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Arch Linux
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Reader supplied reviews for Arch Linux
Average rating
9.2 from 180 review(s)
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-09-28
Votes: 2
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I've been using Arch on my main laptops for over three years. Its been a better experience than I had expected. Arch is fast, easy to use, if not install and has the AUR with its vast repository of software, that's hard to match. I've had to learn a lot about the command line, using Arch. Yes I've had to trouble shoot issues and not all of them, occasional black screen upon first starting the OS, have gone away, in spite of a lot of time spent on forums.
I do think Arch could do with an automated installer, for those who don't want to be running through things from the command line and I think people need to acknowledge there is maintenance and a few bugs attendant to Arch.
That said, these things are alright as there is a lot of upside too, particularly in terms of gaining independence and being able to set up your Arch OS, as you like as opposed to having a lot of unnecessary software installed by default and having to endure someone else's vision of what your OS should be.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-24
Votes: 6
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Arch is a simple distro that focuses on simplicity and freedom of choice by its users. Its great if you want to completely customize your linux experience.
It has great community which maintains the Arch Wiki that i think is the best knowledge base there is for this moment.
Also it has a amazing package system called AUR, which has a very large collection of software that you can install with ease, almost in 1 command and not having to sit on it for a long time as it would be with another distros.
However, lets talk about bad things arch has, which is not much.
1. It is very beginner un-friendly, i'd say beginner offensive. You'd need to have rather big linux knowledge to use it, let alone install it
2. It forces you to customize everything. Sometimes it would be much easier to let the OS take care of everything
I don't think that any of those 2 things are that bad. If you are a beginner, you will learn one way or another. And the second one is barely a problem, since if you'd want to just use the OS, there is a lot of software like ArchInstall that automates a lot for you. Hell, you can install an Arch-based distro like Manjaro that has all the good things that Arch has, but are beginner-friendly
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-13
Votes: 8
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Arch is a very beautiful distro where everything is for you and by you. You build up everything as per your need . The package management with help of AUR is vast and biggest. It is stable also if you know how to keep it. It is not bloated as you install only what you need. A good configuration will make it the best distro and best OS. I am using this OS for more than 2 years though in between switched to few different Arch based and Non Arch based but again came back to Arch as I feel I have the ultimate freedom only in Arch .
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-11
Votes: 3
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Arch is awesome, I get current packages, I like to update almost daily, and I have had no stability issues. The wiki is one of the best linux help sources for sure. I have been using Arch for a couple years now, but I have been using Linux distros for about 15 years.
Installing was difficult if you follow the install instructions, specially for setting encrypted LVM Disks, otherwise it is pretty straight forward is you are comfortable with the terminal. If not, but it is easy enough if you use the provided ArchInstall program.
Highly recommend Arch.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-04
Votes: 4
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I hadn't used Arch for years. I mostly use my computers for work and I need it to be very stable so I have mostly been on Ubuntu for half a decade or so. I decided to try Arch again and it's been great. You just need to be mindful of what you install on the system and to double check when you do an upgrade for any known issues. So far so good and I hope to be able to stay with it for a long while.
I am on a all MAD system for my main computer so I can't talk about how well the NVIDIA drivers are managed. KDE is my DE and it works great with my multiple monitors.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-03
Votes: 6
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Switched to Arch on all of my computers in the last few months. I never dared to try it out because there is no graphical installer, but finally checked Arch out after reading their excellent documentation and fell in love with it. By following along installation instructions, there is a lot to learn about what graphical installers do for users without them knowing. I actually enjoy setting up Arch on my computers, and overcome challenges like LVM or RAID. Raspberry Pi 4 setup was pretty painless, shockingly easy. Even my rented VPS, with no official support through Arch images, was easy to install when I found out how to boot from custom ISO. Interestingly Arch is doing better there than other distros I tried before, using less RAM and being more responsive. Even my laptop and desktop computer both are happy with Arch and Gnome. It is a bit strange that Gnome Software only handles Flatpak, but offers no support for system packages and updates, but that can easily be handled through Pacman on the CLI. Works for me.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-30
Votes: 5
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The Arch Linux distribution is especially attractive due to its great versatility and modernity. The system consists of a very fast and reliable package manager thanks to Pacman.
Arch Linux is one of the distros of the moment, and it has its reasons for being so. It can be set up to suit everyone, it is a very reliable rolling release, with the latest versions of the applications available shortly after they are published and with a fairly high stability guarantee.
The lightweight and minimalist nature of the Arch is the main reason for its growing popularity in the tech community.
-Incredible universe of applications absolutely anything you need here you will have it and the latest.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-02
Votes: 7
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In a realm where penguins roam the land,
Linux users seeking a distro grand.
Amidst the choices, one stands apart,
A distillation of a hacker's art.
Enter Arch Linux, a system bold,
For those who seek control, it's pure gold.
With rolling release and bleeding edge,
An innovative journey, you'll be led.
In Arch, you'll find a minimalist grace,
A canvas blank, but with power to embrace.
Customization is the sacred creed,
Each pixel and package tailored to need.
Fear not, brave souls, the installation rites,
For through the ArchWiki's guiding lights,
The path shall clear, your doubts dispelled,
A treasure trove of knowledge, unparalleled.
In Arch, you craft a system your own,
From the base you build, like a cornerstone.
Unencumbered by bloat, it runs fleet,
A snappy response to your commands' beat.
Updates flow like a river's course,
Refreshing software with seamless force.
No version jumps, no system break,
A rolling journey, ever awake.
An AUR of wonders, a repository vast,
Community-driven, a voyage to last.
A plethora of packages at your command,
In this expansive realm, nothing is banned.
From servers to desktops, it scales with ease,
Across the spectrum, it aims to please.
For the seasoned user and the daring new,
Arch Linux beckons, ready to imbue.
Embrace the challenges, for they are the key,
To understanding Linux, truly set free.
So come forth, join the Arch brigade,
Where innovation and adventure never fade.
With Arch Linux, you'll find your way,
In this open-source world, where passions play.
A journey unique, a story to tell,
Why choose Arch? The answer is clear as a bell.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-01
Votes: 0
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Arch Linux is an absolute gem! As a bleeding-edge distro, it consistently keeps me at the forefront of technology, providing access to the newest and most innovative software. The ease of customization is truly remarkable, thanks to its minimalist design and the wide array of software available through the Pacman package manager + AUR. Being community-driven, it embraces the true spirit of Linux, untainted by corporate influence. This pure Linux bliss is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the authors and contributors who have crafted this remarkable distro. My heartfelt gratitude to them for making Arch Linux an exceptional experience!
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-07-31
Votes: 0
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THE BEST
The independently developed x86-64 general-purpose Linux distribution Arch Linux really provides the latest stable versions of most software with only a regular system update due to its rolling-release model.
The package manager for Arch Linux Pacman handles package installation, upgrades, downgrades and removal with great ease along with automatic dependency resolution. The packages are obtained from the Arch Linux package tree and are compiled for the x86-64 architecture.
Arch Linux is the best Linux distribution so far with a mildly difficult installation process for beginners.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-06-13
Votes: 0
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iam a bit new to linux but arch has been way more user friendly to me then ubuntu debian and fedora, with archinstall i could customise my system how i want and it was always updated. AUR and Pacman was usefull and not broken and bad like apt and dnf. and arch has been very minimal at usage of ram and disk space while other distros waste it mostly. thank you arch for existing and also. I use arch btw.
pros:
always updated
u can do what ever u want with it
very customizble
aur is the best package manager
cons:
some stuff might be broken after a update sinse they are very frequent and some stuff cant keep up
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-28
Votes: 0
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stable, customizable, like it, just u need to guide the manual or tutorials to install this OS, but no problem
why i recommend this distro:
1. very customizable
2. for programming
3. its stable
desktop enviorement recommended for me: kde plasma
like a advanced distro i dont recomend this distro for a newbies users, but if u want download it, just check the manual
pros:
1. u got all control from the distro
2. when u need to install a package, the wiki has all of u
3. for comunity to the comunity, so u get so documental in the oficial page
but:
1. hard to install, but they we have tutorials and the wiki
2. bad update and u brake the system
in conclusion: RANK A
its so recomendable for advanced users, but if u are newbie, its so hard to install this, i recomend if u are newbie this distros: manjaro, endeveaur and garuda, but if u are advanced and u need a pure experience, this distro is for you
thanks for reading :)
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-20
Votes: 1
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Ah, behold, the magnificent Arch Linux, a distro that elevates my digital existence to unprecedented heights. As a connoisseur of the intricate intricacies of the technological realm, I am well-versed in the mystical arts of Linux, and thus, my tryst with Arch Linux was a foregone conclusion. Permit me, dear readers, to regale you with my grandiose account of this unparalleled experience.
Arch Linux, with its ethos of simplicity, beckoned to me, drawing me inexorably into its esoteric embrace. A meticulously crafted masterpiece, it demands not the feeble acquiescence of the technologically illiterate but rather the unwavering resolve of the cognoscenti. A pantheon of sophisticated tools awaits the noble user who dares traverse its perplexing labyrinth.
From the moment of installation, Arch Linux elucidates its immutable dominion over mere mortals. An inscrutable command-line interface, bedecked with enigmatic commands and cryptic syntax, invokes a sense of awe and reverence within the enlightened few who dare invoke its powers. One must navigate a treacherous sea of documentation, replete with obscure jargon and arcane rituals, to bestow upon oneself the divine gift of Arch Linux.
Once ensconced within the hallowed realm of Arch Linux, the majestic simplicity of its package manager, Pacman, is laid bare. With unassailable command, it scours the annals of the vast repositories, procuring the most coveted software artifacts with effortless grace. Dependencies are but pawns in Pacman's game, effortlessly sating the voracious appetites of my technological desires.
And lo, the true beauty of Arch Linux lies in its ethereal customizability. It bestows upon me, the noble user, the power to mold and shape the digital universe according to my mercurial whims. The delicate symphony of the X Window System, choreographed by the maestro-like expertise of the Arch user, weaves a tapestry of aesthetic delight across the vast canvas of my screen.
Yet, I cannot ignore the pitfalls that beset the path of Arch Linux disciples. The fragile edifice of this distro demands constant vigilance and the dexterity of a seasoned acrobat. The faint of heart shall stumble upon the precipice of frustration, as frequent updates challenge their very resolve. Only the stalwart and unwavering may bask in the glory of a well-maintained Arch Linux installation.
In conclusion, dear readers, Arch Linux stands as a towering colossus amidst the mundane hordes of mainstream distros. Its formidable learning curve and elegant simplicity shall both humble and exalt those brave enough to venture into its mystical embrace. It is a distro for the intellectuals, the artisans of technology, the connoisseurs of digital enlightenment. With Arch Linux as my beacon, I navigate the digital cosmos, radiating an aura of superiority, secure in the knowledge that I am among the elite few who have unlocked the true essence of the Linux experience.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-17
Votes: 0
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The best.
I tried most of the major linux distros, and arch linux just works. Very fun and easy for daily use and work. Install is also super fast now with the built in scripts. Pacman, AUR are also amazing. The rolling release on arch is very fast and very good, even better than opensuse tumbleweed in general, no need to worry about anything breaking at all. Arch linux along with the Sway tiling window manager is the unbeatable setup in 2023! The Arch Wiki is so good that you can find anything on it and its super clear.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-05-03
Votes: 5
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Reviewer:
Experienced user, Linux, BSD, MAC, Windows, DOS, CPM, etc
2nd review (follow-up), on Arch, first review was favorable on an initial user's experience, now a couple years later, still impressed using the system.
In general, the installation is poor for beginner, satisfactory for experienced, the operating system is good overall. Using Mate desktop (gnome2 fan)
Pros:
Very good, stable operating system, installed on 10+ systems. Hardware ranging from over 10 years old to modern.
Even with the constant updates available, have not experienced any issues overall. The ability to acquire advanced features of software, I opted transitioning from Debian due to issues with repositories after systems ran for years. Debian upgrades did not always go smoothly, starting over was time consuming and disruptive.
I don't recall experiencing a failed system update (rolling system updates), rarely reboot, with systems running months or more.
In my experience, a headless Arch server has only been restarted in once in 2 years due to a 3 day power outage.
Backups, cloning, and replicating is where the Arch systems really shine, transitions from one drive to another, one system to another are smooth. I can clone a clean system, or a fully configured system in minutes (via rsync). This is my primary reason using Arch, maintaining the spouse's computer became trivial.
Aside upgrading, cloning, and backups, Arch is comparable to running Debian or similar. Arch is best suited to someone experienced in Linux, for installation, once administered, anyone can use it. It is very trim & lite when first installed.
Latest system install from scratch, System 76 Pangolin 12 (just release at time of review), installation was a little rough due to operator being rusty, once installed experienced crashes and lockups for the first few days, but has been running stable for a few days now after various firmware and driver updates.
Boot time is 2 to 5 seconds on a fast SSD drive, operating system running well with heavy loads, several virtual machines, many browser tabs, etc.
(Drivers and firmware was not an Arch issue)
Cons:
Installation was a bear (first time), learning curve steep, too many choices for a beginner, I recommend Debian for a beginner, far easier. I had just recently installed on a new laptop (for fun), and still was tripped up on the many steps to know, requiring a second system to look up information. On a positive note, I know there is work going on for helpful scripting to ease the pain.
Forums - Before I used Arch, I found a wealth of general Linux help on the Arch forums and users were helpful. This is what actually encouraged me to try Arch. Lately I see forum members scolding beginners referring to "Reading the manual", "Not going to help" in response to help requests. I fail to understand why someone would bother to deter another user, rather than help, I find this behavior should be discouraged by admins and moderators.
