Slackware ndi kugawa kwa Linux komwe kunapangidwa ndi Patrick Volkerding mu 1993. Poyambira pa Softlanding Linux System, Slackware yakhala maziko a magawo ena ambiri a Linux, makamaka matembenuzidwe oyambirira a magawo a SUSE Linux, ndipo ndi kugawa kwakale kwambiri komwe kumasungidwabe. Slackware imafuna kukhazikika kwapangidwe komanso kuphweka komanso kukhala yogawa kwambiri "Unix-ngati" Linux. Zimapanga zosintha zochepa momwe zingathere ku mapulogalamu a mapulogalamu kuchokera kumtunda ndipo zimayesa kusayembekeza zochitika zogwiritsira ntchito kapena kulepheretsa zisankho za ogwiritsa ntchito. Mosiyana ndi magawidwe amakono a Linux, Slackware samapereka njira yowonetsera komanso palibe kudalira kwapaketi kwa mapulogalamu. Imagwiritsa ntchito mafayilo omveka bwino komanso kagawo kakang'ono ka zipolopolo zosinthidwa ndi kuyang'anira. Popanda kusinthidwa kwina, imayamba kukhala malo ochezera a mzere wolamula. Because of its many conservative and simplistic features, Slackware is often considered to be most suitable for advanced and technically inclined Linux users.