Roadmap to Arch Linux
Posted by luis4089@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 25 comments
Hello everyone! I’m interested in learning more about Linux and eventually using Arch as my daily driver. That being said, I’ve read that Arch isn’t beginner friendly. So my question is what distros would be best to create a sort of roadmap that would lead to me learning Linux and eventually using Arch as my daily driver. Thanks!
aqjo@reddit
I would start with Learn Linux TV on YouTube. That will give you a good foundation to work with. From there you can try different distros to see what suits you. That might be arch, it might not.
AutoModerator@reddit
This submission has been removed due to receiving too many reports from users. The mods have been notified and will re-approve if this removal was inappropriate, or leave it removed.
This is most likely because:
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
nix-solves-that-2317@reddit
just try to self host nextcloud to learn linux
napcok@reddit
If you want to use Arch... just install Arch and read the wiki. It's not rocket science.
Th3Sh4d0wKn0ws@reddit
Ubuntu
The big thing with Arch is knowing how to help yourself. They've got a tremendous wiki, and if you understand that almost everything is "on you" to install and configure it can be quite educational to run Arch.
I used Ubuntu primarily for a couple of decades. Learned more about Linux in the last year of using Arch.
DoubleDecaff@reddit
The arch wiki is helpful even for other non-arch based distros. It's that comprehensive.
indvs3@reddit
Start by reading the wiki. Find something you don't understand? Look it up and continue reading. At some point you'll simply understand the map.
Angar_var2@reddit
1) Google "Arch wiki installation guide". Is this something you can read through and follow?
2)Are you ready to tinker with your system daily and update your system daily?
Are you prepared to debug issues frequently?
Do you understand the difference between stable, Stable and Bleeding Edge?
Does your usecase require bleeding edge software?
If no, just use any other distro, arch based or not, and learn at your own pace.
ghoultek@reddit
I recommend that you start with Linux Mint or Pop_OS. This gets you to a 2x familiar desktops. Mint/Cinnamon is Windows like and Pop_OS is Mac like. You can then learn about kernels, commands, shells, scripting, OS internals, etc. This is the easy path of least resistance route. However, it comes with the assumption that you are not running bleeding edge hardware such as a RX 9060 XT GPU. If you have bleeding edge hardware then you will need a different distro. In that case I would suggest EndeavourOS since it is basically Arch with a GUI installer. I recommend EndeavourOS over CachyOS because it isn't heavily customized/curated. It is very close to Arch. Assuming you have enough RAM and storage, you can experiment with other distros using VMs.
I wrote a guide for newbie Linux users/gamers. Guide link ==> https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/189rian/newbies_looking_for_distro_advice_andor_gaming/
The guide contains info. on distro selection and why, dual booting, gaming, what to do if you run into trouble, learning resources, Linux software alternatives, free utilities to aid in your migration to Linux, and much more. The most important thing at the start of your Linux journey is to gain experience with using, managing, customizing, and maintaining a Linux system. This of course includes using the apps. you want/need.
Good luck and if you have questions, just drop a reply here in this thread.
maciejh@reddit
Honestly the only thing that's more difficult is the installer, and even that isn't that scary with archinstall. I made from Pop!_OS (on the level of Mint when it comes to user friendliness) the jump after watching this guide and going "wait, that's it?".
There were few more things that required manual setup to get Gnome going like getting bluetooth to show up, but all of these are easy to solve with some help from the wiki and/or your nearest friendly LLM, and before you know it you will be ricing your tiling WM. So ye, just grab your regular Mint or Pop! or w/e speaks to you, once you know what flatpak is and what sudo is, just give it a go with Arch.
yahbluez@reddit
You can use manjaro that is arch but user friendly. The arch wiki is the best linux wiki i know much better than debians outdated one.
Used manjaro/arch for 5 years and now back to debian.
Why? Because of the workload of permanent updates. The way debian/ubuntu handles that is much more day by day friendly.
Why not ubuntu? Because i do not want snap for things that work nice without the use of snap.
I used XFCe4 most of the time and now move to KDE plasma no need to save any resources in this days where even miniPCs are beasts.
activedusk@reddit
I could get Debian expert install figured out after watching one youtube video, I promise you installing Arch is nowhere near as easy despite getting the same result, an OS with just the command line and no "bloat". If you are interested in Arch for learning more than having an OS on your PC, consider Gentoo or Linux from scratch, they are more educational and "hardcore". If you just want a no bloat OS try first Debian expert install, then install the DE of choice on top and find out how that works out. If you want an OS that just works then Ubuntu LTS, Linux Mint or even Manjaro or CachyOS are a better option, the first ones offer long term support, the second are rolling release but have much more up to date kernels and packages.
