Peppermint OS is a Linux OS based on Lubuntu, which itself is a derivative of the Ubuntu Linux operating system that uses the LXDE desktop environment. It aims to provide a familiar environment for newcomers to Linux, which requires relatively low hardware resources to run.

Peppermint OS ships with few native applications and a traditional desktop interface. What originally made Peppermint unique is its approach to creating a hybrid desktop that integrates both cloud and local applications. In place of traditionally native applications for common tasks (word processing, image editing), it ships with the custom Ice application to allow users to create site-specific browsers (SSB's).

In Peppermint OS, the open-source Firefox browser is used as a way to enable a site-specific browser (SSB) for cloud applications. Instead of opening a browser and then visiting an application site, there is a dedicated browser window that is integrated into the system for a specific application. Support for the Firefox web browser (alongside Chromium and Chrome web browsers) was added to the custom Ice application in the fall of 2015, allowing the creation of SSB's in a web browser window. Peppermint OS is a project where you can marry the cloud to the desktop, as with any Ubuntu based OS it is possible for users to install applications natively from Ubuntu compatible repositories, allowing one to run cloud based applications right alongside desktop software. Like any other Linux distribution, one can install packages like LibreOffice, GIMP, VLC, Skype, etc. Peppermint is an Ubuntu spin and supports whatever Ubuntu supports. Peppermint OS ships with mintInstall, Synaptic, and GDebi to facilitate this.
Nomenclature

Peppermint's namesake is Linux Mint.The developers originally wanted to make use of configuration and utilities sourced from Linux Mint coupled with an environment that was less demanding on resources and more focused on web integration. They felt that the concept was a "spicier" version of Mint, so the name Peppermint was a natural fit.

While Linux Mint is known for its Cinnamon desktop, Peppermint uses a default desktop that is a hybrid based mainly on selected components from LXDE and XFCE that is significantly more lightweight.