Google has officially introduced a major change to the Linux development environment on ChromeOS with the rollout of ChromeOS 147. If you use Linux apps or development tools on your Chromebook, this update is worth paying attention to.
With ChromeOS 147, Google is rolling out Baguette, a next-generation architecture for Linux Development Environment (Crostini). This new system replaces the traditional container-based setup with a more direct and modern virtualization approach.
The result? Faster startup times, quicker installations, better compatibility with modern Linux tools, and support for running custom containers like Docker and Podman. However, as with most major upgrades, some older features are being deprecated or losing official support. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about ChromeOS 147’s new Linux environment and what Baguette means for Chromebook users.
What Is Baguette on ChromeOS?
For years, ChromeOS has used Crostini to run Linux apps. Crostini typically relied on a virtual machine running a Debian-based container managed with technologies like LXC/LXD.
With Baguette, Google is changing that model. Instead of using a traditional container-based Linux environment, Baguette runs Linux directly on a virtualized guest environment. In simpler words, Linux gets a more direct connection to the virtual machine rather than running inside an extra container layer.
This brings several benefits:
- Faster Linux environment installation
- Reduced startup times
- Better support for modern Linux features like cgroups v2
- Direct access to virtualized guest features
- Ability to mount swap files from the host
- Support for custom containers like Docker and Podman
Key Features and Changes in ChromeOS 147 Linux Environment
Here are the biggest changes introduced with Baguette in ChromeOS 147. Setting up a new Linux environment should now take less time compared to older ChromeOS versions, making the installation process quicker and smoother. Launching the Terminal and Linux apps may also feel faster because the system removes some older layers that previously added overhead.
Another major change is that Baguette removes dependencies on older Linux container technologies such as LXC. This allows support for cgroups v2, which many modern Linux tools and services require to run properly.
One of the biggest improvements is native support for running custom containers, so developers who rely on tools like Docker and Podman will likely appreciate this upgrade.
Baguette also introduces swap file mounting support from the ChromeOS host environment, which may improve memory handling and overall performance for heavier workloads.
If you install Linux on a Chromebook running ChromeOS 147 or later, Baguette will be enabled automatically by default. However, existing Linux environments are not automatically upgraded yet, and Google says more information about the upgrade process will be announced later.
How to Check if Your Linux Environment Uses Baguette
If you’re wondering whether your Chromebook is already running the new architecture, you can check it easily.
Open the Linux Terminal and run the following command:
stat -fc %T /sys/fs/cgroup/Now check the result:
1. If it shows tmpfs, you are using the traditional Crostini environment.
2. If it shows cgroup2fs, you are using the new Baguette architecture.
Now, if you created your Linux environment before updating to ChromeOS 147, chances are you’re still on the older system.
If you delete and recreate the Linux environment after upgrading, you may get Baguette automatically. However, Google also allows users to control this feature through a Chrome flag.
Deprecated Features in the New Linux Environment
As part of the transition, Google has deprecated several Linux-related features:
- Upgrading Debian via UI
- Installing and Uninstalling .deb Files via UI
- Multi-Container Support
- Ansible-Based Container Configuration
These changes suggest Google wants a simpler and more streamlined Linux environment.
Some features are no longer officially supported in Baguette, although they may still continue to work. Google has stated that issues related to these features may not be fixed in future updates.
One of the biggest changes is that Input Method Editor (IME) support is no longer officially supported. This could be a major issue for multilingual users who frequently switch languages while using Linux apps. For example, users typing in Japanese, Chinese, or Korean may run into problems after upgrading.
Hardware graphics acceleration is also no longer officially supported. This may affect Linux games, GPU-intensive apps, video editing tools, and other 3D workloads that rely on better graphics performance.
That said, “unsupported” does not always mean “removed.” It simply means Google may not provide fixes or support if these features stop working properly.
Wrapping Up
ChromeOS 147 brings one of the biggest changes to Linux on Chromebooks in years. The new Baguette architecture modernizes the Linux development environment with faster startup times, improved compatibility, and support for tools like Docker and Podman.
At the same time, Google is removing or deprecating some familiar features, which may not sit well with everyone. For developers, Baguette could be a huge improvement.
For casual Linux users, the transition may require a bit of adjustment, as some tasks like installing Linux apps, may now need to be done through the Terminal instead of a graphical interface. Either way, ChromeOS is clearly evolving, and this update shows Google is still serious about making Chromebooks more capable for development.