Updates become frustrating at times, some systems are updated less frequently (don't fix whats not broken), only to find everything is out of sync. Not a show stopper, but frustrating when trying to install a minor app or tool, only to have to update the system. Admittedly, I know this is the philosophy, and it doesn't take that long to update. Fortunately, the repositories are usually in very good shape, and fixes are fast.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-04-29
Votes: 0
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This is the best linux distribution available for linux power users. I have been on it since 2011 and absolutely love the speed, power, simplicity and customizability it provides. ArchWiki and the arch forums are a goldmine of information. Right from installation from scratch to solving any driver compatibility issues, search for it and you will either find a page on the wiki or a thread in the forum, given the large community of linux power users using Arch. It boots fast, installs packages really fast and keeps itself and all the applications always updated, so you don't have to worry about being on old versions of popular applications.
AUR is beyond compare with most probably the largest repository of software available for linux. Any program not vetted and put in main channels can be found there and be easily installed with a helper or by hand using makepkg and pacman -U.
This is a gift to humanity.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-04-27
Votes: 3
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Arch Linux is a very fast booting and performing distro and has a boot time of around 15 seconds on a normal HDD. The installation process might be a bit hard for newbies but after one or two tries you get used to it.
The pacman package manager is fast and provides all the info someone might need. But installing something from the AUR is painful if you don't have a AUR helper like yay or paru, and I think that functionality should be included in pacman just like paru does it. And the AUR has another problem: Some packages only have source releases, and no binary ones. Fortunately most packages either have them or you can just use the Chaotic AUR for that.
And the last thing I want to mention is that if you have a problem that you most likely get a result either from the Arch Wiki or the Arch Forum. So even if you have a extremely rare problem, there probably already exists a solution in the Arch Forum or Wiki. Atleast that's my experience.
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Version: current
Rating: 6
Date: 2023-04-06
Votes: 1
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When I was using Arch, I did enjoy it. The simplistic nature of the packages with little to no dependencies is nice. No dependency hell. The community run project with no cooperate backing to force a direction can be a benefit for many. You choose what you want to install.
But there are downsides. The AUR while nice, is just a big git repo where you have to compile. Half of the stuff won't build and it can lead to packages break. Also, printer drivers from brother don't support Arch Linux and when you can't find it from the AUR, you're expected to build it yourself. The community is just ugh.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-04-06
Votes: 1
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I've learned more about linux installing Arch than I have being a "big distro" user since 2007.
The wiki is outstanding. And the feeling of starting from nothing and putting it together yourself is gratifying.
It's kinda like the software equivalent of building your own PC by buying the parts.
I'm a relatively new user & haven't experience any instability issues yet.
Although I am always prepared for it.
Having to manually install & update using AUR for some packages doesn't feel all that nice.
Seems like it takes a lot of effort to get something included in the official or community repos.
Still, all-in-all. It's makes your system feel unique and your own.
It's been my favorite distro thus far despite the extra bit of manual maintenance.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-03-28
Votes: 0
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Arch Linux is the fourth distro I have used and the second that I have used for more than 15 minutes(I have been using it for about 4 months). Manjaro was the first I used for an extended period(about 3 months before I switched to Arch). Arch Linux is there for people who enjoy trying new software and don't mind having to do some work on the system now and then.
Software is plentiful in Arch repositories. If a package is not in the repositories it is usually in the AUR. If it is not in either of those you probably do not need it. The official repositories include several browsers, Steam, most of the major DEs and WMs, 4 Linux kernels, and much more. Mojang provides an official AUR package for the Minecraft launcher. The PKGBUILDS provided by each AUR package should be read before building or installation.
The documentation is very good with the wiki being considered one of the best. There is a wiki page for almost anything you could ever want to do on your system.
Installation is not as hard as it seems but it is quite easy to mess up. However, your trusty archiso can allow chrooting into your broken system to fix it.
While updates occasionally break the system, the Arch team usually posts notices to the archlinux.org homepage of these breaking updates as well as steps to fix the problem.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-03-19
Votes: 0
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If someone is looking for a distribution that allows a lot, and at the same time is quite easy to use, then Arch Linux is the perfect choice.
And this AUR - a revelation!!! It's like a flatpak, only in a more developed form.
All in all, Arch is what we're all looking for :)
If someone is looking for a distribution that allows a lot, and at the same time is quite easy to use, then Arch Linux is the perfect choice.
And this AUR - a revelation!!! It's like a flatpak, only in a more developed form.
All in all, Arch is what we're all looking for :)
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-03-02
Votes: 1
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Installation can be a bit difficult (specially for newbie), but once you undestood how install it's always the same procedure, so you can setup an Arch system from USB to DE in about 15/20 minutes. There's also archinstall, which semplifies the installation process by guiding it.
I always install Arch on my pcs because it's leaving me the freedom of doing what I want with my system, without installing apps that I don't need, pushing packaging systems that I don't want or deciding if i need codec or drivers or not.
Not talking about AUR, in which you can find everything that can comes to your mind. If something it's not in the AUR, you can both create your own AUR package, helping who, like you, needs this particulary package, or compile it directly from the source (like every distro).
On old or slow computer I feel almost obbligated in installing Arch: even with KDE or GNOME, the most heaviest DEs, it runs smoothly even if the pc has 4gb of ram and HDD. Setting zram up is really easy if you need it, and if you use archinstall, this will be done automatically if you setting it in the installer.
Some years ago, Arch could be considered as an "elite" distro. But today I think it's ready to be mainstream. Yeah, even with archinstall it's not simple as Ubuntu or Fedora or other mainstream distro, but it's a good alternative for who want to learn something while configuring what the system needs
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-26
Votes: 0
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As a AMD Radeon graphics card user, arch has been a blessing. Fast and reliable updates, on a desktop that i can setup myself from scratch that provide me with great performance and access to the huge library of arch and arch user repositories. You will be hard pressed to find a linux package that is not available on arch in one way or another. Furthermore it is easy to setup all the required software for gaming, especially through steam, and i am glad to say that pretty much my entire library is playable now.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-17
Votes: 0
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I hadn't used Arch for years. I mostly use my computers for work and I need it to be very stable so I have mostly been on Ubuntu for half a decade or so. I decided to try Arch again and it's been great. You just need to be mindful of what you install on the system and to double check when you do an upgrade for any known issues. So far so good and I hope to be able to stay with it for a long while.
I am on a all MAD system for my main computer so I can't talk about how well the NVIDIA drivers are managed. KDE is my DE and it works great with my multiple monitors.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-16
Votes: 2
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I have been using Arch as my sole operating system on both my notebook and my main computer for many years.
In all these years I have no problems with the rolling release model. In only very rare cases something has to be changed manually, and the Arch homepage provides exemplary information about any necessary interventions.
I appreciate the always up to date software, which comes quickly into the pact sources after it has passed the test phase. So you are always up to date and do not have to wait until a new release comes out. In addition to the official sources, you can also find many other programs via AUR that you may need in addition. Again, I have never had a problem with a package. The system can be installed individually and runs very fast. I can therefore recommend Arch without reservation.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-08
Votes: 0
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The performance that I manage to get out of my old Machines with Arch is simple outstanding and I am amazed of how easy is to setup everything.
I love how lightweight it feels compared to every other distro of linux i Tried.
And pacman + aur is just something that you don't have to leave and open a browser to search for unsense stuff ever.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-03
Votes: 1
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Kiss Kiss Kiss! Runs fast; bleeding edge, stable though (OK, may be not as much as Debian stable, but more than enough for everyday personal and professional use)
I have been wandering though many linux distributions: starting with RedHat 5.2Apollo in 1998, then rpm-ish Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora, Centos or apt-ish Debian, Ubuntu, Mint; also tried (open)Suse. Unitil I met arch linux nearly 10 years ago. I never moved since. There is now no good reason to do so.
Pros: lightweight, pacman (+yay/aur extensions), archwiki and the community, CLI install (yes, it's in the pros)
Cons: the Arch logo
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-25
Votes: 0
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I have tried many flavours of Linux over the last 20 years or so, usually running multiple versions mapped to use the same data discs for documents, media etc. Having come from a Unix background I'm not afraid of the command line, but do prefer a GUI these days.
I still run multiple versions (currently Arch, Debian Testing, Fedora 37) on multiple machines all running the Cinnamon desktop (another extended evaluation exercise), but Arch has been my default distro for ~10 years now.
Pros:
- New Kernels and Nvidia drivers are released at the same time these days, meaning no compatibly issues, unlike others!
- Fast boot and running
- Stable (but I do have LTS installed as well just in case)
- Pretty pure, i.e. very little customisation of upstream packages which helps stability and speed of release of updated packages
- Use of non-free software much less painful than many distros
- Wiki - simply the best Linux documentation and a lot of effort goes in to keep the information current
- Can install exactly what you want, no more, no less
Cons:
- Command line install requires concentration and accuracy, but can get to a GUI in about 30 minutes after lots of practice
- No GUI installer
- The pacman GUI in the repository (apper) does not cater for packages in the AUR
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Version: current
Rating: 7
Date: 2023-01-12
Votes: 2
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While Arch can be a desktop "distribution", I think of it more as a server installation. For a server, you just need a terminal and SSH (along with the traditional server software: nginx, php, mariadb or other SQL flavor).
As a server installation, I would rate Arch 10/10. It's awesome for that. I downgrade it for desktop installations because it is cryptic. You can do most everything you can do in any other distro, but sometimes it can take a bit of troubleshooting when things go weird.
The learning curve is steep, but the good news once you learn it most will apply to other distros. You may even feel like creating your own (lol).
All in all, it's not as steep of a learning curve as "linux from scratch".
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-10
Votes: 11
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Arch Linux is my distribution of choice due to the fact that it is the only current distribution which offers almost all the things I want from and like in a Linux distribution.
Pros:
* Rolling release makes it very easy to upgrade packages.
* Vanilla packages giving the intended original experience.
* Latest packages are available very quickly after the release.
* Possible to customize the distribution to your liking.
* Excellent documentation.
* Community support.
Cons
* Initial learning curve can be time consuming.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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I have built hundreds of Arch systems.
My own has been migrated over dozens of different computers since 2007 by dumping package lists, home directories and configuration files and restoring them to the new system.
IMO the toughest part of installing the current Arch is setting up a boot loader.
The biggest con with running is that sometimes there are dependency issues after upgrades. I usually just roll back the image and wait a few days for a documented fix.
I can't see another distro replacing it for me.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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Yes I have Installed Arch the Arch way, have also used the command line installer. Can it be a but frustrating yes but that is why they say RTFM. Yes there is A lot of reading but there Wiki is hands down the most useful wiki even for os's not based on Arch. It's even helped with this dell that has been a thorn in my side since day one. The duel AMD graphics which should automatically switch when under a heavy load and it doesn't. Fortunately for Steam all I do is start in the terminal with a DRI_PRIME=1 steam and all my games run using the discrete. None of which I had gotten from the Dell website.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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I had some problem to setup my old NVIDIA card, on an Optimus laptop.
Bumblebee, prime, stuff from AUR, too many rebuilds.
With dual kernel installation (latest and LTS) every upgrade took a lot of time rebuilding DKMS modules.
But my laptop was rather old.
Now, with EndeavourOS I kept default Nouveau that supports Wayland on my old card.
In the past also tried Mannaro, that looks cool at time, but became soon a strange thing (a ubuntu-arch beast),
with version incompatibilities an among (older) official downstream and AUR repo.
I first installed Arch many years ago. I remember how I felt proud of my WiFi network setting, then I rolling upgraded until last year when my HDD surrendered.
Having an heavy setup procedure and a rolling upgrade, can leave you in your "Arch confort-zone", with distant memories on old setup procedures.
An example was new EndeavourOS setup that was btrfs/Wayland out of the box
I use "paru" instead of "yay", but I do not remember why (rust/go?)
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 2
|
one of the best linux distros out there.Installing it is a tremendous learning experience.It is upto the end user to make the distro as per their wish.It does have a learning curve but at the end of the day it is well worth it.The customizability it offers is second to none.It offers all the latest bleeding edge software and nearly every software can be found in Arch User Repository (AUR) if not the main repositories. It also supports various file systems such as ext3, ext4 , btrfs ,zfs , etc.
|
Version: current
Rating: 1
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 0
|
I am a long-time Linux user. Actually, I started with openSUSE Linux in 2005. Since then, I have worked with several different Linux distributions. In the last 6 months I tried Arch Linux times in different versions and now. The installation of the multimedia codecs never worked as documented! Always some transitive dependencies are missing. The conflict resolution of pacman also does not really help here. For this reason, I can not recommend Arch Linux as a desktop operating system. Sadly. Arch Linux, please solve that multimedia codec mess and don't release an operating system when multimedia codecs don't install without errors...
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 0
|
I had trying a lot Linux distros. There is no such thing like a perfect distro for me, but there are less trouble distros and Arch one of them.
For example if you forgot to install net-tools or network manager you could boot from arch iso, mount rootfs to /mnt and pacstrap required packages. There is another way, you may play with chroot and console's package manager but this requres a little bit more actions (yah, this works for any Linux).
It's rolling and even if it formally may be an equivalent to unstable for LTS like manner, frankly it is more stable than a lot of LTS type distros (Ubuntu, Mx so on).
My previous Arch installation was about 7 years ago. It still works until now but I decided to reinstall it.The cause is old configs for some packages that may be less actual after a thousands updates and may lead to performance impact. In fact a fresh installed Arch on old pc (lga775 mb with 771 mod, Xeon, ddr2 mem, ssd, nvidia+prop. driver) same fast for regular tasks as my xps 15 9560 notebok. Arch is one of the fastest.
