Roadmap to Learning Arch Linux
1. Introduction & Motivation
Understand what Arch Linux is and why people use it.
Read Arch Linux philosophy: simplicity, user-centric design, KISS
principle.
2. Basic Linux Familiarity
Learn basic Linux commands (ls, cd, cp, mv, rm, etc).
Understand Linux filesystem hierarchy.
Practice using a terminal in any Linux distro (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc).
3. Arch Linux Concepts & Preparation
Read Arch Wiki “Beginners’ Guide” and “Installation Guide”.
Understand differences between rolling-release and point-release
distros.
Learn about package management (pacman basics).
Familiarize with Arch Wiki navigation and searching.
4. Installation Practice
Set up virtual machines (VM) using VirtualBox or QEMU.
Practice installing Arch Linux multiple times on VM:
o Partitioning disks with fdisk/cfdisk/parted.
o Formatting with mkfs.
o Mounting partitions.
o Installing base system.
o Setting locale, timezone, hostname.
o Installing and configuring bootloader (GRUB/systemd-boot).
5. Post-Installation & System Management
Configure users and groups.
Learn pacman advanced usage (sync, remove, query, clean cache).
Set up networking with systemd-networkd/NetworkManager.
Install and configure graphical environment (Xorg, Wayland).
Install desktop environments/window managers (GNOME, KDE, i3, etc).
6. Advanced System Configuration
Understand init systems (systemd basics, managing services).
Configure kernel parameters with sysctl.
Learn about AUR (Arch User Repository) and AUR helpers (yay, paru).
Manage dotfiles and configs.
Study security basics (firewall with ufw/nftables, sudo configuration).
7. Customization & Optimization
Build custom kernel or patch kernel.
Write PKGBUILDs and contribute to AUR.
Automate post-install with scripts.
Optimize boot times and system performance.
Use tools like systemd-analyze, journalctl.
8. Troubleshooting & Maintenance
Practice chroot recovery from live media.
Learn how to rollback packages and handle broken updates.
Regularly read Arch news and update system properly.
Back up system (rsync, timeshift, btrfs snapshots).
9. Community & Contribution
Join forums, IRC, Reddit communities.
Read and contribute to Arch Wiki.
Help others troubleshoot and answer questions.
Learn about bug reporting and patch submission.
10. Mastery & Beyond
Explore system programming and patching Arch packages.
Develop minimal custom spins (Arch ISO remaster).
Experiment with containers (Docker, Podman) and virtualization (KVM).
Use Arch as base for servers or advanced workstation setups.
Resources: - Arch Wiki - Arch Linux Forum - r/archlinux subreddit - Arch
Linux Handbook (community guides)