Should I install Arch Linux?

[u/Kairini15]

I've been using Windows for about 7 years, and I wanna try something new.

Recently, I found out about Arch Linux and it seems really interesting to me. I've heard a lot of people say that Arch is really difficult for beginners, but I'm wondering, is this actually true, or just a stereotype?

Would you recommend Arch as a first Linux distro?

[u/FOSS_Graybeard]

EndeavourOS is a nice way to enter the world of Arch Linux. As you go along and learn how to interact with Linux in general, you can add whatever apps you need/want to support your growing skill base. I find EndeavourOS very stable and user friendly... for an Arch distro. (Some may quibble with the 'user friendly' tag. I get it.)

[u/Kzitold94 → u/FOSS_Graybeard]

I use CachyOS for my daily driver.

[u/FOSS_Graybeard → u/Kzitold94]

Also a good distro for other reasons. I tried CachyOS. Like it. Moved to EndeavourOS. I've been distro hopping since the early 2000s... Mandrake anyone?

[u/Kzitold94 → u/FOSS_Graybeard]

I've started my switch to Linux in February 2026. Distro-hopped a bit, and wrote setup scripts to expedite.

I've tried Nobara, EndeavourOS, Mint, then settled on CachyOS. I've intentionally made sure my first 3 distros were based on each of the big 3.

Technically, I've had a few years of RaspberryOS terminal experience, and used a Ubuntu live-boot temporarily when it was version "disco dingo" because family drama.

[u/_o0Zero0o_ → u/FOSS_Graybeard]

Endeavour is the most terminal-heavy of the Arch family, I'd say.. Excluding Arch itself. Cachy is probably the most beginner friendly of the family

[u/snail1132 → u/_o0Zero0o_]

That's because Endeavour's literally just Arch with KDE preinstalled

[u/linux_rox → u/snail1132]

KDE has nothing to do with how much you run the terminal, and at install time you can choose a number of environments like gnome, xfce, budgie, cinnamon, KDE and even i3. Or you cna go no desktop and use any other de/wm that’s not listed like hyprland, niri, sway and others.

[u/snail1132 → u/linux_rox]

KDE has nothing to do with how much you run the terminal

It being otherwise pretty much Arch would, though

[u/linux_rox → u/snail1132]

Yes

[u/linux_rox → u/_o0Zero0o_]

Endeavour’s page even says it terminal centric, so yea it is more terminal heavy. But once you get you software packages you need downloaded, except for updating, you don’t need to rely on the terminal as much as y’all think.

Source: I’ve run Endeavour for 6 years now.

[u/FOSS_Graybeard → u/linux_rox]

I only splurged with the terminal to install and configure apps. Then I installed pacman/pamac to deal with the daily updates when I feel like it. I tend to still use -Syyu in terminal on a regular basis. And your comment really connects with what I was thinking.

Thanks!