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How do you realistically build your own OS with Arch Linux? (lemm.ee)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/linux

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/40063668

As a Linux newbie, all I know about Arch Linux is that it is a DIY distro where you assemble the entirely of the OS by scratch. Somehow it feels like it is too easy than it needs to be, even if it is primarily meant for experienced users. I imagine it to be less like building your PC from parts bought from the market and more like building each and every component of the PC by scratch along with building the PC, which I assume to be much harder for the average consumer. It seems absurd how it is possible for a single person to incorporate the innumerable components required for functionality in a personal system that does not crash 100% of the time due to countless incompatibility errors that come with doing something like this.

I would like someone to elaborate on how it feels to 'build' a system software by yourself with Arch and how it is reasonable to actually do so in a simple language. I do have some experience in programming, mainly in webdev, so it's not like I need a baby-like explanation in how this works but it would be nice to get to know about this from someone who could understand where this confusion/curiosity is coming from.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I think you misunderstand what Arch is. You absolutely do not assemble the entirety of the OS from scratch. You don't compile anything during an Arch install—you install pre-compiled binaries. And you don't actually have an awful lot of OS freedom in terms of what gets installed. If you wanted to use, say, openrc+musl+busybox+dracut, Arch wouldn't be for you, as Arch uses systemd+glibc+gnu+mkinitcpio (You can try to replace these but these are what Arch uses by default; if you're wanting to change these things, maybe just use a different distro). Arch just doesn't install a display manager (you don't need one; I don't use one), any kind of graphical session (you technically don't need one either, but I assume the vast majority of desktop users want a graphical session), or a bootloader. You can install all of those things yourself. Assuming you want all three of those things, that's probably just three packages you install, and the OS doesn't install for you, so that you can pick them yourself.

Arch doesn't have an installer insofar as you install it with shell commands, but also the actual install itself is just one pacstrap command which installs a full OS for you in one command.

If you're wanting to build an OS entirely from scratch, you may want to look into Linux from Scratch [disclaimer: I have not done LFS]. I don't know of anyone who actually daily drives LFS though, as you wouldn't have a package manager which would put most users off.