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Arch Linux RSS Feed DistroWatch.com: Arch Linux

Arch Linux


Last Update: 2025-12-12 02:21 UTC


Arch Linux is an independently developed, x86_64-optimised Linux distribution targeted at competent Linux users. It uses 'pacman', its home-grown package manager, to provide updates to the latest software applications with full dependency tracking. Operating on a rolling release system, Arch can be installed from a CD image or via an FTP server. The default install provides a solid base that enables users to create a custom installation. In addition, the Arch Build System (ABS) provides a way to easily build new packages, modify the configuration of stock packages, and share these packages with other users via the Arch Linux user repository.

Popularity (hits per day): 12 months: 28 (357), 6 months: 19 (532), 3 months: 13 (709), 4 weeks: 16 (682), 1 week: 23 (606)

Average visitor rating: 9.2/10 from 285 review(s).


Arch Linux Summary
Distribution Arch Linux
Home Page http://www.archlinux.org/
Mailing Lists https://lists.archlinux.org/listinfo/
User Forums http://bbs.archlinux.org/
Alternative User Forums
Documentation http://wiki.archlinux.org/
Screenshots DistroWatch Gallery
Screencasts
Download Mirrors http://www.archlinux.org/download/DistroWatch Torrent Archive
Bug Tracker http://bugs.archlinux.org/
Related Websites Planet ArchArch Linux ARMWikipediaArch BrazilArch ChileArch DenmarkArch FranceArch GermanyArch HungaryArch ItalyArch RussiaArch SpainArch Turkey
Reviews 2024: MichlFranken (German)
2023: DistroWatch
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2016: Keith Curtis
2015: DistroWatchKeith CurtisLWN
2011: Guillermo Garron
2010: LWN
2009: It's A Binary WorldDistroWatchAdventures in Open SourcePolishlinux
2008: Guia do PC (Portuguese) • DistroWatchOStaticBlogspotWordpress
2007: Blogspot
0.8: PolishlinuxPro-Linux (German) • Skatox (Spanish) • Tuxmachines
0.7: USALUGWordpressOSNewsLinMagazine (Hebrew) • Linux Magazine (PDF) • LinuxUser (German) • ABC Linuxu (Czech) • OSNewsLWNOSNews
0.5: OSNewsOSNews
0.3: OSNews
Where To Donate, Buy or Try

Recent Related News and Releases
  Releases announcements with download links and checksums:
 • 2012-11-02: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2012.11.01
 • 2012-10-07: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2012.10.06
 • 2012-09-08: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2012.09.07
 • 2012-08-05: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2012.08.04
 • 2012-07-22: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2012.07.15
 • 2011-08-20: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2011.08.19
 • 2010-05-18: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2010.05
 • 2009-08-09: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2009.08
 • 2009-02-17: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2009.02
 • 2008-06-24: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2008.06
 • 2008-04-16: Development Release: Arch Linux 2008.04 RC
 • 2007-10-07: Distribution Release: Arch Linux 2007.08-2
 • More Arch releases...

  Headlines:
 • 2025-08-19 Arch Linux experiences denial of service attack
 • 2025-08-01 Arch User Repository hit by more malware
 • 2025-07-19 Arch Linux discovers and removes malware from AUR
 • 2025-06-20 Arch splits Plasma session options into separate packages
 • 2025-05-28 Arch Linux installer gains support for Btrfs snapshots
 • 2025-02-17 Arch Linux is retiring old repositories
 • 2024-11-18 Arch system installer gets new text-based menu system
 • 2024-05-22 Arch community discusses mirror requirements
 • 2023-04-11 Arch powers the PINE64 PineTab-V
 • 2023-02-13 Arch Linux advises manual updating of base-devel
 • More Arch headlines...

