openSUSE Leap 16.1 gives Linux users the right to remain immutable
One installer now offers conventional and read-only systems as separate Micro distro bows out
openSUSE Leap 16.1 introduces a new feature allowing users to install a conventional Linux system or an immutable one with a single installer. This is the first point release after Leap 16.0, which reached the release candidate stage last year. Leap 16.1 is set to precede the paid enterprise counterpart, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1, due later this month.
The most significant change in this release cycle is the merging of conventional Linux and immutable versions. Previously, SUSE offered a stripped-down immutable OS called SLE Micro for hosting containers, along with a community OS called Leap Micro. The latter will no longer exist as a separate distribution. The announcement states that Immutable Mode with transactionally updating a system with a read-only root filesystem is a major addition to this release.
Leap 16.1 in Immutable Mode is now replacing Leap Micro, and there will be no further Leap Micro versions. The installation process remains the same, with users simply selecting Immutable Mode during the setup of the regular Leap 16.1. Both Red Hat and Canonical offer immutable distros, but they use different architectures from their conventional package-based distros.
SUSE's Leap belongs to the openSUSE family of distributions, backed by enterprise Linux vendor SUSE. Its commercial sibling is SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES). Both share a common core and release schedule. SUSE's Leap is analogous to the free openSUSE equivalent of CentOS Linux, while SLES is its enterprise counterpart. OpenSUSE Tumbleweed shares similarities with Fedora Rawhide but with automated testing and rollback of problematic updates.
Unlike the popular rolling distro, Arch Linux, Tumbleweed uses SUSE's Snapper technology to provide snapshots. For users who prefer a single Linux distribution with the option to choose between conventional and immutable modes, SUSE's Leap 16.1 offers this flexibility, making it suitable for container hosts and edge devices.
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