Arch Linux ARM is a port of
Arch Linux
Arch Linux () is an independently developed, x86-64 general-purpose Linux distribution that strives to provide the latest stable versions of most software by following a rolling-release model. The default installation is a minimal base system, ...
for
ARM processors. Its design philosophy is "simplicity and full control to the end user," and like its parent operating system Arch Linux, aims to be very Unix-like. 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.
History and development
Arch Linux ARM is based on Arch Linux, which is a minimalist Linux distribution first released on March 11, 2002. 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, notably Mike Staszel, who went on to found the Arch Linux ARM project.
Kevin Mihelich is currently Arch Linux ARM's primary developer. Arch Linux ARM is community-developed, with software development and user support provided fully by volunteer effort and donations. 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.
Arch Linux ARM has a
rolling release cycle, i.e. new software is packaged as it is released. This "bleeding edge" release cycle of small, frequent package updates differs from release cycles of Linux distributions such as
Debian
Debian (), also known as Debian GNU/Linux, is a Linux distribution composed of free and open-source software, developed by the community-supported Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock on August 16, 1993. The first version of De ...
, which focus on large, scheduled releases of packages proven to be stable.
Supported processors
Unlike Arch Linux, which is aimed at
x86-64
x86-64 (also known as x64, x86_64, AMD64, and Intel 64) is a 64-bit version of the x86 instruction set, first released in 1999. It introduced two new modes of operation, 64-bit mode and compatibility mode, along with a new 4-level paging ...
CPUs, Arch Linux ARM targets ARM CPUs and, as a result, many
single-board computers such as the
Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi () is a series of small single-board computers (SBCs) developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in association with Broadcom. The Raspberry Pi project originally leaned towards the promotion of teaching basic ...
.
There is support for:
*
ARMv7 1st generation
Cortex-A8
The ARM Cortex-A8 is a 32-bit processor core licensed by ARM Holdings implementing the ARMv7-A architecture.
Compared to the ARM11, the Cortex-A8 is a dual-issue superscalar design, achieving roughly twice the instructions per cycle. The Corte ...
platforms, such as the
BeagleBoard or
Cubieboard
* ARMv7 2nd generation
Cortex-A9 and
Tegra platforms, such as the
PandaBoard
The PandaBoard was a low-power single-board computer development platform based on the Texas Instruments OMAP4430 system on a chip (SoC). The board has been available to the public at the subsidized price of US$174 since 27 October 2010. It is ...
or
TrimSlice
* 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, including the 64-bit ARMv8 instruction set of the Raspberry Pi 3 and 4.
For a list of officially supported platforms, see archlinuxarm.org'
Platforms page For a list of unofficial, community-supported devices, see archlinuxarm.org'
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. Arch Linux ARM is also known for having good community support.
See also
*
List of Linux distributions
*
Comparison of Linux distributions
Technical variations of Linux distributions include support for different hardware devices and systems or software package configurations. Organizational differences may be motivated by historical reasons. Other criteria include security, includi ...
References
External links
* {{Official website
List of Linux ARM distributionsat distrowatch.com
ARM Linux distributions
ARM operating systems
Linux distributions
Rolling Release Linux distributions