Table Notes and Explanations

(Please refer to the table below.)
  • Select view:
  • To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
  • Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
  • Colour scheme: green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
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Feature current 2011.08.19 2010.05 2009.08 2009.02 2008.06
overlord
2007.08
dontpanic
0.8
voodoo
0.7
wombat
0.6
widget
0.5
nova
0.4
dragon
0.3
firefly
0.2
vega
0.1
homer
Feature
Release Date 2025-12-12 2011-08-19 2010-05-17 2009-08-09 2009-02-17 2008-06-24 2007-08-05 2007-04-01 2005-01-24 2004-03-01 2003-07-21 2002-12-18 2002-08-07 2002-04-17 2002-03-11 Release Date
End Of Life                               End Of Life
Price (US$) Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Price (US$)
Image Size (MB)   1-659                           Image Size (MB)
Free Download PKG ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO Free Download
Installation Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Text mode Installation
Default Desktop                               Default Desktop
Default Browser                               Default Browser
Package Management Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Pacman Package Management
Release Model Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling Release Model
Office Suite GOffice, Calligra, LibreOffice -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- KOffice KOffice KOffice     Office Suite
Processor Architecture x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686, x86_64 i686 i686 i686 i686 i686 i686 i686 Processor Architecture
Init Software systemd SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV SysV Init Software
Journaled File Systems Btrfs, ext3, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext3, ReiserFS ext3, ReiserFS ext3, ReiserFS ext3, ReiserFS ext3, ReiserFS Journaled File Systems
Multilingual                               Multilingual
Asian Language Support                               Asian Language Support
Full Package List current 2011.08.19 2010.05 2009.08 2009.02 2008.06 2007.08 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 Full Package List
Package current 2011.08.19 2010.05 2009.08 2009.02 2008.06
overlord
2007.08
dontpanic
0.8
voodoo
0.7
wombat
0.6
widget
0.5
nova
0.4
dragon
0.3
firefly
0.2
vega
0.1
homer
Package
alsa-lib (1.2.15) 1.2.14 -- -- -- -- -- 1.0.14 1.0.13 1.0.8 1.0.2 0.9.4 0.9.0rc6 0.9.0rc2 -- -- alsa-lib (1.2.15)
amdgpu (25.0.0) 25.0.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- amdgpu (25.0.0)
apparmor (4.1.2) 4.1.2                             apparmor (4.1.2)
apt (3.1.12) 3.1.12 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- apt (3.1.12)
bash (5.3) 5.3 4.2 4.1 4.0 3.2.48 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.0 2.05b 2.05b 2.05b 2.05b 2.05a 2.05a bash (5.3)
bind (9.20.16) 9.20.16 -- -- -- -- -- 9.4.1-P1 9.4.0 9.3.0 9.2.3 9.2.2 9.2.1 9.2.1 -- -- bind (9.20.16)
chromium (143.0.7499.109) 143.0.7499.109 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- chromium (143.0.7499.109)
cinnamon (6.6.0) 6.4.13 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- cinnamon (6.6.0)
cups (2.4.16) 2.4.16 -- -- -- -- -- 1.2.12 1.2.10 1.1.23 1.1.20 1.1.19 1.1.17 1.1.15 -- -- cups (2.4.16)
e2fsprogs (1.47.3) 1.47.3 1.41.14 1.41.11 1.41.8 1.41.4 1.40.8 1.40.2 1.39 1.35 1.35 1.33 1.32 1.27 1.27 1.25 e2fsprogs (1.47.3)
ffmpeg (8.0.1) 8.0.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ffmpeg (8.0.1)
firefox (146.0) 146.0 -- -- -- -- -- 2.0.0.6 2.0.0.3 1.0 0.8 -- -- -- -- -- firefox (146.0)
flatpak (1.16.1) 1.16.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- flatpak (1.16.1)
freetype (2.14.1) 2.14.1 -- -- -- -- -- 2.3.5 2.3.1 2.1.9 2.1.7 2.1.4 2.0.9 2.0.9 -- -- freetype (2.14.1)
gcc (15.2.0) 15.2.1 -- 4.5.0 4.4.1 -- 4.3.1 4.2.1 4.1.2 3.4.3 3.3.3 3.3 3.2.1 2.95.3 2.95.3 2.95.3 gcc (15.2.0)
gimp (3.0.6) 3.0.6 -- -- -- -- -- 2.2.17 2.2.13 2.2.2 2.0pre3 1.2.5 1.2.3 1.2.3 -- -- gimp (3.0.6)