Przem90@reddit
Not all distros are equal. There are slight differences between each. For example Alpine vs Debian. Or Arch vs gentoo. Or even TinyCore vs DSL. The best would be to just install Arch and try it out. Make and break things. Have some fun. Delete /root and look what happens etc. Once you had enough or system is not usable coz you broke it - clean install it again. Then again. And then some. This is the best way to learn both how linux work and how the particular distro you choose performs. Only then you should start distro hopping. No point of doing that if you dont really know yet what do you want from your system. And if Arch eventually proves to be it - good for you!
elijuicyjones@reddit
Start with EndeavourOS, and you’ll probably end up with EOS too.
BigHeadTonyT@reddit
KVM is quite easy to install on Fedora. https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/virtualization-getting-started/ "sudo dnf install "AT"virtualization". That should get all the software installed. The other part is included in Linux kernel. Start the service etc. For the rest, I use Virt-manager. I do not create VMs in terminal, not needed. Here is a guide for Virt-Man: https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/sect-creating_guests_with_virt_manager
Donwload some Linux ISOs, have fun.
Of course you can do it on just about any distro. Just need the packages installed, that the Fedora page lists.
For Arch: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/KVM
You would also need to enable IOMMU in BIOS for Virtualization to work. Think that is it.
I would focus on concepts. Those translate over to Arch. The details can and often will differ. Concepts like File Hierarchy Structure, FHS. Pretty standardized. But still, there are differences. Small ones. But even small ones can make launching software diffcult. Maybe some config files are under a slightly different folder. /etc/sysconfig for example.
Learn permissions. UGO etc. User/Group/Other.
Or differences like what user Apache uses across distros. There is like 4 different ones, depending on distro. Type the wrong one, webserver wont start or wont have permissions to things. Debian uses www-data for example. Fedora I think uses httpd. Might be apache for the Apache-user on other distros. And yeah, focus on the main distros. Arch, Debian, Fedora. Maybe OpenSUSE. Fedora and OpenSUSE have some commonalities. DNF/YUM, RPM-packages and so on, if I recall correctly.
china-is-coming@reddit
Depends on your taste for risk and consequences. If you want high risk but less consequences, then load arch into a VM and do all manner of monstrosity in there. conversely, you want high risk but with an appreciation for being meticulous, then run arch directly on your host machine.
bigb102913@reddit
Arch is king. Smooth as butter. Debian can suck it.
FartomicMeltdown@reddit
I don't know how easily you soak up new technological information but, for me at 49, getting into Arch took some getting used to, but it was fairly low-entry if you're half-way nerdy about computers. However, I could see someone who might not pick up on technological jargon and just don't have the patience to truly jump into it having difficulty with installation and general operation (terminal commands).
gliese89@reddit
Just read through the Arch wiki. If you can't do even that, don't use Arch.
FlyingWrench70@reddit
Any beginner friendly distribution, the bulk of the knowledge you need is universal Linux wide.
If you wanted to try one with pacman CachyOS is beginner friendly-ish.
While Arch is an interesting distribution, its not for everyone and every use case, far too many new users falsely see Arch as the "end game", when for most of them it will not be.
Beautiful_Map_416@reddit
Today, when Arch has an installer script, it is not that difficult to install Arch anymore.
And you can follow a video that will help you a long way.
Most people who can install Windows can figure it out.
And once it is installed, with a desktop environment, it is just as easy to use as all other Distros.
If you are thinking about dual booting, choose to do it on a separate disk. Windows and Linux on the same disk almost always end up wrong.
If you want to test, multiple distros, then take a look at Ventoy. Then you are free to burn the iso on a usb, you can just copy it to the Ventoy disk.
I'm a proud distrohopper. ;-)
FattyDrake@reddit
Honestly if you really want to learn, jump in and use Arch.
You could try something like Arch-based CachyOS if you want an out of box experience that gives you a desktop. But it honestly doesn't take that much effort to get one via the Arch install instructions.
Just use a VM or something so you don't care if you break it and can start fresh if you want.
Jack74593@reddit
Perhaps you could use EndeavourOS (arch but simpler) to get yourself familiar with the terminal and stuffs, then when you're ready you could install Arch.
inbetween-genders@reddit
You can use Arch to learn. Just don’t put it on main machine. Put it on a spare one laying around and learn 👍
paully104@reddit
Honestly I would either duel boot or use a VM to get familiar. While not entirely recommended by some you can just jump into Arch and learn the basics with trial by fire. Mint is commonly recommended for beginners and there are various websites and resources for an introduction to Linux. Really comes down to what kind of leaner you are and how granular you want your introduction to be.