Arch Linux

minimal linux operating system

Arch Linux defines simplicity without unnecessary additions or changes.

It ships the software as released by the original developers (upstream) with minimal distribution-specific (downstream) changes:

Patches not accepted by the upstream are avoided, and Arch's downstream patches consist almost entirely of retroactive bug fixes that are overridden by the next release of the project.

Similarly, Arch ships configuration files provided by the upstream with changes limited to distribution-specific issues such as adjusting system file paths. It doesn't add automation features like enabling a service just because the package is installed.

Packages are only split when there are compelling advantages, such as saving disk space, especially in bad waste situations. GUI configuration utilities are not officially provided, encouraging users to perform most system configurations from the shell and a text editor.