Arch Linux Installation Guide

1. Preparation

Step 1.1: Download Arch Linux ISO

Download the latest Arch Linux ISO from the official website:

# Download from: https://archlinux.org/download/
# Verify the signature for security
gpg --keyserver-options auto-key-retrieve --verify archlinux-*.iso.sig
            

Step 1.2: Create Bootable USB

Create a bootable USB drive (replace /dev/sdX with your USB device):

# Linux/macOS
sudo dd bs=4M if=archlinux-*.iso of=/dev/sdX conv=fsync oflag=direct status=progress

# Windows (use Rufus or similar tool)
            

Step 1.3: Boot from USB

Boot from the USB drive and you'll be greeted with the Arch Linux live environment.

💡 Tip: If you have UEFI, ensure Secure Boot is disabled in BIOS settings.

2. Base Installation

Step 2.1: Verify Boot Mode

# Check if booted in UEFI mode
ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
# If directory exists, you're in UEFI mode
            

Step 2.2: Connect to Internet

# For Ethernet (usually automatic)
ping archlinux.org

# For WiFi
iwctl
[iwd]# device list
[iwd]# station wlan0 scan
[iwd]# station wlan0 get-networks
[iwd]# station wlan0 connect "Your-WiFi-Name"
[iwd]# exit
            

Step 2.3: Update System Clock

timedatectl set-ntp true
timedatectl status
            

Step 2.4: Partition Disks

List available disks and create partitions:

# List disks
lsblk

# Use cfdisk for easier partitioning
cfdisk /dev/sda

# Recommended partition scheme for UEFI:
# /dev/sda1: 512M EFI System (Type: EFI System)
# /dev/sda2: 4G+ Linux swap (Type: Linux swap)
# /dev/sda3: Remaining space Linux filesystem (Type: Linux filesystem)
            

Step 2.5: Format Partitions

# Format EFI partition
mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1

# Format root partition
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3

# Setup swap
mkswap /dev/sda2
swapon /dev/sda2
            

Step 2.6: Mount Partitions

# Mount root partition
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

# Create and mount EFI directory
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot
            

3. System Configuration

Step 3.1: Install Base System

# Install base packages
pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

# Install additional essential packages
pacstrap /mnt base-devel vim nano networkmanager grub efibootmgr
            

Step 3.2: Generate fstab

genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
# Verify the file
cat /mnt/etc/fstab
            

Step 3.3: Chroot into System

arch-chroot /mnt

Step 3.4: Configure System

# Set timezone
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Region/City /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

# Configure locale
echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

# Set hostname
echo "your-hostname" > /etc/hostname

# Configure hosts file
cat >> /etc/hosts << EOF
127.0.0.1   localhost
::1         localhost
127.0.1.1   your-hostname.localdomain your-hostname
EOF
            

Step 3.5: Set Root Password

passwd

Step 3.6: Install and Configure Bootloader

# Install GRUB
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

# Generate GRUB configuration
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
            

Step 3.7: Enable NetworkManager

systemctl enable NetworkManager

4. GNOME Desktop Environment

Step 4.1: Create User Account

# Create user and add to groups
useradd -m -G wheel,audio,video,optical,storage -s /bin/bash username

# Set user password
passwd username

# Enable sudo for wheel group
EDITOR=nano visudo
# Uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
            

Step 4.2: Install GNOME

# Install GNOME desktop environment
pacman -S gnome gnome-extra

# Install display manager
pacman -S gdm

# Enable GDM
systemctl enable gdm
            

Step 4.3: Install Additional Software

# Install useful applications
pacman -S firefox chromium code git wget curl htop neofetch

# Install multimedia codecs
pacman -S gst-plugins-good gst-plugins-bad gst-plugins-ugly gst-libav

# Install fonts
pacman -S ttf-dejavu ttf-liberation noto-fonts
            

GNOME Features: GNOME provides a modern, clean desktop experience with excellent Wayland support, integrated applications, and smooth animations. Perfect for users who want a polished, user-friendly environment.

5. Hyprland Wayland Compositor

Step 5.1: Create User Account (if not done)

# Create user and add to groups
useradd -m -G wheel,audio,video,optical,storage -s /bin/bash username

# Set user password
passwd username

# Enable sudo for wheel group
EDITOR=nano visudo
# Uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
            

Step 5.2: Install Hyprland and Dependencies

# Install Hyprland from official repos
pacman -S hyprland

# Install essential Wayland tools
pacman -S waybar wofi dunst alacritty

# Install additional tools
pacman -S grim slurp wl-clipboard xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland

# Install file manager and basic apps
pacman -S thunar firefox
            

Step 5.3: Configure Hyprland

# Exit chroot and reboot first
exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot

# After reboot, login as your user and create config
mkdir -p ~/.config/hypr
cp /usr/share/hyprland/hyprland.conf ~/.config/hypr/

