Arch Linux limitations? (programming.dev)

submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by staircase@programming.dev to c/linux@programming.dev

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I'm curious about trying Arch Linux, but I want to know what's difficult or impossible with it first, as that's usually what stops me sticking with a distro.

I'm particularly interested in software/driver support. For example, NVIDIA doesn't mention Arch in its CUDA download page.

UPDATE: OK it sounds like Arch is for bleeding edge. That sounds fun, but I like things simple and reliable, so I'll still with Ubuntu. I might run Arch on my secondary drive, or toy with it in Docker.

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[-] SheeEttin@lemmy.zip 8 points 6 days ago

What are your goals or requirements? What have you found limiting in other distros?

[-] staircase@programming.dev 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I'm not sure I can think of an example beyond lack of software/driver support

General difficulty of use (i.e. how many things do I have to read and do for something to happen the way I want)

And I want libraries to be officially supported, whatever that looks like, mainly so I don't have to use workarounds or unverified sources (I don't want to be using lots of Arch's equivalent of PPAs, for example)

[-] ulterno@programming.dev 5 points 6 days ago

how many things do I have to read

Well unfortunately, when using Arch, you will, at some point end up requiring to read a lot of something.

If that makes you hesitate, but you still feel like giving it a try, I'd say one good way is, install Arch using the Arch ISO method and go to https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide and read that once before and then, while installing.

it is very well simplified (simplified by explanation, not by omission)
it has handy links for terminology you will find in there, so you won't have to go around finding stuff all the time
open the page on another device, that you like reading on
- read it like you are trying to understand it and not like instructions
while reading/installing it, if you realise you can't keep doing that, you have your answer
if you managed to install it before getting frustrated at the Wiki, well, know that most Arch wiki pages you will look at, are as good or better than that and you can consider this as another distro you might use.

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this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2025

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