Linux from Scratch

Linux From Scratch (LFS) is not so much a distro (distribution) as a mechanism for building a working system on one's own. This is, by design, much more labor-intensive than installing a pre-built distro. The idea is that the labor of installing the individual components will lead to an understanding of the internals of a working linux distro. In addition, of course, compiling all of the software specifically for the system on which it will run tends to result in smaller and faster programs. Finally, it is easier to customize the installed packages when each in installed manually.