The combination of Linux’s reliability and the innovative rpm-ostree system in Fedora presents a formidable challenge to traditional operating systems. Project Atomic, initiated ten years ago, marked Fedora’s foray into atomic updates with the development of Atomic Host.

This laid the foundation for today’s rpm-ostree-based spins, including the evolution of Fedora Atomic Workstation into Fedora Silverblue. The expansion continued with the introduction of Fedora Kinoite in Fedora 35, followed by Sericea in Fedora 38 and Onyx in Fedora 39, highlighting the increased interest in atomic spins across the Fedora ecosystem.

Looking ahead, there is anticipation for more atomic spins in the future, including experiments with additional desktop environments such as Vauxite (Xfce) and potential inclusions like Pantheon or COSMIC. However, the diversity of atomic spins has made communication about them challenging.

To address this, the introduction of Fedora Atomic Desktops aims to simplify discussions, documentation, and searches related to rpm-ostree implementations. Furthermore, the term “atomic” more accurately describes the nature of these spins, reflecting the balance between stability and flexibility offered by the atomic approach to updates using rpm-ostree technology.

All new atomic spins will now follow the “Fedora (DE name) Atomic” naming format to provide clarity about the desktop environment each spin is based on, ensuring consistency across the board. This change aims to eliminate confusion around naming and enhance the distinction of these Fedora spins from traditional counterparts.

This shift serves as a warning to industry giants that the future of computing will not be dictated by those who adhere to the status quo.