2025-07-06 | Categories ArchLinux | Tags ArchLinux linux

Install Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a distribution known for its simplicity, rolling-release model, and ultimate freedom. Installing Arch is a great opportunity to deeply understand Linux system internals. This guide, based on the ArchWiki Installation Guide, walks you through setting up a usable desktop with UEFI boot, iwd for Wi-Fi, PipeWire for audio, zsh, and the i3 window manager.

This article is based on the official 2025 Arch ISO and is suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

💿 1. Create and Boot the Installation Media

Download the ISO from the official Arch website
Use Ventoy or dd to write the ISO to a USB drive:

sudo dd if=archlinux-xxx.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress && sync

Reboot and enter BIOS/UEFI:
- Disable Secure Boot
- Set USB as the first boot device
Select Arch Linux install medium to enter the Live environment (you’ll be logged in as root with zsh as default shell)

🌐 2. Connect to the Internet (Using iwd)

# Start iwd
iwd

Inside the iwd interactive shell:

station wlan0 scan
station wlan0 get-networks
station wlan0 connect your-ssid

Verify network connectivity:

ping archlinux.org

💽 3. Disk Partitioning (GPT + EFI Example)

cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1

Partition	Mount Point	Type	Size
/dev/nvme0n1p1	/boot	EFI System	512M
/dev/nvme0n1p2	/	ext4	Rest

Format and mount:

mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/nvme0n1p1
mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1p2

mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt
mount --mkdir /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot

📦 4. Install the Base System

pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware neovim git zsh iwd

Generate fstab:

genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Chroot into the new system:

arch-chroot /mnt

🔧 5. System Configuration

Set timezone and locale:

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Shanghai /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen

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

Set hostname and hosts file:

echo arch > /etc/hostname

cat > /etc/hosts <<EOF
127.0.0.1   localhost
::1         localhost
127.0.1.1   arch.localdomain arch
EOF

Set root password:

passwd

🧭 6. Install the Bootloader (systemd-boot)

bootctl install

cat > /boot/loader/loader.conf <<EOF
default arch
timeout 3
editor 0
EOF

cat > /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf <<EOF
title   Arch Linux
linux   /vmlinuz-linux
initrd  /initramfs-linux.img
options root=PARTUUID=$(blkid -s PARTUUID -o value /dev/nvme0n1p2) rw
EOF

👤 7. Add a User with sudo Privileges

useradd -mG wheel yourname
passwd yourname
EDITOR=nvim visudo  # Uncomment '%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL'

🌐 8. Enable Network Services (iwd)

systemctl enable iwd

🎯 9. Install yay and Essential Packages

pacman -S base-devel
cd /opt
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
chown -R yourname:yourname yay
su yourname
cd yay && makepkg -si

Recommended packages:

Package	Purpose
neovim	Text editor
git	Version control
zsh + oh-my-zsh	Enhanced shell experience
alacritty	GPU-accelerated terminal
firefox	Web browser
ranger	Terminal file manager
btop	System resource monitor
unzip / tar	Archive utilities

🖼️ 10. Install GUI with i3 Window Manager

Install X11 and i3:

pacman -S xorg-server xorg-xinit i3 dmenu picom feh alacritty

echo 'exec i3' > /home/yourname/.xinitrc
chown yourname:yourname /home/yourname/.xinitrc

Auto-start X (add to ~/.bash_profile):

[[ -z $DISPLAY && $XDG_VTNR -eq 1 ]] && exec startx

🔊 11. Install PipeWire Audio System

pacman -S pipewire wireplumber pipewire-audio pipewire-alsa pipewire-pulse
systemctl --user enable --now pipewire pipewire-pulse

🎨 12. Install Polybar and Integrate with i3

pacman -S polybar
cd ~
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/adi1090x/polybar-themes.git
cd polybar-themes
chmod +x setup.sh
./setup.sh
# Choose "hack" theme

Edit i3 config (~/.config/i3/config) to launch Polybar:

exec --no-startup-id ~/.config/polybar/hack/launch.sh

💻 13. Install zsh + oh-my-zsh

pacman -S zsh
chsh -s /bin/zsh yourname

# Install oh-my-zsh
su - yourname
git clone https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh.git ~/.oh-my-zsh
cp ~/.oh-my-zsh/templates/zshrc.zsh-template ~/.zshrc

Recommended plugins: zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-syntax-highlighting (available via yay):

yay -S zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting

Add to ~/.zshrc:

source /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
source /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh

✅ Summary

Installing Arch Linux is a journey to mastering your system. This guide combines official instructions and practical steps to help you build a clean, fast, beautiful, and minimal desktop.

You’ll get:

A clean and free system environment
Minimalist i3 desktop with Polybar
A full terminal workflow + shell customization
A deeper understanding of Linux boot and system config

📚 Further Reading

< yay Usage Guide Go embed.FS Tutorial >