and worked similarly to Discover.

Through a combination of Flatpak and DNF, I was able to install the software I normally use. When I wanted added isolation and security, I used Flatpak; otherwise, I reached for DNF.

Performance also stayed out of the way. RakuOS uses the CachyOS kernel, and it didn’t struggle no matter what I threw at the desktop. Even when I ran a hefty Ollama query—writing a Python GUI app—the system didn’t bog down. The CachyOS kernel, as RakuOS’s developers chose it, clearly has a performance identity.

Then curiosity turned the test into something closer to a stress scenario.

I tried RakuOS’s “pristine reset” option to see how well it actually worked. I installed several apps and saved files/data in my home directory. After that, I scanned the RakuOS website for the command used for the reset and couldn’t find it.

Because RakuOS builds its overlay in /usr, I had a bad idea that felt logical in the moment: if /usr is where the overlay lives, what happens if I simply remove everything in /usr? Since I was running RakuOS as a virtual machine, I told myself I could spin up another VM if things broke.

So I issued this command:

sudo rm -rf /usr/

It was nerve-racking the moment I hit enter.

After a restart, the boot failed. I forced the VM off and brought it back up anyway. The boot process took noticeably longer than expected, and that didn’t surprise me much—after all, I had effectively nuked /usr and made it necessary to rebuild.

I waited. No luck.

A second reboot produced the same failure. At that point, reinstalling looked like the only option.

But then I remembered the distro was based on OSTree. The reset command was straightforward:

sudo rpm-ostree reset

This time, everything went well. After the installation, use, and resetting with the proper command, the result was a pristine OS.

My final impression of RakuOS is hard to miss: it’s trying to deliver the best of both worlds—immutability for security. plus the ability to use default package managers without shutting users out of native software. Installation takes longer than some Linux setups I’m used to. but the payoff. based on this test. is a desktop that stays user-friendly while keeping the underlying system model aligned with immutable principles.

For anyone who wants to try it, RakuOS offers an ISO for the KDE Plasma, GNOME, and COSMIC versions. You can create a bootable USB drive and install it.

If you’re already running a Fedora Atomic-based distro, the reset command is also given as:

sudo rpm-ostree reset

And rebase to RakuOS is described as possible using one of the listed commands (the specific rebase commands weren’t included in the visible text I received).

RakuOS immutable Linux DNF dnf5 OSTree Flatpak Snap CachyOS kernel Ollama KDE Plasma GNOME COSMIC Linux desktop