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Girtablulu Solus repo is not small, we have over 4k source packages ...
I suspect that the only folks who characterize the Solus repository as "small" are reviewers who get background from Solus reviews written 4-5 years ago and can't be bothered to update the facts.
Nonetheless, the Solus repository is significantly smaller than .deb/.rpm repos, and that is a plus, in my opinion. The Solus repository is focused on apps that are needed for ordinary desktop use, which cuts the number of packages by eliminating server and niche packages, and is curated to eliminate the chaff, which dramatically cuts the number of packages by eliminating outdated, poorly maintained, poorly conceived and poorly designed apps.
Less, in this case, is more.
Except with respect to the kernel, which is tightly controlled, the Linux community prides itself on allowing anyone to code and distribute just about anything, whether or not it is useful, well designed or properly maintained. I don't think that is necessarily a strength. We do not need 300+ distributions, most of which are ego-driven niche projects, or 50,000+ apps, most of which are used by a handful, at best. It diverts time and talent from creating a professional-quality Linux desktop ecosystem. Torvalds observed years ago that Linux would not gain a significant market share unless and until the Linux community developed enough self-discipline to focus on quality rather than quantity. Time has proven him right, in my opinion.