git (2.52.0) 2.52.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- git (2.52.0)
glibc (2.42) 2.42 2.14 2.11.1 2.10.1 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.5 2.3.4 2.3.2 2.3.2 2.3.1 2.2.5 2.2.5 2.2.5 glibc (2.42)
gnome-shell (49.2) 49.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gnome-shell (49.2)
grub (2.12) 2.14rc1 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.95 0.94 0.93 -- -- -- -- grub (2.12)
gtk (4.20.3) 4.20.3 -- -- -- -- -- 2.10.13 2.10.11 2.6.1 2.2.4 2.2.2 2.0.9 -- -- -- gtk (4.20.3)
httpd (2.4.66) 2.4.66 -- -- -- -- -- 2.2.4 2.2.4 2.0.52 2.0.48 -- -- -- -- -- httpd (2.4.66)
inkscape (1.4.2) 1.4.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- inkscape (1.4.2)
kmod (34.2) 34.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- kmod (34.2)
krita (5.2.14) 5.2.14 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- krita (5.2.14)
LibreOffice (25.8.3) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- LibreOffice (25.8.3)
Package current 2011.08.19 2010.05 2009.08 2009.02 2008.06
overlord
2007.08
dontpanic
0.8
voodoo
0.7
wombat
0.6
widget
0.5
nova
0.4
dragon
0.3
firefly
0.2
vega
0.1
homer
Package
libselinux (3.9) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- libselinux (3.9)
linux (6.18.1) 6.17.9 3.0.3 2.6.33.4 2.6.30.4 2.6.28.4 2.6.25.6 2.6.22.1 2.6.20.4 2.6.10 2.6.3 2.4.21 2.4.20 2.4.19 2.4.18i 2.4.18 linux (6.18.1)
mariadb (12.1.2) 12.1.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mariadb (12.1.2)
mate-desktop (1.28.2) 1.28.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mate-desktop (1.28.2)
mesa (25.3.1) 25.3.1 -- -- -- -- -- 6.5.2 6.5.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mesa (25.3.1)
mysql (9.5.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.0.45 5.0.37 4.1.9 4.0.18 4.0.13 3.23.54 3.23.51 -- -- mysql (9.5.0)
nautilus (49.2) 49.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2.2.4 2.0.7 -- -- -- nautilus (49.2)
NVIDIA (580.119.02) 580.105.08 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- NVIDIA (580.119.02)
openjdk (25) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- openjdk (25)
openssh (10.2p1) 10.2p1 5.8p2 5.4p1 5.2p1 5.1p1 5.0p1 4.6p1 4.6p1 3.9p1 3.8p1 3.6.1p2 3.5p1 3.4p1 -- 3.1p1 openssh (10.2p1)
openssl (3.6.0) 3.6.0 1.0.0d 1.0.0 0.9.8k 0.9.8l 0.9.8h 0.9.8e 0.9.8e 0.9.7e 0.9.6l 0.9.6i 0.9.6h 0.9.6e -- 0.9.6c openssl (3.6.0)
perl (5.42.0) 5.42.0 5.14.1 5.10.1 5.10.0 5.10.0 5.10.0 5.8.8 5.8.8 5.8.6 5.8.3 5.8.0 5.8.0 5.8.0 5.6.1 5.6.1 perl (5.42.0)
php (8.5.0) 8.5.0 -- -- -- -- -- 5.2.3 5.2.1 5.0.3 4.3.4 4.3.2 4.2.3 4.2.2 -- -- php (8.5.0)
plasma-desktop (6.5.4) 6.5.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- plasma-desktop (6.5.4)
postfix (3.10.7) 3.10.7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postfix (3.10.7)
postgresql (18.1) 18.1 -- -- -- -- -- 8.2.4 8.2.3 7.4.6 7.4.1 7.3.3 -- -- -- -- postgresql (18.1)
Python (3.14.2) 3.13.11 -- -- -- -- -- 2.5.1 2.5 2.4 2.3.3 2.2.3 2.2.2 2.2.1 -- -- Python (3.14.2)
qt (6.10.1) 6.10.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3.3.3 3.3.0 3.1.2 3.1.1 3.0.5 -- -- qt (6.10.1)
samba (4.23.4) 4.23.3 -- -- -- -- -- 3.0.25b 3.0.24 3.0.10 3.0.2 2.2.8 2.2.7 2.2.5 -- -- samba (4.23.4)
systemd (258.3) 258.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- systemd (258.3)
thunderbird (146.0) 145.0 -- -- -- -- -- 2.0.0.6 1.5.0.10 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- thunderbird (146.0)
vim (9.1) 9.1 -- -- -- -- -- 7.1 7.0 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.0 vim (9.1)
vlc (3.0.22) 3.0.21 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vlc (3.0.22)
wayland (1.24.0) 1.24.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- wayland (1.24.0)
xfdesktop (4.20.1) 4.20.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3.8.18 4.0.3 3.8.18 3.8.18 -- -- -- xfdesktop (4.20.1)
xorg-server (21.1.21) 21.1.21 -- -- -- -- -- 1.2.0 1.2.0 (6.8.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- xorg-server (21.1.21)

