Arch Linux for Beginners: Essential Commands You Should Know

Amirul

If you’ve decided to dive into the world of Arch Linux, congratulations! Arch is a lightweight, flexible, and powerful Linux distribution beloved by users who prefer to build their systems from the ground up. However, with great power comes a bit of a learning curve. This guide is designed to help beginners by introducing essential commands you’ll frequently use on Arch Linux.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a rolling-release distribution, meaning you install it once and update it continuously, rather than reinstalling periodically. It adheres to the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid), giving users total control over their system.

Unlike distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, Arch doesn’t come with a graphical installer or pre-configured environment, which is why command-line knowledge is crucial.

Getting Started with the Terminal

The terminal is your best friend on Arch Linux. Here are some general commands to get you started:

# Display current directory
pwd

# List contents of a directory
ls -l

# Change directory
cd /path/to/directory

# Create a new directory
mkdir new_folder

# Remove a file or directory
rm file.txt
rm -r directory/

# Copy or move files
cp file1.txt file2.txt
mv oldname.txt newname.txt

Package Management with pacman

pacman is the default package manager for Arch Linux. It is extremely powerful and efficient.

Installing, Updating, and Removing Packages

# Sync and update all packages
sudo pacman -Syu

# Install a new package
sudo pacman -S package_name

# Remove a package
sudo pacman -R package_name

# Remove a package and its dependencies
sudo pacman -Rs package_name

# Search for a package
pacman -Ss keyword

# List installed packages
pacman -Q

# Get information about a package
pacman -Qi package_name

System Information and Management

Useful commands to understand your system better:

# View CPU architecture
lscpu

# Memory usage
free -h

# Disk usage
df -h

# View block devices
lsblk

# Kernel information
uname -r

# Check system uptime
uptime

Managing Services with systemctl

systemctl is used to manage systemd services on Arch.

# Start a service
sudo systemctl start service_name

# Stop a service
sudo systemctl stop service_name

# Enable a service to start at boot
sudo systemctl enable service_name

# Disable a service
sudo systemctl disable service_name

# Check status of a service
systemctl status service_name

# List all services
systemctl list-units --type=service

Examples:

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl start sshd

Working with Files and Directories

Familiarity with file management is essential.

# View file contents
cat file.txt
less file.txt
more file.txt

# Edit files with nano
nano file.txt

# Change file permissions
chmod 755 script.sh

# Change file ownership
sudo chown user:group file.txt

Understanding permission notation:

r = read

w = write

x = execute

755 = owner can read/write/execute; group and others can read and execute

Networking Essentials

Arch doesn’t come with a full network stack out of the box. Networking tools are vital.

# Check IP address
ip a

# Ping a server
ping archlinux.org

# Check active connections
ss -tuln

# Restart NetworkManager
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

# Connect to a Wi-Fi network with nmcli
nmcli device wifi list
nmcli device wifi connect SSID_NAME password PASSWORD

User and Permission Management

User and group management on Arch is similar to other Linux distributions:

# Add a new user
sudo useradd -m username

# Set a password
sudo passwd username

# Add user to a group
sudo usermod -aG groupname username

# Create a group
sudo groupadd groupname

# Switch user
su - username

# View groups
groups

Giving a user sudo access:


# Edit sudoers file safely
sudo visudo
# Add line: username ALL=(ALL) ALL

Advanced Tips and Resources

Enable Multilib Repository (for 32-bit support)

sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf
# Uncomment:
#[multilib]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
sudo pacman -Sy

Install AUR Helper (e.g., yay)

Arch has a rich community repository known as the AUR (Arch User Repository). An AUR helper simplifies installing packages from it.

# Clone yay from AUR and build it
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
Use yay like pacman:

yay -S google-chrome
yay -R package_name

Useful Resources

Conclusion

Arch Linux is not just a distribution—it’s a philosophy. By learning these basic and essential commands, you’re equipping yourself with the tools to master your system and mold it to your exact preferences. The learning curve might seem steep, but the freedom and performance Arch offers make the effort worthwhile.

Happy Arch-ing! 🐧

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