Whonix based in Debian Minimal

jerel.crosby · July 11, 2025, 6:17pm

Is it possible to install whonix gw & workstation upon debian-12-minimal with distro morphing? So we can have whonix template with a reduced attack surface with the removal of many packages who may not be wish for many users e.g ThunderBird, Electrum, Thunar File…

Edit: I asked for distro morphing because its a way i see to make this. However, any other solution will be welcome, of course.

Patrick · July 12, 2025, 6:16am

Unsupported.

Minimal Whonix templates

opened 12:28PM - 15 Jan 24 UTC

emanruse

help wanted C: Whonix P: default community template

### The problem you're addressing (if any) debian-12-minimal: ~1.5 GiB (468 p…ackages installed) whonix-gateway-17: ~2.2 GiB (926 packages installed) whonix-workstation-17: ~3.3 GiB (1200+ packages installed) As [asked before](http://forums.dds6qkxpwdeubwucdiaord2xgbbeyds25rbsgr73tbfpqpt4a6vjwsyd.onion/t/whonix-minimal-template/12152), it would be useful to have minimal Whonix templates. Although the default ones are suitable for beginners, for more experienced users they may be considered bloated, containing unnecessary software. Removing packages for the sake of minimizing a template is **not** the same as never having installed them. ### The solution you'd like Minimal Whonix templates, containing only essential software required for proper functioning and Tor-ification of AppVMs. ### The value to a user, and who that user might be The same as minimal templates in Qubes. Experienced users who like to have more task-focused optimized systems. Example: a qube which runs only certain `curl` commands through Tor. Or one may want to use a smaller mail client, different from the one shipped with Whonix by default. None of those require Tor Browser or Thunderbird, for example. CC: @adrelanos