Reader Ratings
Reader supplied reviews for Arch Linux

Average rating
9.1
from 285 review(s)



What are your thoughts on Arch Linux?
Please include a few pros and a few cons, along with your overall impression of the operating system.
Our FAQ page has tips on writing a good mini-review.

Version:

Rating:    out of 10

Your review (minimum 250 words):




Past reviews - sort by:

Version: current
Rating: 2
Date: 2025-12-11
Votes: 0


Arch Linux is well-known for its flexibility and minimalistic approach to Linux. However, for anyone who is not already familiar with Linux or advanced system management, the process of getting Arch up and running can be an exercise in frustration. While it offers unparalleled customization, it’s not the most user-friendly option—especially for beginners or those who are new to the Linux world.
Installation Process: Tedious and Confusing

One of the most significant hurdles with Arch Linux is the installation process. To start with, the instructions provided for creating a bootable USB drive are neither clear nor intuitive. You’re expected to download a 700 MB image, flash it to a USB drive, and configure the system from a terminal, all without much guidance. For those unfamiliar with Linux, this can be a daunting and confusing task.

What makes this worse is the official Arch Linux website. While it has a wealth of information, the design and structure leave much to be desired. The layout is overcrowded with links and information, and finding specific instructions can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. The official Arch Wiki, although detailed, is not written in the most approachable language, which further alienates newcomers.

For instance, when you try to download the ISO file, the website doesn’t make it immediately obvious where the latest release is, and even after you download it, there’s a maze of terminal commands and configuration files to navigate. It’s not a beginner-friendly process by any means, and it would be helpful if there were a more guided, graphical installation option or clearer step-by-step instructions for those who aren’t advanced users.
Website Design: Needs Improvement

As mentioned, the website could really use a redesign. The Arch Linux homepage, while functional, has a cluttered, somewhat outdated look. Key information is buried beneath layers of technical jargon, and there’s very little to guide users through the initial steps. The project’s focus seems to be on offering detailed, specific information for experienced users, but that leaves a large gap for those trying to get started.

The community documentation, though extensive, is not the most accessible for new users. A more intuitive FAQ section, streamlined for beginners, could go a long way toward helping first-time installers feel more confident.
Communication: A Course in User-Friendly Content

Arch Linux could greatly benefit from a course in effective communications. The lack of clear and concise instructions often leaves users feeling lost, especially those who are not seasoned Linux veterans. The installation guide is comprehensive but expects a level of prior knowledge that many users simply don’t have. A friendlier tone, along with beginner-focused guides, could significantly improve the overall experience.
Conclusion

Arch Linux has a dedicated user base for a reason: it offers complete control over your system. For power users, it’s a dream, offering maximum flexibility and customization. However, for anyone unfamiliar with Linux or new to the operating system, it’s a frustrating experience fraught with confusing instructions and poor website design.

If you’re a beginner, be prepared for a steep learning curve, and consider trying a more user-friendly distribution like Ubuntu or Linux Mint before diving into Arch. For experienced users, Arch is likely to be a rewarding challenge, but the website and installation process could use a serious overhaul to make the experience more approachable for everyone.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2025-12-08
Votes: 2


Arch Linux is a high-quality GNU/Linux distribution. I installed it with Archinstall on my old HP Compaq notebook from 2008 (upgraded with a SATA SSD and 4GB of RAM) with the LXQt desktop, and it brought it back to life. It's very high-performance and everything works perfectly. Even the updates released are of great quality, they only improve its quality. I get a full pass. Problems or bugs? None. I've never seen my old laptop work so well.
This is undoubtedly the best GNU/Linux distro I have used in many years.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: current
Rating: 10
Date: 2025-12-08
Votes: 2


i have been using archlinux for the past 20 years. i have used MANY different distros and still believe hands down arch is still the best in existence. i also like alpine but alpine's repository doesn't compare to the infinite vastness of arch's official and user repository databases. using the LTS kernel is key to never having any stability or update problems. in the beginning arch was difficult when i would use the cutting edge kernel but since switching to the LTS kernel and supporting packages 15+ years ago i have had very little interuptions. thanks arch team for all your efforts!


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See all 285 reader reviews of Arch Linux...



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