# Basic Hyprland configuration
cat > ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf << 'EOF'
# Monitor configuration
monitor=,preferred,auto,auto

# Input configuration
input {
    kb_layout = us
    follow_mouse = 1
    touchpad {
        natural_scroll = no
    }
    sensitivity = 0
}

# General configuration
general {
    gaps_in = 5
    gaps_out = 20
    border_size = 2
    col.active_border = rgba(33ccffee) rgba(00ff99ee) 45deg
    col.inactive_border = rgba(595959aa)
    layout = dwindle
}

# Decoration
decoration {
    rounding = 10
    blur {
        enabled = true
        size = 3
        passes = 1
    }
    drop_shadow = yes
    shadow_range = 4
    shadow_render_power = 3
    col.shadow = rgba(1a1a1aee)
}

# Animations
animations {
    enabled = yes
    bezier = myBezier, 0.05, 0.9, 0.1, 1.05
    animation = windows, 1, 7, myBezier
    animation = windowsOut, 1, 7, default, popin 80%
    animation = border, 1, 10, default
    animation = borderangle, 1, 8, default
    animation = fade, 1, 7, default
    animation = workspaces, 1, 6, default
}

# Key bindings
$mainMod = SUPER

bind = $mainMod, Q, exec, alacritty
bind = $mainMod, C, killactive,
bind = $mainMod, M, exit,
bind = $mainMod, E, exec, thunar
bind = $mainMod, V, togglefloating,
bind = $mainMod, R, exec, wofi --show drun
bind = $mainMod, P, pseudo,
bind = $mainMod, J, togglesplit,

# Move focus
bind = $mainMod, left, movefocus, l
bind = $mainMod, right, movefocus, r
bind = $mainMod, up, movefocus, u
bind = $mainMod, down, movefocus, d

# Switch workspaces
bind = $mainMod, 1, workspace, 1
bind = $mainMod, 2, workspace, 2
bind = $mainMod, 3, workspace, 3
bind = $mainMod, 4, workspace, 4
bind = $mainMod, 5, workspace, 5

# Move active window to workspace
bind = $mainMod SHIFT, 1, movetoworkspace, 1
bind = $mainMod SHIFT, 2, movetoworkspace, 2
bind = $mainMod SHIFT, 3, movetoworkspace, 3
bind = $mainMod SHIFT, 4, movetoworkspace, 4
bind = $mainMod SHIFT, 5, movetoworkspace, 5

# Autostart
exec-once = waybar
exec-once = dunst
EOF
            

Step 5.4: Configure Waybar

# Create waybar config
mkdir -p ~/.config/waybar

cat > ~/.config/waybar/config << 'EOF'
{
    "layer": "top",
    "position": "top",
    "height": 30,
    "modules-left": ["hyprland/workspaces"],
    "modules-center": ["clock"],
    "modules-right": ["network", "pulseaudio", "battery"],

    "hyprland/workspaces": {
        "disable-scroll": true,
        "all-outputs": true,
        "format": "{icon}",
        "format-icons": {
            "1": "",
            "2": "",
            "3": "",
            "4": "",
            "5": "",
            "urgent": "",
            "focused": "",
            "default": ""
        }
    },

    "clock": {
        "format": "{:%Y-%m-%d %H:%M}",
        "tooltip-format": "{:%Y %B}\n{calendar}"
    },

    "network": {
        "format-wifi": " {signalStrength}%",
        "format-ethernet": " Connected",
        "format-disconnected": "⚠ Disconnected"
    },

    "pulseaudio": {
        "format": "{icon} {volume}%",
        "format-muted": " Muted",
        "format-icons": {
            "headphone": "",
            "hands-free": "",
            "headset": "",
            "phone": "",
            "portable": "",
            "car": "",
            "default": ["", "", ""]
        }
    },

    "battery": {
        "format": "{icon} {capacity}%",
        "format-icons": ["", "", "", "", ""]
    }
}
EOF

# Create waybar style
cat > ~/.config/waybar/style.css << 'EOF'
* {
    border: none;
    border-radius: 0;
    font-family: "JetBrains Mono", monospace;
    font-size: 13px;
    min-height: 0;
}

window#waybar {
    background-color: rgba(43, 48, 59, 0.8);
    border-bottom: 3px solid rgba(100, 114, 125, 0.5);
    color: #ffffff;
    transition-property: background-color;
    transition-duration: .5s;
}

#workspaces button {
    padding: 0 5px;
    background-color: transparent;
    color: #ffffff;
    border-bottom: 3px solid transparent;
}

#workspaces button:hover {
    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

#workspaces button.focused {
    background-color: #64727D;
    border-bottom: 3px solid #ffffff;
}

#clock, #battery, #cpu, #memory, #network, #pulseaudio {
    padding: 0 10px;
    margin: 0 4px;
    color: #ffffff;
}
EOF
            

Hyprland Features: Hyprland is a dynamic tiling Wayland compositor with beautiful animations, extensive customization options, and excellent performance. Perfect for power users who want a modern, efficient workflow with eye-candy.