Pros:
+ bleeding edge / rolling-release
+ fast runing / very fast installation in compired to most debian based distros ( parallel package downloads / fast package manager )
+ stable enought for user pc
+ AUR
+ wiki.archlinux.org
+ ffmpeg with turned on hw-encoding. There are a lot of educational videos available on internet, but most of them boring and lead me to sleep. So i transcoding it to highter speed and watch later on tablet. hw-encoding save a lot of time and some space. (By the way some video players may change playing speed, but moust of them make speech non understandable)
Cons / Pros:
- / + reqires some expiriense and knowledge, even if you don't have it you will get it, partially during install and tune. There are some installation scripts even a pseudo-graphic one exists and you may use it for fast start with Arch but during use system you will turn to console for administration things after all.
- / + systemD, mostly i do not care of systemD hollywar, but a no-systemD distros react a little bit faster when difference only on init systems
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-12-14
Votes: 0
|
Because Arch is the best linux distribution.
Pros:
+fast.
+easy to use.
+like vanilla.
+powerful package manager.
+if you like control over operating system Arch is for you.
+low hardware requirement.
+completely customizable
+good documentation.
+you get a better understanding of how Linux works.
+rolling release(I like rolling release instead of LTS)
+Arch Linux is one of the rare few community-only Linux distribution projects.
Cons:
-not for newbie user.
-if you don't have much time for configuration stuff not for you.
overall very good linx distro
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-20
Votes: 0
|
Pros:
+ lightweight (low hardware requirements)
+ customizable (not just how it looks!, you can customize almost everything)
+ fast package manager with expansive AUR
+ great wiki and documentation
+ great way to learn about linux and its internal workings
+ much simpler to install now with archinstall
+ bleeding edge software and fast updates
+ easy to "rice", if you're into that sort of thing
Cons:
- not great for beginners that don't understand a lot of the basics of installing a linux system (partitioning, filesystems, bootloader, etc)
- very terminal-centric, could be a turn-off for some
- requires a lot of initial effort to get started and a little more effort to iron out issues later on
Overall, a 10/10. I daily drive Arch on both my home PC as well as my laptop for schoolwork. I find that it works fine on both use cases and isn't too harsh on battery life.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-13
Votes: 0
|
Because Arch is the best linux distribution.
Pros:
+fast.
+easy to use.
+like vanilla.
+powerful package manager.
+if you like control over operating system Arch is for you.
+low hardware requirement.
+completely customizable
+good documentation.
+you get a better understanding of how Linux works.
+rolling release(I like rolling release instead of LTS)
+Arch Linux is one of the rare few community-only Linux distribution projects.
Cons:
-not for newbie user.
-if you don't have much time for configuration stuff not for you.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-11
Votes: 0
|
I'm using Arch for over a decade now, mainly on Laptops. Whatever I had to learn about Arch, be it the installation process or be it how to maintain it: It was a one time investment and I never regretted it. Coming from Windows (since Version 2) and many other Linux distros (my first one was a SUSE Linux 4.2) I was looking for a distro that suited my needs. Minimal, fast, KISS, easy to maintain (without the need to care repeatedly about broken dependencies), with good and extensive documentation, with a large and helpful community and finally bleeding edge. Arch brought everything to the table and so I still stick with it.
If you are a somewhat experienced Linux user who prefers to spend his/her time using the machine rather than maintaining it (or fixing broken dependencies), then you are in good hands with Arch Linux.
Pros:
+ fast
+ stable
+ easy to maintain
+ KISS principle (Keep it simple, stupid!)
+ powerful package manager (pacman)
+ extensive software repository
+ very good documentation (english wiki)
+ large and helpful community
+ Linux self education (RTFM, Learning by mistakes -LBM-, Learning by doing -LBD-)
+ bleeding edge
Cons:
- not for beginners or unexperienced Linux users (especially GUI-fanatics)
- non-standard AUR (Arch User Repository) packages can be a pitfall. Be cautious!
Absent aunt edit: typos for sale! (/ironyoff)
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-05
Votes: 0
|
Pros:
1. No bloat - control what you install, with minimal core features to start with
2. Cutting edge packages
3. Documentation
Cons:
1. Aur can lead to some inconsistencies for some packages
2. Sometime more hand work required for some packages installed from outside of official repositories
It can be difficult to install and maintain for newbies, but still much easier than LFS or Gentoo.
I like it does not rely on sandboxes like snap (you can install them but not pushed to do that, like in some other distros),
Cutting edge packages means I can more efficiently support my cutting edge hardware.
Overall, even at some cons - solid 10
|
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-11-03
Votes: 5
|
I migrated to Arch KDE after 3.5 years on Manjaro. The constant problems with the conflict between Manjaro's packages and the AUR, in part, prompted the move. Its been six months now, going on seven. I've had hardly any issues and certainly none of consequence with Arch. Being able to use the AUR without holding my breath, for fear something will break, has been great.
Arch is quick, easy to use and solid. Those claiming its an enthusiast's distro might want to look at how far Arch has come. Steamdeck, the gaming platform sold to millions is based on Arch not Debian (which I also use on another laptop and have a lot of time for).
Lots of upside and very little downside, save perhaps the need, for a more accessible forum.
|
Version: current
Rating: 8
Date: 2022-10-27
Votes: 3
|
stable, fast packages to load. Fast and stable system
Easy to resolve conflicts, with lots of information available on the internet
pacman is very good and easy
Only install what is needed
I was positively surprised and keep developing this OS
I installed all the packages I needed
It would be convenient to facilitate the installation and configuration of PHP, Apache, phpmyadmin and MariaDB Server
Samba was very difficult to set up.
not all information available about the configuration of the packages mentioned above is correct
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-10-11
Votes: 12
|
It's not for noobs, sure, but it's not LFS either !
Tried it on mon 2009 iMac, never switched back to anything else, replaced Mint with it on my laptop, but I kept Cinnamon as my DE
Sometimes it breaks, but every time was my doing ^_^
Pros:
The rolling release is what I do like about it, but what I prefer is the documentation on the wiki, with gentoo, it's one of the best out there !
The package management and bleeding edge software availability
Cons:
Kernel updates that leads to a reboot every week or so :-)
By the way, I use Arch ;-)
|
Version: current
Rating: 8
Date: 2022-10-06
Votes: 6
|
The only right choice if you don't want your system to install unneeded apps and you wanna have full control over your machine.
If there's a software installed on your system, you must have installed it yourself.
It'd be cool if people had the choice to choose a different init system, but I assume that would require extra work from devs and cause lots of problems.
Pros:
- lightweight. After fresh install you have to install additional programs instead of removing them from your freshly installed system like in Windows 10 or some other linux distros
- community driven
- fast package manager/mirrors (pacman)
- software availability (pacman, AUR, flatpak, snap, appimages)
- pretty good documentation on Archwiki
Cons:
- not good for newbies. It isn't a 'just works' distro. You need to learn some terminal commands to setup your system.
- occasionaly things break after updating so it's good to know how to fix the system using arch-chroot command
- no way to install a different init system than systemd
- no recovery partition or anything like that. You need to have a USB stick with Arch ISO on it to fix your system
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-10-05
Votes: 0
|
Sometimes, while I am working, I become distracted by the elegance of Arch Linux. Arch Linux allows for a high degree of customization out of the gate, while pacman (+AUR) provides automatic dependency resolution and support for the unfortunate proprietary blobs and software that (for now) some of us must still use. From the moment you boot into the installer, you are forced to make deliberate choices for your system. The reward for your labour is becoming a more adept Linux user, with a customized system. I use GNU/Linux because when I otherwise use proprietary software, within seconds I become enraged by these non-free systems with deliberately programmed barriers to functionality and customization. Arch takes the logic of GNU/Linux and carries it to a golden mean between extreme customization and easy maintenance.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-24
Votes: 14
|
I use Arch since 2005.
It's my daily basis distro at home and at work.
From my experience and point of view Arch is way underrated by DW ranking contributors.
As a rolling release I don't need to worry about version nor to planify a migration.
As a rolling release one may argue or complain that things may break at each update ... I had to manually
intervene only 3 times in 17 years!
Living with a bleeding edge rolling release distribution such as Arch is a way to go for me!
I would rate it 11 but : a) DW don't permit it and b) ... well I miss sysvinit.
Keep up the great job and long life to Arch!
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-14
Votes: 13
|
A formidably configurable distro that never does hand-holding. Which means you are expected to read the (up-to-date) wiki and manpages, and apply good judgment instead of accepting given settings.
Boot time, both during initial OS and desktop environment loading, is blazing fast.
Firmware support (e.g., brand-new WiFi devices) is great, even on the install environment (which is just a Zsh shell). Their approach to proprietary firmware is quite reasonable.
Package groups and metapackages like gnome, base-devel, texlive-most (i.e., packages supposed to be shipped together) simplify things. Their package policy (e.g., all of OpenSSL in a package named openssl, instead of client, server, etc. in separate ones) makes sense.
Also, daemons aren't enable by default on systemd (which can be changed to runit, sysvinit, etc.). Except for the official wiki docs, you are on your own in terms of what is needed for a usable system.
|
Version: 2011.08.19
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-05
Votes: 6
|
My distro of choice had been Debian since Debian 4.0 (Etch) was released in 2007 with its graphical installer. It was the only distro which did all the things I wanted in a fuss-free way.
Like many readers I have evaluated a large number of distros and tried Arch some years ago.
For several releases of Arch I used the Anarchy installer and at times the Archfi installer script.
Since the installer was packaged with Arch it has been much smoother and quicker.
Arch is very fast. It boots quickly and shuts down quickly. Many distros shut down quickly now, usually within 2 seconds and Arch is among the crowd.
It would be nice to have a GUI package manager installed by default but I installed yay and octopi without much ado.
Once I got the hang of installing programs from the command line it was straighforward, eg:
sudo pacman -S sane
sudo pacman -S simple-scan
sudo pacman -S haruna
Arch pips Debian by having the most up-to-date kernel with 5.19.6-arch1-1 at the time of writing.
Having the ability to run commands in Arch as root or as a user instead of the dreadful sudo is a plus point on my checklist.
The vast repository of available packages has not disappointed.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-04
Votes: 1
|
I had installed Linux the first time end of 1992 (out of curiosity). Actually back that time it was nearly unusable due to the lack of applications.
That very much remained Linux' fate for some more years: ever tested - ever failed to find it usable for that very reason.
Finally completely switched to Linux in 2005 - that was Ubuntu. Since then I had (private and business) encounters with SuSE, Debian, Gentoo, Ubuntu, RedHat, Mint, Manjaro and MX.
When I installed Arch the first time in about 2015, I felt so incredibly much at home that I immediately dumped my main Linux and decided to stay with Arch - once and for all.
Never ever had any regrets - Arch is undoubtedly the distro for connaisseurs.
+
unbloated
always up-to-date
close-to-perfect packet manager
not build on top of another distro, which in turn is based on another distro, which... (you got the idea)
own (easy) packet creation and installation
quick response concerning bug and security fixes
easy system installation scripting
unlimited customization features
unbelievably good wiki and forums (the English ones, at least)
perfect choice for work, as the OS does not get in the way
-
requires at least some familiarity with Linux as such
rare occasions of packet installations colliding
if an update breaks, it is usually based on some proprietary stuff, not the distro itself
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-02
Votes: 0
|
I own many computers, all running different distros, and have used linux for a total of 5 years. I loved trying out hundreds of distros, from niche to popular ones. I have come to conclude that this is forever going to remain the distro for my main PC that I use for gaming. Love arch for desktop PCs, hate it on laptops. I used to install kubuntu for friends looking to slowly leave windows, but ubuntus tend to give me a headache doing IT support for, so now I simply force all my friends to get arch day 1 and it really is not nearly as hard as the internet claims for newbies to learn. With that in mind, I would not suggest arch if you are learning it all alone. The reason I and my many friends learn to adapt to it so fast is because I am the wife of a massive arch fanatic, have a few irl friends who used arch for a decade, and I enjoy helping others learn how to use it post installation. It is also the easiest thing for me to tech support.
I am very paranoid and a bit lazy so I tend to tell everyone who is a beginner to never install anything from AUR unless it is some game emulator, bashtop, some well known other software like balena etcher, etc. I would suggest carefully think and research before you install a specific AUR package, because blindly getting tons of niche AUR software is the reason my arch used to constantly break. Nvidia gpus also used to mess up my arch, so I have since moved onto AMD with 0 problems since I switched. If you plan to use this for music production, except to get Renoise, otherwise you can try fruity loops but it might be tiring to get to work. Beginners can also consider trying out Garuda, something I left due to it one day getting an update that broke all my games, or Endeavor, both of which are arch based. Use GUI arch installer if you want regular arch itself.
My favorite feature is using yay via terminal to install literally any program I might ever need. It is much easier than any debian or ubuntu based distro I used in the past. And of course, this is the number one distro for gaming. Every single out of my 500 steam games run perfectly except for games that come with EAC. Remember to use arch wiki, think before you install things, watch YT videos about arch, and you should learn it fast. Arch really is not as hard as it seems so long as you do not enter random obscure commands into your terminal. This is the only distro I will be giving a 10 out of 10 rating on here.
Main cons
>if you are learning alone, be ready to binge a lot of videos or read the wiki, but if you will only use arch with steam, telegram, krita, some emulators, this will not be an issue you should worry about.
