Shadowfetch Linux 5.0.1 «Umbra»
Frequently asked questions
Common questions, answered plainly — including the ones where the honest answer is “wait”.
Questions and answers
Is Shadowfetch Linux just Debian?
It is a Debian-testing derivative. Debian provides the base ecosystem; Shadowfetch adds ShadowCode preinstalled, the curated creative workstation layer, the ShadowCode look, installer defaults, the Welcome flow with three optional agents, Firebreak sandboxes, privacy defaults, a signed ISO and a signed APT repo.
Is Shadowfetch affiliated with Debian?
No. Shadowfetch Linux is independent and is not endorsed by Debian; it is not affiliated with the Debian project.
Who should try it?
Creators, developers, AI tinkerers, and Linux users who want a pre-curated KDE workstation with reviewable agent workflows and a curated creative toolset.
Who should wait?
Anyone who needs Secure Boot signing, enterprise support, a Debian-stable base, or a zero-surprise production workstation should wait and follow the changelog.
Does it support NVIDIA?
The ISO includes Mesa for Intel and AMD. The proprietary NVIDIA driver is an explicit post-install download: shadowfetch-gpu presents a plan, checks the vendor repository, simulates package changes and verifies the resulting driver. Hybrid laptops still need hardware-specific validation. Read the hardware notes and known issues before installing.
How do I know where AI work runs?
In ShadowCode, every row of the model picker says whether it runs on this computer or in the cloud: subscriptions (Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, Antigravity, Grok) and OpenRouter models are cloud, and models on ShadowCode's bundled llama.cpp runtime are local. Switching a local conversation to a cloud model asks first. Grok Bot, Hermes Agent and OpenClaw are optional agents that use online model providers and your own accounts or keys. In Mission Control the provider is chosen per mission: codex and claude are cloud providers with their own accounts and explicit network approval, localmodel runs on device with network policy none but needs a model service you supply, and offline-media runs media exports. shadowfetch-agent-network offline starts agent sandboxes with no network and pauses the three optional agents. The desktop, project workspaces and deterministic media exports need no AI provider.
What happened to Fire and Ice?
From 5.0 there is one look, ShadowCode: gold and steel on black. The network half of the old switch is now its own setting, shadowfetch-agent-network online|offline, and an upgraded Ice machine stays offline. Fire and Ice remain in the 4.x releases.
How do I verify the ISO?
Use the SHA-256 checksum, detached GPG signature, and Shadowfetch public key on the verification page.
Where do I file a bug or send a patch?
Open an issue on Shadowfetchapps/shadowfetch-linux, or email linux@shadowfetchlinux.org. Include the ISO filename, checksum result, firmware mode, and hardware. Never attach a password CSV.
Still stuck?
The known-issues page lists what is currently broken rather than what is planned, and the roadmap separates what ships today from what does not. Both are kept current with each release.