Arch Linux is an independent, rolling-release distribution that installs as a minimal base system and grows only in the directions you choose. Packages arrive continuously through the pacman package manager, and the community-run Arch User Repository adds build scripts for an enormous amount of extra software. There is no default desktop: you assemble GNOME, KDE Plasma, a tiling window manager, or nothing at all, which is exactly why many people use Arch to learn how a Linux system fits together. The project follows a keep-it-simple philosophy, favors plain text configuration, and documents nearly everything in the Arch Wiki, a reference that users of other distributions also lean on. Arch expects you to read the news before upgrading and to intervene occasionally, so it rewards attention. A disposable OpenFactory VM in your browser is a low-stakes place to practice an Arch setup before touching real hardware.
Select a version of Arch Linux to try online:
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Need Arch Linux for more than a quick browser preview?
The buttons above launch an ephemeral browser VM, perfect for kicking the tires. Paid plans unlock the things you'd actually use it for:
- ✓Persistent VMs you can SSH into and customize
- ✓Snapshots, your own packages, a downloadable ISO
- ✓Fleet deployment to your own machines (on-prem or cloud)