6. KDE Plasma Desktop Environment

Step 6.1: Create User Account (if not done)

# Create user and add to groups
useradd -m -G wheel,audio,video,optical,storage -s /bin/bash username

# Set user password
passwd username

# Enable sudo for wheel group
EDITOR=nano visudo
# Uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
            

Step 6.2: Install KDE Plasma

# Install KDE Plasma desktop environment
pacman -S plasma kde-applications

# Install display manager
pacman -S sddm

# Enable SDDM
systemctl enable sddm

# Install additional KDE applications (optional)
pacman -S packagekit-qt5 flatpak
            

Step 6.3: Install Additional Software

# Install useful applications
pacman -S firefox chromium code git wget curl htop neofetch

# Install multimedia codecs
pacman -S gst-plugins-good gst-plugins-bad gst-plugins-ugly gst-libav

# Install fonts
pacman -S ttf-dejavu ttf-liberation noto-fonts

# Install development tools
pacman -S docker docker-compose nodejs npm python python-pip
            

Step 6.4: Configure KDE Plasma

# Exit chroot and reboot first
exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot

# After reboot, login through SDDM
# KDE Plasma will start automatically

# Optional: Install AUR helper (yay)
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
cd ..
rm -rf yay

# Install popular AUR packages
yay -S visual-studio-code-bin discord spotify
            

KDE Plasma Features: KDE Plasma offers the most customizable desktop experience with extensive theming options, powerful widgets, and a traditional desktop paradigm. Perfect for users who want maximum control over their desktop appearance and behavior.

7. Post-Installation Setup

Step 7.1: System Updates

# Update system
sudo pacman -Syu

# Enable multilib repository (for 32-bit support)
sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf
# Uncomment:
# [multilib]
# Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# Update package database
sudo pacman -Sy
            

Step 7.2: Install AUR Helper

# Install yay AUR helper
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
cd ..
rm -rf yay

# Alternative: Install paru
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/paru.git
cd paru
makepkg -si
cd ..
rm -rf paru
            

Step 7.3: Graphics Drivers

# For NVIDIA GPUs
sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-utils nvidia-settings

# For AMD GPUs
sudo pacman -S xf86-video-amdgpu mesa

# For Intel GPUs
sudo pacman -S xf86-video-intel mesa

# For laptops with hybrid graphics
sudo pacman -S optimus-manager
            

Step 7.4: Essential Software

# Development tools
sudo pacman -S git vim neovim tmux docker docker-compose

# Media and productivity
sudo pacman -S vlc gimp libreoffice-fresh

# System utilities
sudo pacman -S htop btop neofetch tree unzip zip

# Fonts and themes
sudo pacman -S ttf-fira-code ttf-font-awesome
yay -S ttf-ms-fonts
            

Step 7.5: Enable Services

# Enable useful services
sudo systemctl enable bluetooth
sudo systemctl enable cups  # for printing
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl enable fstrim.timer  # for SSD maintenance

# Start services immediately
sudo systemctl start bluetooth
sudo systemctl start cups
sudo systemctl start docker
            

8. Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Boot Issues:

• Check GRUB configuration: sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
• Verify fstab entries: cat /etc/fstab
• Boot from live USB and arch-chroot to fix issues

Network Issues:

• Enable NetworkManager: sudo systemctl enable --now NetworkManager
• Check network interfaces: ip link show
• For WiFi: nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "password"

Display Issues:

• Install proper graphics drivers for your GPU
• Check Xorg logs: cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log
• For Wayland issues, try X11 session

Audio Issues:

• Install PulseAudio: sudo pacman -S pulseaudio pulseaudio-alsa
• Or install PipeWire: sudo pacman -S pipewire pipewire-pulse
• Check audio devices: aplay -l

9. Resources and Next Steps

Essential Resources

Official Documentation:

• Arch Wiki - The most comprehensive Linux documentation
• Arch Linux Official Site
• Arch User Repository (AUR)

Community and Support

Get Help:

• Arch Linux Forums
• r/archlinux on Reddit
• IRC: #archlinux on Libera.Chat
• Arch Linux Discord

Next Steps

# Useful commands to remember
sudo pacman -Syu          # Update system
sudo pacman -S package    # Install package
sudo pacman -R package    # Remove package
sudo pacman -Ss search    # Search packages
yay -S aur-package       # Install from AUR
systemctl status service # Check service status
journalctl -xe           # View system logs
            

🎉 Congratulations! You've successfully installed Arch Linux with your chosen desktop environment. Remember: the journey doesn't end here. Arch Linux is about continuous learning and customization. Explore the AUR, customize your desktop, and most importantly - have fun with your new system!

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