>if you need a lot of niche software from AUR, be ready to risk breaking your system
Mains pros
>so much easier to install popular software
>flexible
>comfortable
>always modern, up to date
>little to not bloat
>amazing choice for gaming
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-29
Votes: 8
|
Arch Linux is great, custombizable, and lightweight(if you setting them) OS.
It was thanks to him that I learned how to create and work with disk partitions, studied in depth what Linux actually consists of and how everything works inside. Also, thanks to arch wiki.
Customization here is a strong advantage. I am not dependent on any programs that are pre-installed in my distribution, and I can do almost anything as I want.
But, it's not for everyone. Complex installation, the need to understand what you are doing, as well as the possibility of errors due to the fact that you did something wrong. Errors happen mostly only due to the fault of the user (I have never had cases when something broke because of Arch). And this is good. And, I noticed that most of the problems - are solved quite easily, and there was no such thing as "you are trying to solve the problem that you saw in the logs, but the error is located in a completely different place."
I also used Manjaro, and I had just a lot of problems. I couldn't install my software because there was some problem with the "libc" libraries, drivers, and other system stuff, and any googling about it was pointless. Simply because the errors were elsewhere, and were unknown.
Arch is a flexible system. But it will only be good if you have the skills. If you are a beginner, it is better to install "Linux Mint", or another ubuntu-like system.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-28
Votes: 1
|
I love it, I learn a lot with ARCH linux. Her wiki is incredible and thanks to it I optimize my PC more and more. After you overcome the learning curve for its installation, there are no limits to what you want to do. I have my desktop PC and a mini server working perfectly, at maximum performance and security.
Me encanta, aprendo mucho con ARCH linux. Su wiki es increible y gracia a ella optimizo cada vez mas mi PC. Luego que vencer la curva de aprendizaje para su instalacion, no hay limites para lo que tu quieres hacer. Tengo mi PC de escritorio y un mini servidor funcionando perfecto, al maximo rendimiento y seguridad.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-25
Votes: 5
|
Installing is not nearly as hard as one might be led to believe. If you're nervous to try it - don't be. It's not Gentoo.
Rolling release and bleeding edge might imply instability - but I rarely experience any stability issues using the linux-lts kernel. The AUR is a godsend for most packages that aren't in the main repository, and for the leftovers flatpak has served me well.
Installing and running Arch is a great way to learn more about how Linux actually functions. I feel more confident about becoming a power user one day because of what I've learned using Arch. Everything is customizable with little bloat to get in your way.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-19
Votes: 6
|
The distro is basically a linux kernel and pacman as package manager. so no bloat here all the softwere you dont want to have is not here by default
it has the best wiki ever
it has AUR which helps to install almost any software by a pacman wrapper
it is also rolling so you get the latest version of everything
it forces you to learn linux
it is a great distro but its a little hard to install
you will see a lot of memes trying to make this distro aseem like its hard to use
but once you install it everything is almost like other distros
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-14
Votes: 0
|
I use Arch Linux since 2012.
Contrary to what most people say, the distro is very stable.
I even changed between Desktop Environment many times without issues with the same installation.
My installation is so old that, when I first installed, I just reserved 32Gb for the root partition (/), so now that many IDEs, Browsers, and other software are huge and installed on root for some reason, I'm getting dangerously close to run out of space.
The distro is just the way you make it to be. The few packages that "comes with the distro" are very well developed and good.
It's a really simple, yet extremely powerful, distro.
The documentation is amazing. Even if you're not a Arch user.
The AUR has every software that you can Imagine.
Pacman delivers packages piratically "out of fabric" with the original quality offered by the developers.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-08-02
Votes: 1
|
finally i made it after disto hopping for almost 6 months & luckily i tried after archinstall script launch so it was very easy to install.If you want taste real openness of linux & learn how does things work you should try at least one time. i don't want to compare with any distro but arch is fastest and most efficient in my case after applying same settings in every distro i ever installed. so at the end of the day you should try it, don't look articles and reviews and pros & cons just do it once before dying.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-07-30
Votes: 1
|
i learned about more about linux by using arch linux rather than using other distros . The best thing about Arch is that u get to build your own system from ground up.Don't let others ruin your experience with Arch by saying that is arch isn't stable , one thing really important thing about arch is that is't stability depends on the user, so my advice would be that whatever you do please always follow the arch wiki and read about the things your doing ,that's that. I am really really enjoying this os & From now on , I can proudly say that I use Arch BTW
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-07-02
Votes: 10
|
The best distribution I've ever had the pleasure of trying.
You can pretty much build the system to your liking, which is something I like a lot. It's minimal as far as possible, since some packages have dependencies that could easily be dropped, if there's a positive to take from this it's that it fits the general usage better and the packages are updated quickly when a new version is released. There are many mirrors around the world, and most are quite fast, even those that are not so close to you, which is a very good thing. In Arch you have the AUR, which is basically a bunch of pre-made recipes so you can easily build packages that are not in the official repositories (although some may need some fine tuning to suit your tastes). The only downside to Arch that I can point to is the fact that it uses systemd, but nothing is perfect anyway, so you can live with that if you are not too extreme in the way you look at things, which is my case. So, it's 10/10 for me.
|
Version: current
Rating: 7
Date: 2022-06-24
Votes: 0
|
I am doing animation with Opentoonz 1.6 which was released 2 months ago. The Windows 10 version of Opentoonz had problems with crashing and was taking forever to get going. So, I was going to get a distro that had version 1.6 in the repository to avoid compiling Opentoonz. After trying Ghost BSD, OpenBSD, Fedora, Redhat Server 7.0, and Solus, I tried OpenSuse Tumbleweed. Opentoonz ran but then Kdenlive would not run. Arch was my last resort.
You are supposed to use the command line to install Arch. Instead, I used the archinstall script included in the Arch ISO. I got it to run KDE, but then the "duh oh" moment hit me. I forgot to install the network in the archinstall script. Since the script installed all the necessary packages from the repository, I thought it would take care of the networking for me. I thought, who wants a computer with no internet to download further packages? The Arch repository was very slow at about 50KiB/s on the average, and it would only download one package at a time. It took all day long to download. Also, Arch did not recognize my Win10 NTFS drive. Opentoonz crashed but I fixed it by switching from Wayland to Xorg.
Not wanting to go through that process again, I used the Arch GUI installer ISO found at GitHub. It opened a fully configured KDE desktop, and all I had to do is click on the installer icon. In fifteen minutes, Arch was running off of my hard drive. The Win10 drive was mounted automatically!
The next day, I installed my software. But first, I had to download 1.6 GB of software since the Arch GUI installer was 2 months old when I got it. Again the average download speed was about 50KiB/s, however, it could download 5 files at a time! There were times pacman had an error because of low bit rate. I just ran pacman again and again until everything was installed.
I needed the cutting edge version of Opentoonz and Arch had another version 1.6 that was made a week ago. Kdenlive worked as it should. If you want the latest software, Arch is the way to go. When was the last time people commonly did a command line installation of Linux? My first distro I tried was Mandrake from a Linux magazine in 1999. Mandrake even had menus to choose from in those days. Arch could have a lot of popularity if a good installer was used. Do yourself a favor and get the Arch GUI installer to save yourself time and frustration. Have lots of patience. The Arch repository is the slowest one I have ever seen.
I will also say that I cannot find a good GUI software manager for Arch. People say you don't need that because pacman is all you need. Not true. What if you want to look at a list of packages that are available in the repository? You can't do that with pacman. KDE comes with Discover but it is not a substitute for something like Synaptic.
1 star deducted because of the slow repository
2 stars deducted because of the poor installation process
1 star deducted because of lack of good a GUI software manager.
It runs as nice as Opensuse Tumbleweed.
Arch is a keeper.
PS: Linux itself is good in all distros. It is how the distro integrates linux and the other software that causes the problems. Stay with large popular mainstream distros with large repositories. Stick to the most popular desktop environments. A high number of users is a sign of quality software.
|
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-06-22
Votes: 14
|
Synopsis: Arch is a remarkably stable rolling release distro with extensive software availability. The designers make minimal assumptions regarding use case, which simultaneously makes Arch the most general-purpose binary distro that I'm aware of, and also necessitates intensive manual configuration in the installation process.
Pros:
* Software availability: Provides a very good balance between a nearly pristine experience of upstream mainline software via pacman, and a wide array of custom and patched software via the AUR.
* Installation: Arch assumes very little in how you aim to use the system, making it a perfect base for almost any desktop environment or use case. This is both a pro and a con, since installation is purposefully open ended.
* Rolling releases: Install once, use forev- um, until you break it (or until the machine dies).
* Bleeding-edge updates: Most software is up to date far earlier than on other distros.
* Stability: Despite the bleeding-edge nature, I've found Arch to be as stable or more so than most fixed-release distros (having hopped between Mint, Debian, Slackware, CentOS (RIP), and Fedora). My current install is 2 years old and going strong, and even if it dies tomorrow I figure that's doing pretty well in terms of longevity compared to many fixed-release distros.
* AUR: holds a wealth of (unvetted) software. I've also found that it is fun and easy to contribute to!
Cons:
* AUR: It is a main selling point to many users, yet it requires manual configuration to add it to the system. The main reason for this (and itself a pain point) is that AUR "helpers" are numerous, varied in their approaches, and all 3rd party.
* SystemD: Despite the numerous points of configuration, systemd is the only supported init system.
* Installation: Installing the system requires using CLI tools for many tasks that are normally handled by a GUI installer for other distros (e.g., disk partitioning, user creation, etc). Even then, Arch provides a minimal installation, requiring (often extensive) manual configuration before it's usable as a desktop OS. This open-ended nature of installing Arch is both a pro and a con.
|
Version: 2011.08.19
Rating: 5
Date: 2022-06-12
Votes: 1
|
I've been using Arch derivative for about three and a half years and recently moved to Arch with KDE Plasma window manager. My experience thus far has seen many of the same bugs that I found in derivatives duplicated in Arch. Such as stop jobs and a black background screen on log in. I will say it feels somewhat harder to break than derivatives, in general but no less problematic, for this intermediate user to fix.
Indeed my conclusion is if you are going to install any Arch based system be prepared to deal with on going issues. Its great from a learning perspective but it can also be tiring and frustrating.
There are a lot of resources to help solve problems but I have come across some issues, such as the black background that defy solution. I think it would be helpful to have a more accessible forum that understands that not everyone is an expert and that expertise comes through learning.
Suffice to say I have a feeling pure Arch will remain niche but who knows.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-06-06
Votes: 13
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I've been using Arch for more than a decade but I've done a lot of distrohopping. It's good though to be back home and this time for good. My personal setup is Arch with Qtile. I believe it's a very robust minimal setup. So far so good: I've had 0 issues with that combo. Among the major distros, Arch is one of the few if not the only one that has Qtile in its main repositories which also makes it the easiest distro to install that WM according to the Qtile documentation. Keep up the good work dev team!
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-05-26
Votes: 12
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Blazing Fast Linux experience with Bleeding edge Software.
ArchInstall script has made it very easy to install Arch Linux, i can recommend to a beginner without any hesitation.
Freedom to choose and install the required app gives us a feel good experience as we are the one who decides which app are installed and no unnecessary apps/bloatware.
Arch Wiki is the best and most advanced Documentation available.
i was often able to get solutions from arch wiki/community posts instead of google-ing the issue.
PROS :
Latest Softwares,yet stable.
Archinstall script to help with installation.
Arch Wiki and Friendly User Community.
most Latest DE seems stable on top of Arch.
Simple and fast Package manager - pacman
Basic Install of KDE + Firefox + Image Viewer + VLC + LibreOffice takes less than 7Seconds to boot and ~ 700-900 MB memory.
You learn Linux and you are able to probe/troubleshoot from command line/Terminal using commands.
Cons :
only Gnome/KDE works out of the box after install, rest of the DE like XFCE/Deepin needs much more work to set up basic things like Wireless networks/KBD Backlit etc.
Updates are frequent and if you have a limited internet you are going to get bugged by frequency of updates.
but this is what rolling release is.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-25
Votes: 5
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One of the finest and most reliable linux distrobutions. What makes Arch linux stand out is to allow you, the user, to decide exactly what to install. This isn't a distribution that would come bundled with a ton of software that's never used. In fact, the actual Arch distro is just a barebones tty. It is the user who decides what desktop environment they want. I have tried i3 tiling window manager and the Awesome window manager on Arch and both have been solid. And now I felt like trying out Gnome, so I got Gnome, and it works great. If you want Linux, Arch is the way to go.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-23
Votes: 15
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The fastest and most stable distribution!
It's not for beginners, but if you want to learn Linux, beginners need to install and configure Arch Linux.
In addition, there is the satisfaction of a job well done, when you set up the distribution to your taste and vision, without cluttered and unnecessary things.
In addition, many programs that did not start or had any problems with other Linux distributions here at Arch Linux just run without problems.
If you do not believe - try Arch Linux and you will see the difference if you have experience with other distributions.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-05-18
Votes: 6
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After a decade of being Ubuntu user I was concerned if I had enough in me to switch. So far it's been a success. I actually had less trouble setting up Arch (with unquestionably the best how-tos among all linux flavors) then the new 22.04 Ubuntu.
Arch looks much slimmer without all that bloat of unnecessary services and snaps that make Ubuntu look and feel quite obese. While Arch is definitely not for complete noobs it is not super difficult either. Every single subject/application/service is well covered with step-by-step documents and instructions.
