Arch Linux is a free and open source distribution for x86 – 64-based architectures. It is a rolling release which means that it constantly gets updates of fixes and new features and it can be installed from a CD image, USB, or via an FTP server.
Starting from the 10 reasons why I love Ubuntu and the 12 reasons to switch over to Linux to the best reasons to use Fedora Linux, FossMint has covered several reasons why one or the other Linux distro is a good choice of a workstation to make.
Today, it’s time for us to turn our attention to the fan favorite Arch Linux.
1. GUI Installers
Arch Linux used to be very painstaking to install. In fact, the single process of installing Arch Linux used to drive curious potential users away but that isn’t the case any longer and it is with thanks to GUI installers such as Anarchy and Zen installer). It is 2019 and Arch Linux is a lot easier to install than it was before; that negates a reason why you shouldn’t install it.
2. Stability & Reliability
Arch Linux is a rolling release and that eradicates the system update craze that users of other distro types go through. Because it’s a rolling release, its core system is always up to date with the latest fixes and new features and you wouldn’t have to worry about when to install what and how long system updates will take.
Also, every update is compatible with your system so there is no fear about which updates might break something and this makes Arch Linux one of the most stable and reliable distros ever.
3. The Arch Wiki
The Arch Wiki is a vast library of documentation about [almost] any task you can complete on Arch Linux, its derivatives, and sometimes even other distros!
It contains an overview of Arch Linux and a description of what to expect from it, FAQ and facts about it, an installation guide, post-installation tutorials, etc. Summarily, you can’t get lost.
4. Pacman Package Manager
Pacman is a command-line tool and the default package installer in Arch Linux and it is less wordy than the package managers of other distros e.g. APT in Ubuntu.
Pacman can also be used with several package managers such as Pamac.
5. The Arch User Repository
The Arch User Repository (AUR) is a collection of applications and tools that are installable on Arch Linux but not yet available in the official Arch repository.
It is maintained by the Arch Linux user community as a means to conveniently find and install those apps without hunting them down and compiling them from source.
6. A Beautiful Desktop Environment
The Desktop Environment of any distro is what helps you interact with your system from the time you boot the OS to when you shut it down. It is compatible with more Desktop Environments than might want to even try out yourself and its aesthetics can be 100% customized to suit your taste.
7. Originality
Unlike other popular distros like Ubuntu which is based on Debian, Arch Linux was built from scratch independent of any other Linux distribution. Granted, Ubuntu has gone on to birth several other distros but so also has Arch Linux e.g. Manjaro Linux.
So in as much as Arch Linux is open source and its developers are free to incorporate ideas from anywhere they choose, Arch Linux will always be pacesetters in the community.
8. The Perfect Learning Base
Arch Linux is the perfect platform for anyone interested in understanding how Linux works as it requires you to pay attention to documentation and recommended usage tips throughout its usage.
Of course, you can decide to look for quick solutions and move on with your life but if what you desire is to be able to figure out the reason behind issues as well as how to fix them, then Arch Linux and its huge knowledge base is a good starting point.
9. The Arch Linux Community
Apart from the Arch Wiki, Arch Linux has a vast user community which is voluntarily on stand by to offer help to anybody interested in learning about Linux especially using Arch Linux or any of its derivatives.
They are also dedicated to promoting the success of Arch Linux and its ease of use. Take the AUR for example. Summarily, even if you get stuck in the wiki, you’re in safe hands.
10. Ease of Use, Flexibility, and Customization
Arch Linux may seem stiff from the outside but it is a completely flexible distro. First, it lets you decide which modules to use in your OS when installing it and it has the Wiki to guide you.
Also, it doesn’t bombard you with several [often] unnecessary applications but ships with a minimal list of default software.
There are a lot more reasons why Arch Linux should be your distro of choice but those are the best above. Do you have any recommendations to add? Share your views with us in the comments section below.
Honestly i don’t see much reasons here, so you only tried Arch because it now has giu installers?
Get Windows 10, its the best for everything 🙂 have a nice day
Yeah Linux is just terrible at running viruses and popular mobile games like Candy Crush 🙂
In all seriousness Windows 10 is very good, just that it’s controlled by a corporation which is what some don’t want
Hundreds of dollars for garbage? No thank you
Windows 10 is free. Professional service and Azure is where the money comes in. You can access the source code by being a developer (just sign up). Windows 10 can also run Arch/Ubuntu/SuSE/ fedora/Mageia/Slack inside of a sandbox/safe. Does Arch have safes? Didn’t think so.
This is my personal opinion and mainly focus on the reasons and comparisons against Ubuntu, my current distro. I really want to switch to Arch, but so far I did not find any solid reasons to do it.
1- It is not a reason, this is a must for modern distros.
2- I have been using Ubuntu for more than 10 years and don’t see this problem.
3- Totally agree here, Arch Wiki is gorgeous.
4- Saying that APT is “wordy” just does not make too much sense, APT is a really cool tool. The problem is not APT, but broken dependencies which happens on probably all the distros.
5- It is probably a bad thing, ppl usually complains about PPA and AUR pretty much sounds the same poison.
6- This is the same as #1, it is a must.
7- I don’t understand this point. Why is this a valid reason?
8- Not a valid reason for me, I have been using Linux as primary OS for almost 20 years. Don’t want to switch to a distro just cause it is educational.
9- Community is much bigger on Ubuntu that Arch.
10- This seems to be a good reason, but it is not well explained. Easy is not the first word that comes to my mind when think about Arch. Flexible, more modular with less pre installed soft, sounds good.
So Arch users, please, tell me why I should switch from Ubuntu (actually Kubuntu) to Arch? Again, I want to do it cause I think that Ubuntu is getting more corporate every year and have the feeling they do not care too much about desktop users as they used to.
Thanks in advance !
11. Not being a deb-based distro. 🙂
I found that I got updates of hundreds of packages quite often and occasionally they broke it. Admittedly I was not using it every day so the updates could pile up a bit.
AUR contains some broken or no longer maintained packages so you need to be careful and know how to fix problems they can cause.
Maybe it is a good learning base but it is not a distro to use a newbie or even as a productivity tool.
thanks on mentioning the gui/text-based installers. I had to create my own scripts that are specific to my needs to get it done. wasn’t fun!
That was the only reason I didn’t install it at first and only got around to trying it a little over a year ago so I can totally relate.