Arch Linux ARM
Arch Linux ARM is a port of Arch Linux for ARM processors.[3][4][5] Its design philosophy is "simplicity and full control to the end user,"[6] and like its parent operating system Arch Linux, aims to be very Unix-like.[7] This goal of minimalism and complete user control, however, can make it difficult for Linux beginners as it requires more knowledge of and responsibility for the operating system.[8][9]
Developer | Kevin Mihelich, Adam Barton and team[1] |
---|---|
OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
Latest release | Rolling release |
Update method | Pacman |
Package manager | Pacman |
Platforms | ARM |
License | Free software (GPLv2)[2] |
Official website | archlinuxarm |
History and development
Arch Linux ARM is based on Arch Linux, which is a minimalist Linux distribution first released on March 11, 2002.[10] The idea of making a single, official port of Arch Linux for devices with ARM processors was born from members of the Arch Linux PlugApps and ArchMobile development teams,[11] notably Mike Staszel, who went on to found the Arch Linux ARM project.[12]
Kevin Mihelich is currently Arch Linux ARM's primary developer.[13] Arch Linux ARM is community-developed, with software development and user support provided fully by volunteer effort and donations.[14] Also, unlike other community-supported operating systems such as Ubuntu, Arch Linux ARM has a relatively small user base, making user participation in development especially important.[15]
Arch Linux ARM has a rolling release cycle, i.e. new software is packaged as it is released.[16] This "bleeding edge" release cycle of small, frequent package updates differs from release cycles of Linux distributions such as Debian, which focus on large, scheduled releases of packages proven to be stable.[17][18]
Supported processors
Unlike Arch Linux, which is aimed at x86-64 CPUs, Arch Linux ARM targets ARM CPUs and, as a result, many single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi.[19][20]
There is support for:
- ARMv7 1st generation Cortex-A8 platforms, such as the BeagleBoard[21] or Cubieboard
- ARMv7 2nd generation Cortex-A9 and Tegra platforms, such as the PandaBoard or TrimSlice[22]
- ARMv7 3rd generation Cortex-A7 and Cortex-A15 platforms, such as the Cubieboard2, Odroid XU, Samsung Chromebook (series 3), Samsung Chromebook 2 or Raspberry Pi 2
- ARMv8 64-bit capable Cortex-A53 and Cortex-A72 platforms, such as the Odroid C2 and N2, Acer Chromebook R13 or Raspberry Pi 3.
Arch Linux ARM can run on any device that supports ARMv7 or ARMv8 instruction sets,[23] including the 64-bit ARMv8 instruction set of the Raspberry Pi 3 and 4.[24]
For a list of officially supported platforms, see archlinuxarm.org's Platforms page. For a list of unofficial, community-supported devices, see archlinuxarm.org's Community-Supported Devices forum.
Reception
Arch Linux ARM has gained popularity as a lightweight Linux distribution, and in 2014 was growing in popularity among single-board computer hobbyists.[25][26] Arch Linux ARM is also known for having good community support.[27] In 2021-2022, The Asahi Linux Project used a tailored version of Arch Linux ARM with the use of special imaging requirements, scripts, and other utilities to get the Apple Hardware correctly read by the operating system, ultimately however, the project was moved to use Fedora’s OSes following problems in dependencies, slow response times when requesting support on the manner, and other issues.
References
- "Team". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-07. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
- "Arch Linux ARM FAQ". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Arch Linux ARM". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
- "git repository for arch linux arm". GitHub. Archived from the original on 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- "linux-arm news". Archived from the original on 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- "Arch Linux ARM". Archived from the original on 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "FAQ". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "ARCH LINUX ARM AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD". raspberrypi.org. Archived from the original on 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Arch Linux ARM". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "History of Arch Linux". wiki.archlinux.org. Archived from the original on 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Arch Linux BBS [ARM] Arch Linux ARM: A new unified effort from PlugApps & ArchMobile". bbs.archlinux.org. Archived from the original on 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Team". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-07. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
- "Team". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-07. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
- "Donate". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-26. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
- "Arch compared to other distributions". wiki.archlinux.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Arch Linux ARM". Archived from the original on 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- "Arch compared to other distributions". Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "A survey of ARM operating systems". viaspringboard.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "ARCH LINUX ARM AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD". raspberrypi.org. Archived from the original on 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "Raspberry Pi". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "BeagleBoard". archlinuxarm.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- Larabel, Michael (January 13, 2012). "Arch-ing ARM: Running Arch Linux On The NVIDIA Tegra 2". Phoronix. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- Kanasoot, Michael (June 27, 2013). "Supporting the Arch Linux ARM Development Team with Komodo IDE". ActiveState. Archived from the original on July 2, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
- "Arch Linux ARM Downloads". Arch Linux ARM. Archived from the original on 2020-02-24. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
- "6 Excellent Lightweight Linux Distros for x86 and ARM". linux.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "A survey of ARM operating systems". viaspringboard.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
- "4 Fine Linux ARM Distros". linux.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
External links
- Official website
- List of Linux ARM distributions at distrowatch.com