I run both Arch (home) and Ubuntu (office) but I have a feeling that Ubuntu will be gone soon, especially if the bloating continues.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-18
Votes: 11
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Truly the best Linux Distro I've tried:
*The fastest
*The most modular
*The one that best adapts to different types of Hardware
*The distro that has caused me the least problems (I use Lts kernel)
*A truly stable rolling release
*The Best and Largest Software Available
I love Arch Linux, it is my daily distro, for me it is excellent out of 10! ....and I will not go back to any other distro (for virtual testing only)
If you want a really stable distro, up to date, ultra fast and without additional garbage this is your distro...
Some Interested Newbies Can Opt For Its Derivatives ( Manjaro, EndeavousOs, ArcoLinux, Artix... Etc Etc Etc... )
Thanks to everyone responsible for creating and maintaining this wonderful Arch distro!
!!! Arch Power !!!
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-17
Votes: 2
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Out of all the distros I've so far tried (Ubuntu, Pop, Mint, Fedora, Endeavour, Zorin), I've always found myself gravitating back towards Arch.
Archinstall makes Arch easy and fast to get up and running, and lets you customize packages and environments the way you want.
Pacman and the AUR makes getting everything you need super convenient and easy.
There's a learning curve with the terminal and going through the Arch wiki, but after acclimating, everything just works the way you want it to.
Definitely my favourite distro by far! :)
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-12
Votes: 7
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Not for the fainted heart, but worth it on all aspects, the best idea I had (as a sysadmin) was to try Arch, never went back, never will. I still try other distro from time to time, it just prove my point, Arch is The Distro.
The second reason to choose Arch : The Community, very helpful people ! some of them even know everything that has been posted on the forum (or they have acces to a better search tool :p )
My servers are running debian for stability, in this case Arch is too bleeding edge.
By the way, I use Arch !
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-05-11
Votes: 18
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I started my GNU/Linux journey with Debian in 2003. I tried Fedora, Mandrake (Mandriva) and then Ubuntu and I kept hopping from one distro to another.
I do not know why I never thought of Arch until 2018. Maybe because of the installation process that was done using the command line interface.
My first installation was a failure but my second was not. I finally discovered the beauty and simplicity of Arch.
After that, I tried to reinstall the OS and reinstall it again with different window managers, boot loaders (GRUB, systemd), encryption, ext4 and BTRFS etc.
Every time I try a new release of any distro using a virtual environment, I just become convinced that Arch Linux is the distro of choice for me.
The PROS:
1. Bleeding edge software and new kernels all the time.
2. An excellent package management (pacman) which installs and updates the software in no time.
3. Stable as long as the update are periodically installed.
4. An amazing WIKI, which is usually used as a source of information by other distros' users.
5. Arch User Repository (AUR) that contains additional software.
A few CONS (that can be easily handled)
1. The system may be broken if the updates are not installed frequently.
2. Users with slow internet may find it difficult to cope with the updates especially when traveling and access to high speed internet is not available.
3. The AUR software may be outdated or not always safe. It is advised to inspect the code before installing packages from AUR.
As a conculsion, Arch Linux is a distribution of choice for those who want to learn Linux, bleeding edge software, simplicity and a rich wiki. Arch can be perfectly stable if updates are applied.
As a rule of thumb, always back up your system no matter what software or distro you use.
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Version: current
Rating: 7
Date: 2022-04-27
Votes: 5
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The package management system is bipolar. By that I mean there are many things not in the official repositories that need to be installed with a separate program. These are apps packaged by the community at large. So some apps are installed with Pacman, some apps are installed with (in my case) Yay. Each app is used to update apps separately. Hopefully you trust the community as much as the distribution maintainers.
If you are coming from other distros, you may be suprised to learn that the kernel upgrades do not automatically update grub entries. There is a way to do this automatically when updating the kernel that is not well promoted by installing a package called 'grub-hook'. Kernel upgrades are not versioned, meaning they will be named linux not linux-5.14.4, etc. It makes it difficult to upgrade the kernel but keep your old version in case of problems. This can also be done by installing linux-versioned-bin (or Zen) packages. Not intuitive. Once I had it all setup it works like other distros.
Pros: Can set up a lean system without bloat
Package updates/installs are fast
Rolling release, no upgrade discs needed
Newer software versions than most distros
Decent documentation in Arch wiki
Zen kernels (known as Liquorix in Deb/Buntu)
Cons: Strict forum moderators
Many caveats/stumbling blocks
Higher learning curve
No graphical automated installer
Few update notifier options
Sensiitve fan base
Not newbie friendly IMO
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-04-26
Votes: 14
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Arch is an optimal place to land after distro-hopping.
1. Both up-to-date packages & stability, means that you aren't forced to choose between old&stable, or, testing&broken functionalities.
2. Large repository of binaries + AUR, means you don't have to waste time and resources rebuilding your entire system to update it.
3. Smart package manager to sort out dependency conflicts and maintain your system.
4. Unbeaten in its up-to-date and thorough community-supported documentation.
5. Customize the system you want without bloat & learn Linux while you do it.
6. Strong free software support, while being practical about the need to interact with the non-free software world.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-04-24
Votes: 5
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It is true that Arch is a trap, in the sense that it's so good it'll prevent you from using anything else. Anything but Arch after learning Arch feels like flushing valuable knowledge right down the toilet.
I say this because I was enticed by the new Ubuntu LTS release, and while better than expected, I could not stomach the amount of preinstalled packages and the terrible performance of my games compared to my beloved zen kernel.
Once you learn..Arch cannot be topped, it will never be replaced. I love you.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-04-09
Votes: 4
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Once you go into Arch you never go back :).
Asides of small problems after updating its my best choice. Edgy software, huge number of packages thanks to AUR, awesome wiki, nice perfomance...
A bit hard learning curve but once you get used to its not that bad. Don't use it if you don't like the "do it yourself" thing or have little time to fix/tweak things.
Started in the gnu linux universe with Ubuntu derivatives and ended up in Arch with KDE. As for now it's my most used distro by far.
I don't regret saying this: I use Arch BTW.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-04-04
Votes: 17
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literally the best Linux distro out there. I was tired of installing new distros again n again. Actually, I have an old system and I was having issues with the majority of distros. But last week, I installed the Arch base system with XFCE, and I couldn't believe how GOOD it is. As of now, my system is just using 340MB minimum ram. Which is the best so far on my system. However, I tried EndeavourOS, which also performed quite well on my system, but was not as good as the Base Arch + XFCE. I tried installing LXQT, but somehow the display output was not right. It was like a rendering issue or something. So I switched back to XFCE and now Imma keep it as it is.
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Version: current
Rating: 7
Date: 2022-03-24
Votes: 0
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I was (and still am on a few) running Debian on my workstations/laptops. I have switched a couple out to arch and have been pretty satisfied with it so far. Updates are easy and I have been able to find most software. I am missing a package I am really used to on Debian. There are others that could possibly take it's place, so I either learn them or figure out how to build the package and possibly submit it to the AUR.
My servers still run Debian and will due to Debian's stability from controlled releases.
For my personal daily use machines I like that Arch is more tailored. It is quick to boot and shutdown. Bluetooth for my headphones was the only thing to work on, but the Arch Wiki is great.
Overall I will probably be running Arch on my personal machines for a while.
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-03-23
Votes: 0
|
I was (and still am on a few) running Debian on my workstations/laptops. I have switched a couple out to arch and have been pretty satisfied with it so far. Updates are easy and I have been able to find most software. I am missing a package I am really used to on Debian. There are others that could possibly take it's place, so I either learn them or figure out how to build the package and possibly submit it to the AUR.
My servers still run Debian and will due to Debian's stability from controlled releases.
For my personal daily use machines I like that Arch is more tailored. It is quick to boot and shutdown. Bluetooth for my headphones was the only thing to work on, but the Arch Wiki is great.
Overall I will probably be running Arch on my personal machines for a while.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-03-04
Votes: 21
|
I switched from Debian about 2 years ago, and I can say that that I love the fact that Arch is a rolling release and I don't have to wait long months for a new feature or updated software to be available. Installing, managing and updating your system is a breeze with a few simple commands. I also love that the huge user community that constantly contributes to the AUR. I honestly don't have any complaints. I use it as my daily driver, and to run my personal servers.Installation is not as difficult as some people make it out to be. Just follow the installation wiki. Arch is really well documented.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-02-14
Votes: 22
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I tried multiple Distros and I have to say that Arch is still the one that I keep returning to.
The thing that I enjoy the most of arch is the custimization and performance.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-02-14
Votes: 3
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It remains the best distro I've ever tried.
Long live the Arch! :)
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-02-11
Votes: 6
|
It is the distribution that has the best documentation. Arch Linux is also the fastest distro to boot and shut down the system, as well as great responsiveness. Zen Kernel is simply wonderful for its performance for desktop machines, laptops.
Another advantage of Arch Linux is its collection of packages that, together with the AUR, leaves nothing missing for the user. Other distros based on Arch Linux, such as Artix, Manjaro and others have problems that Arch does not. Despite being a rolling release distro, I've never had any issues with system crashes. I've jumped between many distros: Gentoo, Void, Artix, Debian, Fedora, Slackware, among others, Arch was the one that did the best in performance.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-02-10
Votes: 1
|
Tried Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Fedora, :D, then my first touch with Arch was with Manjaro couple of years ago, and after some use of few months and update it was broken. After that I spent my time to learn how to install Arch through Arch Wiki. I am using Arch maybe 6 years now, on desktop and laptop and I have no problems with it. This is the best linux distro for now.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-01-27
Votes: 11
|
Using Arch Linux for 5 years now. No complaints whatsoever. Tried EndeavourOS, ArcoLinux and Manjaro, but settled with Arch.
I am the head of software engineering department in a software company. Arch is my daily driver with no alternative or parallel OS.
Truly love this distro and a huge shout out to the developers. Love you guys.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-01-27
Votes: 0
|
Finally, a distro with a live cd that properly boots from /dev/mmcblk0!
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Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-01-24
Votes: 2
|
I use Arch to support all my office work including my internet administration. Arch is a robust distro that I've been using for almost 10 years
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-01-24
Votes: 3
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I've run any possible distro during the years, I'm an accomplished linux sysadmin and I can say with no doubt that Arch is the best distro available nowadays. Period.
No stability issues in years, always the best wiki and the greatest package manager available.
Definitely worth to spend some time in learning the basic installation or simply follow one of the many tutorial available on the net.
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Version: current
Rating: 5
Date: 2022-01-21
Votes: 0
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I'm by no means an advanced Linux user, though maybe some of my colleagues would disagree seeing as I've been using it daily at work as a developer and DevOps engineer for the past 10 years.
This is the only OS that is inaccessible based on your own knowledge of Linux. Where all other distros have understood the basic concept and importance of providing some kind of GUI to get you started, Arch has never bothered with this. For that I definitely applaud Arch for staying true to what it is and defiant in the face of change.
That said, the supposed benefits of the OS are out of reach to all but the most dedicated and motivated. For those of us who have full-time jobs, families, hobbies, friends and so on. It remains an OS that once every year or so, we try to get a feel for based on great feedback but then ultimately end up going back to another more user-friendly OS.
I hate to compare Arch to Manjaro but Manjaro does exactly what I wish Arch did (which is why it exists). User-friendly install, basics for detecting hardware (so you miss nothing) and a simple DE (which you can immediately remove/replace) so you can at least navigate the OS outside of the shell.
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Version: current
Rating: 5
Date: 2022-01-21
Votes: 10
|
I give it a 5 instead of a 3 because I use a couple arch based distros all the time and they are terrific. Pacman is superb. I have been using linux since the mid 90's and I decided to give it another go today. I use slackware current and a few others but mostly slackware. I always laugh when I do a slack install with the graphical selections to setup your system since it's been like that for decades. Yet it works and you are up and cooking in less than a half hour from scratch.
This OS is deliberately a PITA to install, and it shows. I guess it's some sort of initiation ritual based on the community attitude. Command line partitioning and fstab making is cool, great, but it's not necessary for 25 years. Making public knowledge unnecessarily obfuscating does not make it tribal expertise. It makes it difficult to use. I have better things to do. Sorry, not this time.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-01-18
Votes: 19
|
Arch Linux is like your wife. You'll always cherish how it began and what the marriage has become. Sometimes you fight. Sometimes she gets under your skin. It'll be fine by tomorrow, like always. The marriage rolls on.
Love ya, babe.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-01-04
Votes: 1
|
Installation process is not ideal for beginners or novices. With the right packages, Arch makes for a good desktop, server, HTPC, etc. Stable and stays out of the way. Never had a problem with Arch that wasn't my fault.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-21
Votes: 3
|
Arch Linux is really the ideal distribution to build a system from ready-made components and for your own purposes.
In direct hands and with the right skill, it will be more stable than Debian.
A key feature is its 'pacman' package manager, which is lightning fast, at the apt and zypper level, and outperforms dnf in terms of speed.
Its delivery always includes fresh packages, and if something is missing, you can use the AUR.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-18
Votes: 5
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Arch is the endgame of Linux. As most people using Arch, my Linux experience has been the same for many more. Start with Ubuntu, distrohoppin to other distros, learn, get frustated between distros for things that work, do not work, up to date or not up to date.
And then challenge yourself to do a Arch installs:
I use Arch with three differents kernels/setups and three different machines.
LTS for Server (without DE yet)
Normal for HTPC (XFCE with just 500MB usage)
Zen for Laptop (Cinnammon because I really liked from my time in Linux MInt)
Do-it-yourself is honestly the best approach. Documentation is key and Arch wins by a landslide.
