Ready on day one
Plug in and record. No configuration rabbit holes.
Caracal arrives already configured for music production — your audio interface works, your latency is low, and you can start a session without touching a single setting.
For producers, beatmakers, composers, and mix engineers
A music production system that works from the moment you boot it.
A music production system for Linux with a lean audio-ready base, a curated software installer for DAWs and plugins, and Windows VST support on a system that stays stable over time.
switch
rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/caracal-dev/caracal:latest
- Audio is ready the moment you boot up — low-latency, pre-configured, no tweaking.
- Updates can't break your system — roll back if anything goes wrong
Low-latency audio ready on boot
DAWs, synths, effects, utilities
Updates that can't break your setup
Built on Fedora — stable and secure
Why Caracal
Linux audio that actually works, without a week of configuration.
Caracal is built so your audio interface, plugins, and DAW are ready on day one — and stays reliable over time.
Lean studio base
The essentials are installed. The bigger catalog is one click away.
Ardour, Qtractor, Carla, Hydrogen, Wine/Yabridge, and a focused plugin set are included out of the box. Bigger DAWs like REAPER and Bitwig live in the bundled Caracal Software Installer.
Focused plugin base
Start with a practical plugin set, then add exactly what you need.
Caracal preinstalls LSP, Calf, Guitarix, Vitalium, DISTRHO DrumSynth/EQuinox, and more. The installer expands that into Dragonfly Reverb, Surge XT, Cardinal, Decent Sampler, BYOD, AIDA-X, Neural Amp Modeler, and more.
Your Windows plugins come with you
Run your existing VST library, not just Linux alternatives.
Caracal includes built-in support for Windows VST plugins — most load and run without extra steps.
A system that stays stable
Updates can't break your studio setup.
Caracal's system files are locked — apps and updates can't quietly corrupt your studio. Every system update is applied as a clean snapshot, and you can boot back into the previous version in seconds.
Workflow
From a blank session to a finished mix, without leaving Linux.
Caracal covers the whole workflow — tracking, mixing, and the Windows VST plugins you already own.
Mix in Ardour without fighting the software
Ardour's mixer handles large sessions cleanly — all your channels, sends, and plugins in one view, without the clutter.
Record, arrange, and produce natively
The core tools you need to write and record are included from day one, and the installer handles the larger DAW and plugin catalog when you are ready.
Use the DAW you already know
If you're coming from REAPER or Bitwig on Windows, they install cleanly and work exactly as you'd expect.
Your Windows plugins, running on Linux
Caracal includes built-in tools to run most Windows VST plugins. Your existing library doesn't have to collect dust.
Check plugin compatibility
Control your audio from one place
The Caracal Audio Controller keeps common audio settings close at hand, so you can tune your setup without digging through system panels.
Browse with a modern desktop setup
Everyday desktop apps fit naturally into the system, from web browsing to documentation, downloads, and project research.
Install apps from other Linux distributions
Distrobox lets you run apps from other Linux distributions, including .deb-based tools, when something you need is not available in the Caracal Software Installer yet.
Install Flatpaks from a visual store
Bazaar gives you a straightforward way to browse and install Flatpak apps without leaving the desktop.
What's included
A lean production base out of the box, with a much larger catalog ready to install.
Caracal keeps the base image focused: the audio system, core DAWs, compatibility tools, and a practical plugin set are ready immediately. The larger catalog is delivered through the software installer so you can add what you use.
Included DAWs
- Ardour 9
- Qtractor
- Carla (plugin host)
Included plugins and instruments
- LSP Plugins
- Calf
- Guitarix
- Vitalium
- DISTRHO DrumSynth
- DISTRHO EQuinox
- Hydrogen
- Carla LV2 integration
Software installer catalog
- REAPER
- Renoise
- Bitwig Studio
- Mixbus
- Zrythm
- Cardinal
- VCV Rack 2
- Surge XT
- Decent Sampler
- Loopino
- Dragonfly Reverb
- BYOD
- AIDA-X
- RTCQS
Audio system
- PipeWire
- JACK compatibility
- QjackCtl
- Helvum
- EasyEffects
- Realtime limits
- Performance CPU governor
- Wine TKG
- Yabridge
- Ghostty
- Zsh
- Neovim
Get started — early access
Download the ISO, or switch from an existing Fedora Atomic desktop.
Choose the ISO that matches your graphics hardware. If you're already on a compatible Fedora Atomic desktop, switch in place with the three-step path below.
Choose your image
Pick the installer and format that fits your workflow.
Pick your format and channel: installer ISOs for real hardware, or pre-built VM images for testing. Stage images include pre-release changes.
AMD / Intel installer image
Use this ISO on systems with AMD or Intel graphics.
Download AMD / Intel ISO Download checksum fileThis image is not currently available.
If you're already on Fedora Atomic, you can skip the ISO and switch directly.
Already on Fedora Atomic? Switch in place:
Switch to Caracal
If you're already on a compatible Fedora Atomic desktop, one command switches you over to Caracal. Alternatively, install a Fedora Atomic image first, then switch.
rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/caracal-dev/caracal:latest
Run the first-time setup
A single command sets up everything your audio interface needs — low-latency permissions, Windows plugin support, and a few quality-of-life tweaks.
ujust first-run
Add your software
Open the bundled software installer to browse, queue, install, and uninstall DAWs, instruments, effects, and utilities. Or install individual apps with the focused helpers.
ujust software-installer
What You’ll See
Our custom setup wizard.
On first login, Caracal's setup wizard offers to update your username and password, then auto-configures audio settings and points you to the software installer.
It replaces the usual round of driver installers, permission dialogs, and utility apps.
Verification
Verify the ISO before you install it.
Download the ISO and the matching checksum into the same folder, then run the command for your image.
sha256sum -c caracal-latest-amd64.iso-CHECKSUM
sha256sum -c caracal-nvidia-latest-amd64.iso-CHECKSUM
If switching with `rpm-ostree rebase` instead of using the ISO, verify the container image with Cosign.
cosign verify --key cosign.pub ghcr.io/caracal-dev/caracal:latest