Herizon Linux
Development candidate · Stable qualification underwayA bootable Debian 13 Linux distribution with an Xfce desktop, a small AI controller that runs on your CPU, grounded document help, and a software toolkit ready for disconnected work.
Latest built candidate: 1.2.0-rc1 / R11. A stable public download has not been announced.
Herizon brings a maintained Linux foundation and local intelligence into the same distribution. The interesting part is how the system grounds answers, bounds actions, and lets you turn the AI off.
Linux foundation
Debian 13, Xfce, LightDM and the Calamares installer provide the operating-system foundation. The current candidate has passed an actual BIOS installation and cancellation check, plus recommended-password onboarding.
On-device assistance
Qwen3-0.6B Q8_0 runs locally on the CPU. A trained-head worker supports bounded workflows, while grounded retrieval gives the controller current document evidence instead of asking it to remember your system.
System boundaries
Candidate self-tests exercise typed reads, previews that do not dispatch actions, and refusals for stale, root, wrong-target and symlink cases. Evidence and a bounded tool path matter more than a confident-sounding answer.
User choice
The installed CPU acceptance includes an explicit AI-off check and model-process teardown. Local AI and bundled offline software do not need a hosted inference service for the tested workflows.
The current installed candidate can answer from a cited local document, exercise its trained-head worker, and return a typed read through the controller.
Its CPU acceptance checks fresh retrieval, a current cited answer, a preview without dispatch, observed-read receipts and refusal paths. Eleven candidate self-tests passed in the installed BIOS guest.
Q-RAG, native .MANIFEST file intelligence and a session core independent of chat are central to the next architecture. That integrated desktop and terminal design is approved and being implemented; it is not a shipped R11 feature.
Retrieve current local evidence for the answer.
Inspect a proposed operation without dispatching it.
Use typed operations and check the intended target.
Keep observed-read evidence and refuse invalid requests.
Thirty core package selections and ten optional capability packs cover everyday work, development and specialist tasks. The current R11 BIOS guest installed all ten packs with APT downloads disabled and external routes absent.
Documents and productivity
Visual and creative work
Build, lint and inspect code
Connectivity applications
Audio and video tools
Assistive applications
Desktop and system utilities
Local recreation
Scientific applications
Local inspection tools
Selected uv and Ruff fixtures passed in the installed candidate. The aim is to make a disconnected machine useful for real development work, with tools you can inspect and run yourself.
Selected Nuclei and Trivy fixtures passed locally. Those controlled tests do not establish production vulnerability-feed readiness or a complete security guarantee.
What the offline test proves: 226 of 226 selected packages were present: 30 core and 196 optional selections. It proves the tested installation path; internet-facing applications and fresh package or security updates can still need a connection.
Herizon Linux is in development. The current built candidate is 1.2.0-rc1 / R11; stable qualification remains open.
Public availability will be announced after the remaining release checks. No hardware compatibility or stable update-channel promise is made by the virtual-machine results.
Read the release evidenceEngineering stories about what works today, why the boundaries matter, and where the operating system is going.
Then: separate tools and cloud assistants. Now: a tested CPU-local controller and cited evidence. Vision: assistance woven into the desktop and terminal.
Read the local AI storyTen capability packs, real disconnected installation checks, and a clear line between candidate results and release readiness.
Read the toolkit story