I will never abandon Arch for any other distro out there.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-14
Votes: 5
|
Every time I use the smoothly functioning and attractive system that I built with Arch, free from useless bloat, I am exceedingly grateful for the work of FOSS developers and the Arch development team. It wasn't until I 'graduated' to Arch that I was able really understand, build and tweak an efficient, responsive and attractive bespoke system. Now there's a certain source-based meta-distribution luring me with its siren's call.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-08
Votes: 20
|
archlinux is an exceptional distro. i have used linux for the past 20 years and have tried many others in the past but nothing comes close to arch. the ability to almost build your system from scratch is unparalleled and it allows you to install only the software you will actually use. my full install with desktop is 7.5 GB with no software that i don't actually use. i can download youtube videos, rip & burn CDs, scan & print, edit pdf filesm full office suite functionality, watch and stream movies, stream music from home to my car and a bunch of other things.
as for stability i actually use arch on ALL of my machines both personal and professional use and i haven't had any issues with stability once switching to the LTS kernel and nvidia drivers. it has been too many years since i've had anything break since making the switch to LTS so i highly recommened using the LTS over the bleeding-edge branch.
again, i'd like to say thank you to the arch team and wish them the best in the future.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-07
Votes: 0
|
+minimalistic
+stable(I recomend timeshift in addition)
+lightweight
+packages are current version
+all packages that exist in repository+aur
+super package manager pacman
+the best choice after Manjaro or MXLinux(the both userfriendly)
+the best distro
-for middle+ linux user
-if you low experinced you may crash. Use timeshift
-need time to learn
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-06
Votes: 0
|
When you reach a certain fluency in handling the system, arch has no rival in terms of robustness, enjoying a permanently updated system. I have installed it on a laptop with a hybrid graphics card, thanks to the support provided by the tutorial posted on the endeavour website which, at the moment, is more up to date than the one on the arch website.
Although, let's be reasonable, I would never install an arch system on a company computer, where reliability is more important than the fact of being continuously updated...
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-12-05
Votes: 1
|
Nothing to say exept that Arch is a wonderful distro, I installed it with Arch Linux GUI that include NVIDIA Graphics drivers, paru (AUR Helper) and pre-customization. Arch work great, it's fast and efficient.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-11-30
Votes: 0
|
Tried a lot of distros over the years and the most solid one for me was always Arch. Even for servers in my home lab everything runs smooth.
Simple, lightweight and just great.
I think the installation process is really simple and gives a better understanding about linux systems.
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Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2021-11-28
Votes: 0
|
Fun Experience to install, Massive amounts of customization and an overall nice, lightweight distro.
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Latest Reviews
Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-09-28
Votes: 2
|
I've been using Arch on my main laptops for over three years. Its been a better experience than I had expected. Arch is fast, easy to use, if not install and has the AUR with its vast repository of software, that's hard to match. I've had to learn a lot about the command line, using Arch. Yes I've had to trouble shoot issues and not all of them, occasional black screen upon first starting the OS, have gone away, in spite of a lot of time spent on forums.
I do think Arch could do with an automated installer, for those who don't want to be running through things from the command line and I think people need to acknowledge there is maintenance and a few bugs attendant to Arch.
That said, these things are alright as there is a lot of upside too, particularly in terms of gaining independence and being able to set up your Arch OS, as you like as opposed to having a lot of unnecessary software installed by default and having to endure someone else's vision of what your OS should be.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-24
Votes: 6
|
Arch is a simple distro that focuses on simplicity and freedom of choice by its users. Its great if you want to completely customize your linux experience.
It has great community which maintains the Arch Wiki that i think is the best knowledge base there is for this moment.
Also it has a amazing package system called AUR, which has a very large collection of software that you can install with ease, almost in 1 command and not having to sit on it for a long time as it would be with another distros.
However, lets talk about bad things arch has, which is not much.
1. It is very beginner un-friendly, i'd say beginner offensive. You'd need to have rather big linux knowledge to use it, let alone install it
2. It forces you to customize everything. Sometimes it would be much easier to let the OS take care of everything
I don't think that any of those 2 things are that bad. If you are a beginner, you will learn one way or another. And the second one is barely a problem, since if you'd want to just use the OS, there is a lot of software like ArchInstall that automates a lot for you. Hell, you can install an Arch-based distro like Manjaro that has all the good things that Arch has, but are beginner-friendly
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-13
Votes: 8
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Arch is a very beautiful distro where everything is for you and by you. You build up everything as per your need . The package management with help of AUR is vast and biggest. It is stable also if you know how to keep it. It is not bloated as you install only what you need. A good configuration will make it the best distro and best OS. I am using this OS for more than 2 years though in between switched to few different Arch based and Non Arch based but again came back to Arch as I feel I have the ultimate freedom only in Arch .
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-11
Votes: 3
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Arch is awesome, I get current packages, I like to update almost daily, and I have had no stability issues. The wiki is one of the best linux help sources for sure. I have been using Arch for a couple years now, but I have been using Linux distros for about 15 years.
Installing was difficult if you follow the install instructions, specially for setting encrypted LVM Disks, otherwise it is pretty straight forward is you are comfortable with the terminal. If not, but it is easy enough if you use the provided ArchInstall program.
Highly recommend Arch.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-04
Votes: 4
|
I hadn't used Arch for years. I mostly use my computers for work and I need it to be very stable so I have mostly been on Ubuntu for half a decade or so. I decided to try Arch again and it's been great. You just need to be mindful of what you install on the system and to double check when you do an upgrade for any known issues. So far so good and I hope to be able to stay with it for a long while.
I am on a all MAD system for my main computer so I can't talk about how well the NVIDIA drivers are managed. KDE is my DE and it works great with my multiple monitors.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-09-03
Votes: 6
|
Switched to Arch on all of my computers in the last few months. I never dared to try it out because there is no graphical installer, but finally checked Arch out after reading their excellent documentation and fell in love with it. By following along installation instructions, there is a lot to learn about what graphical installers do for users without them knowing. I actually enjoy setting up Arch on my computers, and overcome challenges like LVM or RAID. Raspberry Pi 4 setup was pretty painless, shockingly easy. Even my rented VPS, with no official support through Arch images, was easy to install when I found out how to boot from custom ISO. Interestingly Arch is doing better there than other distros I tried before, using less RAM and being more responsive. Even my laptop and desktop computer both are happy with Arch and Gnome. It is a bit strange that Gnome Software only handles Flatpak, but offers no support for system packages and updates, but that can easily be handled through Pacman on the CLI. Works for me.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-30
Votes: 5
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The Arch Linux distribution is especially attractive due to its great versatility and modernity. The system consists of a very fast and reliable package manager thanks to Pacman.
Arch Linux is one of the distros of the moment, and it has its reasons for being so. It can be set up to suit everyone, it is a very reliable rolling release, with the latest versions of the applications available shortly after they are published and with a fairly high stability guarantee.
The lightweight and minimalist nature of the Arch is the main reason for its growing popularity in the tech community.
-Incredible universe of applications absolutely anything you need here you will have it and the latest.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-02
Votes: 7
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In a realm where penguins roam the land,
Linux users seeking a distro grand.
Amidst the choices, one stands apart,
A distillation of a hacker's art.
Enter Arch Linux, a system bold,
For those who seek control, it's pure gold.
With rolling release and bleeding edge,
An innovative journey, you'll be led.
In Arch, you'll find a minimalist grace,
A canvas blank, but with power to embrace.
Customization is the sacred creed,
Each pixel and package tailored to need.
Fear not, brave souls, the installation rites,
For through the ArchWiki's guiding lights,
The path shall clear, your doubts dispelled,
A treasure trove of knowledge, unparalleled.
In Arch, you craft a system your own,
From the base you build, like a cornerstone.
Unencumbered by bloat, it runs fleet,
A snappy response to your commands' beat.
Updates flow like a river's course,
Refreshing software with seamless force.
No version jumps, no system break,
A rolling journey, ever awake.
An AUR of wonders, a repository vast,
Community-driven, a voyage to last.
A plethora of packages at your command,
In this expansive realm, nothing is banned.
From servers to desktops, it scales with ease,
Across the spectrum, it aims to please.
For the seasoned user and the daring new,
Arch Linux beckons, ready to imbue.
Embrace the challenges, for they are the key,
To understanding Linux, truly set free.
So come forth, join the Arch brigade,
Where innovation and adventure never fade.
With Arch Linux, you'll find your way,
In this open-source world, where passions play.
A journey unique, a story to tell,
Why choose Arch? The answer is clear as a bell.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-08-01
Votes: 0
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Arch Linux is an absolute gem! As a bleeding-edge distro, it consistently keeps me at the forefront of technology, providing access to the newest and most innovative software. The ease of customization is truly remarkable, thanks to its minimalist design and the wide array of software available through the Pacman package manager + AUR. Being community-driven, it embraces the true spirit of Linux, untainted by corporate influence. This pure Linux bliss is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the authors and contributors who have crafted this remarkable distro. My heartfelt gratitude to them for making Arch Linux an exceptional experience!
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-07-31
Votes: 0
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THE BEST
The independently developed x86-64 general-purpose Linux distribution Arch Linux really provides the latest stable versions of most software with only a regular system update due to its rolling-release model.
The package manager for Arch Linux Pacman handles package installation, upgrades, downgrades and removal with great ease along with automatic dependency resolution. The packages are obtained from the Arch Linux package tree and are compiled for the x86-64 architecture.
Arch Linux is the best Linux distribution so far with a mildly difficult installation process for beginners.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-06-13
Votes: 0
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iam a bit new to linux but arch has been way more user friendly to me then ubuntu debian and fedora, with archinstall i could customise my system how i want and it was always updated. AUR and Pacman was usefull and not broken and bad like apt and dnf. and arch has been very minimal at usage of ram and disk space while other distros waste it mostly. thank you arch for existing and also. I use arch btw.
pros:
always updated
u can do what ever u want with it
very customizble
aur is the best package manager
cons:
some stuff might be broken after a update sinse they are very frequent and some stuff cant keep up
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-28
Votes: 0
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stable, customizable, like it, just u need to guide the manual or tutorials to install this OS, but no problem
why i recommend this distro:
1. very customizable
2. for programming
3. its stable
desktop enviorement recommended for me: kde plasma
like a advanced distro i dont recomend this distro for a newbies users, but if u want download it, just check the manual
pros:
1. u got all control from the distro
2. when u need to install a package, the wiki has all of u
3. for comunity to the comunity, so u get so documental in the oficial page
but:
1. hard to install, but they we have tutorials and the wiki
2. bad update and u brake the system
in conclusion: RANK A
its so recomendable for advanced users, but if u are newbie, its so hard to install this, i recomend if u are newbie this distros: manjaro, endeveaur and garuda, but if u are advanced and u need a pure experience, this distro is for you
thanks for reading :)
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-20
Votes: 1
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Ah, behold, the magnificent Arch Linux, a distro that elevates my digital existence to unprecedented heights. As a connoisseur of the intricate intricacies of the technological realm, I am well-versed in the mystical arts of Linux, and thus, my tryst with Arch Linux was a foregone conclusion. Permit me, dear readers, to regale you with my grandiose account of this unparalleled experience.
Arch Linux, with its ethos of simplicity, beckoned to me, drawing me inexorably into its esoteric embrace. A meticulously crafted masterpiece, it demands not the feeble acquiescence of the technologically illiterate but rather the unwavering resolve of the cognoscenti. A pantheon of sophisticated tools awaits the noble user who dares traverse its perplexing labyrinth.
From the moment of installation, Arch Linux elucidates its immutable dominion over mere mortals. An inscrutable command-line interface, bedecked with enigmatic commands and cryptic syntax, invokes a sense of awe and reverence within the enlightened few who dare invoke its powers. One must navigate a treacherous sea of documentation, replete with obscure jargon and arcane rituals, to bestow upon oneself the divine gift of Arch Linux.
Once ensconced within the hallowed realm of Arch Linux, the majestic simplicity of its package manager, Pacman, is laid bare. With unassailable command, it scours the annals of the vast repositories, procuring the most coveted software artifacts with effortless grace. Dependencies are but pawns in Pacman's game, effortlessly sating the voracious appetites of my technological desires.
And lo, the true beauty of Arch Linux lies in its ethereal customizability. It bestows upon me, the noble user, the power to mold and shape the digital universe according to my mercurial whims. The delicate symphony of the X Window System, choreographed by the maestro-like expertise of the Arch user, weaves a tapestry of aesthetic delight across the vast canvas of my screen.
Yet, I cannot ignore the pitfalls that beset the path of Arch Linux disciples. The fragile edifice of this distro demands constant vigilance and the dexterity of a seasoned acrobat. The faint of heart shall stumble upon the precipice of frustration, as frequent updates challenge their very resolve. Only the stalwart and unwavering may bask in the glory of a well-maintained Arch Linux installation.
In conclusion, dear readers, Arch Linux stands as a towering colossus amidst the mundane hordes of mainstream distros. Its formidable learning curve and elegant simplicity shall both humble and exalt those brave enough to venture into its mystical embrace. It is a distro for the intellectuals, the artisans of technology, the connoisseurs of digital enlightenment. With Arch Linux as my beacon, I navigate the digital cosmos, radiating an aura of superiority, secure in the knowledge that I am among the elite few who have unlocked the true essence of the Linux experience.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-05-17
Votes: 0
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The best.
I tried most of the major linux distros, and arch linux just works. Very fun and easy for daily use and work. Install is also super fast now with the built in scripts. Pacman, AUR are also amazing. The rolling release on arch is very fast and very good, even better than opensuse tumbleweed in general, no need to worry about anything breaking at all. Arch linux along with the Sway tiling window manager is the unbeatable setup in 2023! The Arch Wiki is so good that you can find anything on it and its super clear.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-05-03
Votes: 5
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Reviewer:
Experienced user, Linux, BSD, MAC, Windows, DOS, CPM, etc
2nd review (follow-up), on Arch, first review was favorable on an initial user's experience, now a couple years later, still impressed using the system.
In general, the installation is poor for beginner, satisfactory for experienced, the operating system is good overall. Using Mate desktop (gnome2 fan)
Pros:
Very good, stable operating system, installed on 10+ systems. Hardware ranging from over 10 years old to modern.
Even with the constant updates available, have not experienced any issues overall. The ability to acquire advanced features of software, I opted transitioning from Debian due to issues with repositories after systems ran for years. Debian upgrades did not always go smoothly, starting over was time consuming and disruptive.
I don't recall experiencing a failed system update (rolling system updates), rarely reboot, with systems running months or more.
In my experience, a headless Arch server has only been restarted in once in 2 years due to a 3 day power outage.
Backups, cloning, and replicating is where the Arch systems really shine, transitions from one drive to another, one system to another are smooth. I can clone a clean system, or a fully configured system in minutes (via rsync). This is my primary reason using Arch, maintaining the spouse's computer became trivial.
Aside upgrading, cloning, and backups, Arch is comparable to running Debian or similar. Arch is best suited to someone experienced in Linux, for installation, once administered, anyone can use it. It is very trim & lite when first installed.
Latest system install from scratch, System 76 Pangolin 12 (just release at time of review), installation was a little rough due to operator being rusty, once installed experienced crashes and lockups for the first few days, but has been running stable for a few days now after various firmware and driver updates.
Boot time is 2 to 5 seconds on a fast SSD drive, operating system running well with heavy loads, several virtual machines, many browser tabs, etc.
(Drivers and firmware was not an Arch issue)
Cons:
Installation was a bear (first time), learning curve steep, too many choices for a beginner, I recommend Debian for a beginner, far easier. I had just recently installed on a new laptop (for fun), and still was tripped up on the many steps to know, requiring a second system to look up information. On a positive note, I know there is work going on for helpful scripting to ease the pain.
Forums - Before I used Arch, I found a wealth of general Linux help on the Arch forums and users were helpful. This is what actually encouraged me to try Arch. Lately I see forum members scolding beginners referring to "Reading the manual", "Not going to help" in response to help requests. I fail to understand why someone would bother to deter another user, rather than help, I find this behavior should be discouraged by admins and moderators.
Updates become frustrating at times, some systems are updated less frequently (don't fix whats not broken), only to find everything is out of sync. Not a show stopper, but frustrating when trying to install a minor app or tool, only to have to update the system. Admittedly, I know this is the philosophy, and it doesn't take that long to update. Fortunately, the repositories are usually in very good shape, and fixes are fast.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-04-29
Votes: 0
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This is the best linux distribution available for linux power users. I have been on it since 2011 and absolutely love the speed, power, simplicity and customizability it provides. ArchWiki and the arch forums are a goldmine of information. Right from installation from scratch to solving any driver compatibility issues, search for it and you will either find a page on the wiki or a thread in the forum, given the large community of linux power users using Arch. It boots fast, installs packages really fast and keeps itself and all the applications always updated, so you don't have to worry about being on old versions of popular applications.
AUR is beyond compare with most probably the largest repository of software available for linux. Any program not vetted and put in main channels can be found there and be easily installed with a helper or by hand using makepkg and pacman -U.
This is a gift to humanity.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-04-27
Votes: 3
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Arch Linux is a very fast booting and performing distro and has a boot time of around 15 seconds on a normal HDD. The installation process might be a bit hard for newbies but after one or two tries you get used to it.
The pacman package manager is fast and provides all the info someone might need. But installing something from the AUR is painful if you don't have a AUR helper like yay or paru, and I think that functionality should be included in pacman just like paru does it. And the AUR has another problem: Some packages only have source releases, and no binary ones. Fortunately most packages either have them or you can just use the Chaotic AUR for that.
And the last thing I want to mention is that if you have a problem that you most likely get a result either from the Arch Wiki or the Arch Forum. So even if you have a extremely rare problem, there probably already exists a solution in the Arch Forum or Wiki. Atleast that's my experience.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-04-06
Votes: 1
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I've learned more about linux installing Arch than I have being a "big distro" user since 2007.
The wiki is outstanding. And the feeling of starting from nothing and putting it together yourself is gratifying.
It's kinda like the software equivalent of building your own PC by buying the parts.
I'm a relatively new user & haven't experience any instability issues yet.
Although I am always prepared for it.
Having to manually install & update using AUR for some packages doesn't feel all that nice.
Seems like it takes a lot of effort to get something included in the official or community repos.
Still, all-in-all. It's makes your system feel unique and your own.
It's been my favorite distro thus far despite the extra bit of manual maintenance.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 6
Date: 2023-04-06
Votes: 1
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When I was using Arch, I did enjoy it. The simplistic nature of the packages with little to no dependencies is nice. No dependency hell. The community run project with no cooperate backing to force a direction can be a benefit for many. You choose what you want to install.
But there are downsides. The AUR while nice, is just a big git repo where you have to compile. Half of the stuff won't build and it can lead to packages break. Also, printer drivers from brother don't support Arch Linux and when you can't find it from the AUR, you're expected to build it yourself. The community is just ugh.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-03-28
Votes: 0
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Arch Linux is the fourth distro I have used and the second that I have used for more than 15 minutes(I have been using it for about 4 months). Manjaro was the first I used for an extended period(about 3 months before I switched to Arch). Arch Linux is there for people who enjoy trying new software and don't mind having to do some work on the system now and then.
Software is plentiful in Arch repositories. If a package is not in the repositories it is usually in the AUR. If it is not in either of those you probably do not need it. The official repositories include several browsers, Steam, most of the major DEs and WMs, 4 Linux kernels, and much more. Mojang provides an official AUR package for the Minecraft launcher. The PKGBUILDS provided by each AUR package should be read before building or installation.
The documentation is very good with the wiki being considered one of the best. There is a wiki page for almost anything you could ever want to do on your system.
Installation is not as hard as it seems but it is quite easy to mess up. However, your trusty archiso can allow chrooting into your broken system to fix it.
While updates occasionally break the system, the Arch team usually posts notices to the archlinux.org homepage of these breaking updates as well as steps to fix the problem.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-03-19
Votes: 0
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If someone is looking for a distribution that allows a lot, and at the same time is quite easy to use, then Arch Linux is the perfect choice.
And this AUR - a revelation!!! It's like a flatpak, only in a more developed form.
All in all, Arch is what we're all looking for :)
If someone is looking for a distribution that allows a lot, and at the same time is quite easy to use, then Arch Linux is the perfect choice.
And this AUR - a revelation!!! It's like a flatpak, only in a more developed form.
All in all, Arch is what we're all looking for :)
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-03-02
Votes: 1
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Installation can be a bit difficult (specially for newbie), but once you undestood how install it's always the same procedure, so you can setup an Arch system from USB to DE in about 15/20 minutes. There's also archinstall, which semplifies the installation process by guiding it.
I always install Arch on my pcs because it's leaving me the freedom of doing what I want with my system, without installing apps that I don't need, pushing packaging systems that I don't want or deciding if i need codec or drivers or not.
Not talking about AUR, in which you can find everything that can comes to your mind. If something it's not in the AUR, you can both create your own AUR package, helping who, like you, needs this particulary package, or compile it directly from the source (like every distro).
On old or slow computer I feel almost obbligated in installing Arch: even with KDE or GNOME, the most heaviest DEs, it runs smoothly even if the pc has 4gb of ram and HDD. Setting zram up is really easy if you need it, and if you use archinstall, this will be done automatically if you setting it in the installer.
Some years ago, Arch could be considered as an "elite" distro. But today I think it's ready to be mainstream. Yeah, even with archinstall it's not simple as Ubuntu or Fedora or other mainstream distro, but it's a good alternative for who want to learn something while configuring what the system needs
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-26
Votes: 0
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As a AMD Radeon graphics card user, arch has been a blessing. Fast and reliable updates, on a desktop that i can setup myself from scratch that provide me with great performance and access to the huge library of arch and arch user repositories. You will be hard pressed to find a linux package that is not available on arch in one way or another. Furthermore it is easy to setup all the required software for gaming, especially through steam, and i am glad to say that pretty much my entire library is playable now.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-17
Votes: 0
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I hadn't used Arch for years. I mostly use my computers for work and I need it to be very stable so I have mostly been on Ubuntu for half a decade or so. I decided to try Arch again and it's been great. You just need to be mindful of what you install on the system and to double check when you do an upgrade for any known issues. So far so good and I hope to be able to stay with it for a long while.
I am on a all MAD system for my main computer so I can't talk about how well the NVIDIA drivers are managed. KDE is my DE and it works great with my multiple monitors.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-16
Votes: 2
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I have been using Arch as my sole operating system on both my notebook and my main computer for many years.
In all these years I have no problems with the rolling release model. In only very rare cases something has to be changed manually, and the Arch homepage provides exemplary information about any necessary interventions.
I appreciate the always up to date software, which comes quickly into the pact sources after it has passed the test phase. So you are always up to date and do not have to wait until a new release comes out. In addition to the official sources, you can also find many other programs via AUR that you may need in addition. Again, I have never had a problem with a package. The system can be installed individually and runs very fast. I can therefore recommend Arch without reservation.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-08
Votes: 0
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The performance that I manage to get out of my old Machines with Arch is simple outstanding and I am amazed of how easy is to setup everything.
I love how lightweight it feels compared to every other distro of linux i Tried.
And pacman + aur is just something that you don't have to leave and open a browser to search for unsense stuff ever.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-02-03
Votes: 1
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Kiss Kiss Kiss! Runs fast; bleeding edge, stable though (OK, may be not as much as Debian stable, but more than enough for everyday personal and professional use)
I have been wandering though many linux distributions: starting with RedHat 5.2Apollo in 1998, then rpm-ish Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora, Centos or apt-ish Debian, Ubuntu, Mint; also tried (open)Suse. Unitil I met arch linux nearly 10 years ago. I never moved since. There is now no good reason to do so.
Pros: lightweight, pacman (+yay/aur extensions), archwiki and the community, CLI install (yes, it's in the pros)
Cons: the Arch logo
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-25
Votes: 0
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I have tried many flavours of Linux over the last 20 years or so, usually running multiple versions mapped to use the same data discs for documents, media etc. Having come from a Unix background I'm not afraid of the command line, but do prefer a GUI these days.
I still run multiple versions (currently Arch, Debian Testing, Fedora 37) on multiple machines all running the Cinnamon desktop (another extended evaluation exercise), but Arch has been my default distro for ~10 years now.
Pros:
- New Kernels and Nvidia drivers are released at the same time these days, meaning no compatibly issues, unlike others!
- Fast boot and running
- Stable (but I do have LTS installed as well just in case)
- Pretty pure, i.e. very little customisation of upstream packages which helps stability and speed of release of updated packages
- Use of non-free software much less painful than many distros
- Wiki - simply the best Linux documentation and a lot of effort goes in to keep the information current
- Can install exactly what you want, no more, no less
Cons:
- Command line install requires concentration and accuracy, but can get to a GUI in about 30 minutes after lots of practice
- No GUI installer
- The pacman GUI in the repository (apper) does not cater for packages in the AUR
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 7
Date: 2023-01-12
Votes: 2
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While Arch can be a desktop "distribution", I think of it more as a server installation. For a server, you just need a terminal and SSH (along with the traditional server software: nginx, php, mariadb or other SQL flavor).
As a server installation, I would rate Arch 10/10. It's awesome for that. I downgrade it for desktop installations because it is cryptic. You can do most everything you can do in any other distro, but sometimes it can take a bit of troubleshooting when things go weird.
The learning curve is steep, but the good news once you learn it most will apply to other distros. You may even feel like creating your own (lol).
All in all, it's not as steep of a learning curve as "linux from scratch".
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-10
Votes: 11
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Arch Linux is my distribution of choice due to the fact that it is the only current distribution which offers almost all the things I want from and like in a Linux distribution.
Pros:
* Rolling release makes it very easy to upgrade packages.
* Vanilla packages giving the intended original experience.
* Latest packages are available very quickly after the release.
* Possible to customize the distribution to your liking.
* Excellent documentation.
* Community support.
Cons
* Initial learning curve can be time consuming.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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I had some problem to setup my old NVIDIA card, on an Optimus laptop.
Bumblebee, prime, stuff from AUR, too many rebuilds.
With dual kernel installation (latest and LTS) every upgrade took a lot of time rebuilding DKMS modules.
But my laptop was rather old.
Now, with EndeavourOS I kept default Nouveau that supports Wayland on my old card.
In the past also tried Mannaro, that looks cool at time, but became soon a strange thing (a ubuntu-arch beast),
with version incompatibilities an among (older) official downstream and AUR repo.
I first installed Arch many years ago. I remember how I felt proud of my WiFi network setting, then I rolling upgraded until last year when my HDD surrendered.
Having an heavy setup procedure and a rolling upgrade, can leave you in your "Arch confort-zone", with distant memories on old setup procedures.
An example was new EndeavourOS setup that was btrfs/Wayland out of the box
I use "paru" instead of "yay", but I do not remember why (rust/go?)
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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Yes I have Installed Arch the Arch way, have also used the command line installer. Can it be a but frustrating yes but that is why they say RTFM. Yes there is A lot of reading but there Wiki is hands down the most useful wiki even for os's not based on Arch. It's even helped with this dell that has been a thorn in my side since day one. The duel AMD graphics which should automatically switch when under a heavy load and it doesn't. Fortunately for Steam all I do is start in the terminal with a DRI_PRIME=1 steam and all my games run using the discrete. None of which I had gotten from the Dell website.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-09
Votes: 0
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I have built hundreds of Arch systems.
My own has been migrated over dozens of different computers since 2007 by dumping package lists, home directories and configuration files and restoring them to the new system.
IMO the toughest part of installing the current Arch is setting up a boot loader.
The biggest con with running is that sometimes there are dependency issues after upgrades. I usually just roll back the image and wait a few days for a documented fix.
I can't see another distro replacing it for me.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 0
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I had trying a lot Linux distros. There is no such thing like a perfect distro for me, but there are less trouble distros and Arch one of them.
For example if you forgot to install net-tools or network manager you could boot from arch iso, mount rootfs to /mnt and pacstrap required packages. There is another way, you may play with chroot and console's package manager but this requres a little bit more actions (yah, this works for any Linux).
It's rolling and even if it formally may be an equivalent to unstable for LTS like manner, frankly it is more stable than a lot of LTS type distros (Ubuntu, Mx so on).
My previous Arch installation was about 7 years ago. It still works until now but I decided to reinstall it.The cause is old configs for some packages that may be less actual after a thousands updates and may lead to performance impact. In fact a fresh installed Arch on old pc (lga775 mb with 771 mod, Xeon, ddr2 mem, ssd, nvidia+prop. driver) same fast for regular tasks as my xps 15 9560 notebok. Arch is one of the fastest.
Pros:
+ bleeding edge / rolling-release
+ fast runing / very fast installation in compired to most debian based distros ( parallel package downloads / fast package manager )
+ stable enought for user pc
+ AUR
+ wiki.archlinux.org
+ ffmpeg with turned on hw-encoding. There are a lot of educational videos available on internet, but most of them boring and lead me to sleep. So i transcoding it to highter speed and watch later on tablet. hw-encoding save a lot of time and some space. (By the way some video players may change playing speed, but moust of them make speech non understandable)
Cons / Pros:
- / + reqires some expiriense and knowledge, even if you don't have it you will get it, partially during install and tune. There are some installation scripts even a pseudo-graphic one exists and you may use it for fast start with Arch but during use system you will turn to console for administration things after all.
- / + systemD, mostly i do not care of systemD hollywar, but a no-systemD distros react a little bit faster when difference only on init systems
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 1
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 0
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I am a long-time Linux user. Actually, I started with openSUSE Linux in 2005. Since then, I have worked with several different Linux distributions. In the last 6 months I tried Arch Linux times in different versions and now. The installation of the multimedia codecs never worked as documented! Always some transitive dependencies are missing. The conflict resolution of pacman also does not really help here. For this reason, I can not recommend Arch Linux as a desktop operating system. Sadly. Arch Linux, please solve that multimedia codec mess and don't release an operating system when multimedia codecs don't install without errors...
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2023-01-01
Votes: 2
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one of the best linux distros out there.Installing it is a tremendous learning experience.It is upto the end user to make the distro as per their wish.It does have a learning curve but at the end of the day it is well worth it.The customizability it offers is second to none.It offers all the latest bleeding edge software and nearly every software can be found in Arch User Repository (AUR) if not the main repositories. It also supports various file systems such as ext3, ext4 , btrfs ,zfs , etc.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-12-14
Votes: 0
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Because Arch is the best linux distribution.
Pros:
+fast.
+easy to use.
+like vanilla.
+powerful package manager.
+if you like control over operating system Arch is for you.
+low hardware requirement.
+completely customizable
+good documentation.
+you get a better understanding of how Linux works.
+rolling release(I like rolling release instead of LTS)
+Arch Linux is one of the rare few community-only Linux distribution projects.
Cons:
-not for newbie user.
-if you don't have much time for configuration stuff not for you.
overall very good linx distro
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-20
Votes: 0
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Pros:
+ lightweight (low hardware requirements)
+ customizable (not just how it looks!, you can customize almost everything)
+ fast package manager with expansive AUR
+ great wiki and documentation
+ great way to learn about linux and its internal workings
+ much simpler to install now with archinstall
+ bleeding edge software and fast updates
+ easy to "rice", if you're into that sort of thing
Cons:
- not great for beginners that don't understand a lot of the basics of installing a linux system (partitioning, filesystems, bootloader, etc)
- very terminal-centric, could be a turn-off for some
- requires a lot of initial effort to get started and a little more effort to iron out issues later on
Overall, a 10/10. I daily drive Arch on both my home PC as well as my laptop for schoolwork. I find that it works fine on both use cases and isn't too harsh on battery life.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-13
Votes: 0
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Because Arch is the best linux distribution.
Pros:
+fast.
+easy to use.
+like vanilla.
+powerful package manager.
+if you like control over operating system Arch is for you.
+low hardware requirement.
+completely customizable
+good documentation.
+you get a better understanding of how Linux works.
+rolling release(I like rolling release instead of LTS)
+Arch Linux is one of the rare few community-only Linux distribution projects.
Cons:
-not for newbie user.
-if you don't have much time for configuration stuff not for you.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-11
Votes: 0
|
I'm using Arch for over a decade now, mainly on Laptops. Whatever I had to learn about Arch, be it the installation process or be it how to maintain it: It was a one time investment and I never regretted it. Coming from Windows (since Version 2) and many other Linux distros (my first one was a SUSE Linux 4.2) I was looking for a distro that suited my needs. Minimal, fast, KISS, easy to maintain (without the need to care repeatedly about broken dependencies), with good and extensive documentation, with a large and helpful community and finally bleeding edge. Arch brought everything to the table and so I still stick with it.
If you are a somewhat experienced Linux user who prefers to spend his/her time using the machine rather than maintaining it (or fixing broken dependencies), then you are in good hands with Arch Linux.
Pros:
+ fast
+ stable
+ easy to maintain
+ KISS principle (Keep it simple, stupid!)
+ powerful package manager (pacman)
+ extensive software repository
+ very good documentation (english wiki)
+ large and helpful community
+ Linux self education (RTFM, Learning by mistakes -LBM-, Learning by doing -LBD-)
+ bleeding edge
Cons:
- not for beginners or unexperienced Linux users (especially GUI-fanatics)
- non-standard AUR (Arch User Repository) packages can be a pitfall. Be cautious!
Absent aunt edit: typos for sale! (/ironyoff)
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-11-05
Votes: 0
|
Pros:
1. No bloat - control what you install, with minimal core features to start with
2. Cutting edge packages
3. Documentation
Cons:
1. Aur can lead to some inconsistencies for some packages
2. Sometime more hand work required for some packages installed from outside of official repositories
It can be difficult to install and maintain for newbies, but still much easier than LFS or Gentoo.
I like it does not rely on sandboxes like snap (you can install them but not pushed to do that, like in some other distros),
Cutting edge packages means I can more efficiently support my cutting edge hardware.
Overall, even at some cons - solid 10
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 9
Date: 2022-11-03
Votes: 5
|
I migrated to Arch KDE after 3.5 years on Manjaro. The constant problems with the conflict between Manjaro's packages and the AUR, in part, prompted the move. Its been six months now, going on seven. I've had hardly any issues and certainly none of consequence with Arch. Being able to use the AUR without holding my breath, for fear something will break, has been great.
Arch is quick, easy to use and solid. Those claiming its an enthusiast's distro might want to look at how far Arch has come. Steamdeck, the gaming platform sold to millions is based on Arch not Debian (which I also use on another laptop and have a lot of time for).
Lots of upside and very little downside, save perhaps the need, for a more accessible forum.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 8
Date: 2022-10-27
Votes: 3
|
stable, fast packages to load. Fast and stable system
Easy to resolve conflicts, with lots of information available on the internet
pacman is very good and easy
Only install what is needed
I was positively surprised and keep developing this OS
I installed all the packages I needed
It would be convenient to facilitate the installation and configuration of PHP, Apache, phpmyadmin and MariaDB Server
Samba was very difficult to set up.
not all information available about the configuration of the packages mentioned above is correct
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-10-11
Votes: 12
|
It's not for noobs, sure, but it's not LFS either !
Tried it on mon 2009 iMac, never switched back to anything else, replaced Mint with it on my laptop, but I kept Cinnamon as my DE
Sometimes it breaks, but every time was my doing ^_^
Pros:
The rolling release is what I do like about it, but what I prefer is the documentation on the wiki, with gentoo, it's one of the best out there !
The package management and bleeding edge software availability
Cons:
Kernel updates that leads to a reboot every week or so :-)
By the way, I use Arch ;-)
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 8
Date: 2022-10-06
Votes: 6
|
The only right choice if you don't want your system to install unneeded apps and you wanna have full control over your machine.
If there's a software installed on your system, you must have installed it yourself.
It'd be cool if people had the choice to choose a different init system, but I assume that would require extra work from devs and cause lots of problems.
Pros:
- lightweight. After fresh install you have to install additional programs instead of removing them from your freshly installed system like in Windows 10 or some other linux distros
- community driven
- fast package manager/mirrors (pacman)
- software availability (pacman, AUR, flatpak, snap, appimages)
- pretty good documentation on Archwiki
Cons:
- not good for newbies. It isn't a 'just works' distro. You need to learn some terminal commands to setup your system.
- occasionaly things break after updating so it's good to know how to fix the system using arch-chroot command
- no way to install a different init system than systemd
- no recovery partition or anything like that. You need to have a USB stick with Arch ISO on it to fix your system
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-10-05
Votes: 0
|
Sometimes, while I am working, I become distracted by the elegance of Arch Linux. Arch Linux allows for a high degree of customization out of the gate, while pacman (+AUR) provides automatic dependency resolution and support for the unfortunate proprietary blobs and software that (for now) some of us must still use. From the moment you boot into the installer, you are forced to make deliberate choices for your system. The reward for your labour is becoming a more adept Linux user, with a customized system. I use GNU/Linux because when I otherwise use proprietary software, within seconds I become enraged by these non-free systems with deliberately programmed barriers to functionality and customization. Arch takes the logic of GNU/Linux and carries it to a golden mean between extreme customization and easy maintenance.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-24
Votes: 14
|
I use Arch since 2005.
It's my daily basis distro at home and at work.
From my experience and point of view Arch is way underrated by DW ranking contributors.
As a rolling release I don't need to worry about version nor to planify a migration.
As a rolling release one may argue or complain that things may break at each update ... I had to manually
intervene only 3 times in 17 years!
Living with a bleeding edge rolling release distribution such as Arch is a way to go for me!
I would rate it 11 but : a) DW don't permit it and b) ... well I miss sysvinit.
Keep up the great job and long life to Arch!
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-14
Votes: 13
|
A formidably configurable distro that never does hand-holding. Which means you are expected to read the (up-to-date) wiki and manpages, and apply good judgment instead of accepting given settings.
Boot time, both during initial OS and desktop environment loading, is blazing fast.
Firmware support (e.g., brand-new WiFi devices) is great, even on the install environment (which is just a Zsh shell). Their approach to proprietary firmware is quite reasonable.
Package groups and metapackages like gnome, base-devel, texlive-most (i.e., packages supposed to be shipped together) simplify things. Their package policy (e.g., all of OpenSSL in a package named openssl, instead of client, server, etc. in separate ones) makes sense.
Also, daemons aren't enable by default on systemd (which can be changed to runit, sysvinit, etc.). Except for the official wiki docs, you are on your own in terms of what is needed for a usable system.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: 2011.08.19
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-05
Votes: 6
|
My distro of choice had been Debian since Debian 4.0 (Etch) was released in 2007 with its graphical installer. It was the only distro which did all the things I wanted in a fuss-free way.
Like many readers I have evaluated a large number of distros and tried Arch some years ago.
For several releases of Arch I used the Anarchy installer and at times the Archfi installer script.
Since the installer was packaged with Arch it has been much smoother and quicker.
Arch is very fast. It boots quickly and shuts down quickly. Many distros shut down quickly now, usually within 2 seconds and Arch is among the crowd.
It would be nice to have a GUI package manager installed by default but I installed yay and octopi without much ado.
Once I got the hang of installing programs from the command line it was straighforward, eg:
sudo pacman -S sane
sudo pacman -S simple-scan
sudo pacman -S haruna
Arch pips Debian by having the most up-to-date kernel with 5.19.6-arch1-1 at the time of writing.
Having the ability to run commands in Arch as root or as a user instead of the dreadful sudo is a plus point on my checklist.
The vast repository of available packages has not disappointed.
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Project: Arch Linux
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2022-09-04
Votes: 1
|
I had installed Linux the first time end of 1992 (out of curiosity). Actually back that time it was nearly unusable due to the lack of applications.
That very much remained Linux' fate for some more years: ever tested - ever failed to find it usable for that very reason.
Finally completely switched to Linux in 2005 - that was Ubuntu. Since then I had (private and business) encounters with SuSE, Debian, Gentoo, Ubuntu, RedHat, Mint, Manjaro and MX.
When I installed Arch the first time in about 2015, I felt so incredibly much at home that I immediately dumped my main Linux and decided to stay with Arch - once and for all.
Never ever had any regrets - Arch is undoubtedly the distro for connaisseurs.
+
unbloated
always up-to-date
close-to-perfect packet manager
not build on top of another distro, which in turn is based on another distro, which... (you got the idea)
own (easy) packet creation and installation
quick response concerning bug and security fixes
easy system installation scripting
unlimited customization features
unbelievably good wiki and forums (the English ones, at least)
perfect choice for work, as the OS does not get in the way
-
requires at least some familiarity with Linux as such
rare occasions of packet installations colliding
if an update breaks, it is usually based on some proprietary stuff, not the distro itself
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