Beginner-Exploring-Linux
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Table of Contents
Expand Table Here
- [Arch Package Installation Basics](#Arch-Package-Installation-Basics) - [Package installation Basics](#Package-Installation-Basics) - [Package Management Choices](#Package-Management-Choices)
Arch Package Installation Basics
This document explains the package installation commands used in my setup guides or personal setups.
I prefer to use pacman where possible to install packages however there are other options which I will outline further down the document.
Package Installation Basics
Below is a breakdown of how the command works for installing packages:
sudo pacman -Sy <packages>
sudo- run the command with administrator privilegespacman- Arch Linux’s package manager-S- install packages-y- synchronize (refresh) the package database<packages>- one or more package names to install
Any word appearing after -Sy is a package name. These can be replaced with any software you want to install. Multiple packages can be installed in a single command by listing them separated by spaces.
My Common packages
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
flatpak |
Universal, sandboxed application framework. |
yay |
AUR helper for installing packages from the Arch User Repository. |
snapper |
Managing file system snapshots in Linux, primarily designed to work with the Btrfs file system. |
snap-pac |
Hooks and scripts that automatically create pre and post snapshots using Snapper before and after package transactions with Pacman. |
grub-btrfs |
Tool that enhances the GRUB bootloader by allowing you to boot into Btrfs snapshots. |
cachy-update |
Update notifier & applier for CachyOS. |
zen-browser |
Minimalist web browser. |
stow |
Symlink farm manager. |
qbittorrent |
Lightweight BitTorrent client. |
ghostty |
GPU-accelerated terminal emulator. |
htop |
CPU process viewer. |
btop |
CPU process viewer. |
cpu-x |
Gathers information on main computer components. |
gparted |
Partition manager. |
openrgb |
RGB lighting control. |
k3b |
Disc burning. |
discord |
Voice, video, and text communication platform. |
obs-studio |
Screen recording and live streaming software. |
krita |
Digital painting and illustration application. |
wps-office |
Office suite compatible with Microsoft Office formats. |
mythes-en |
English thesaurus files (used by office applications). |
ttc-iosevka |
A font designed for writing code, using in terminals. |
vlc |
Media player. |
cachyos-gaming-meta |
This meta-package includes all necessary gaming libraries and dependencies. |
cachyos-gaming-applications |
This package contains tools and launchers like Steam, Lutris, and others. |
code |
Visual Studio Code editor. |
git |
Distributed version control system. |
github-cli |
GitHub command-line interface (gh). |
mysql-workbench |
SQL IDE for mySQL. |
Package Management Choices
While Arch Linux provides multiple ways to install software, my setups primarily uses pacman, the native Arch package manager. Other options like AUR helpers (yay) and Flatpak exist, but pacman is preferred for core tools and system software.
Why pacman?
- Native and officially supported – packages come directly from Arch maintainers.
- Predictable and consistent – integrates cleanly with the system and updates reliably.
- Simpler system state – avoids duplicate libraries or parallel runtimes.
- Easier troubleshooting – most Arch documentation assumes pacman-managed software.
Alternatives
- AUR helpers (
yay) - I use only for packages unavailable in the official repos. It does offers access to a larger set of software, but packages are user-maintained and require building from source. - Flatpak – It is sandboxed applications with bundled dependencies. Useful for desktop apps that need isolation, but less native integration and higher disk usage.
Quick Comparison: Pacman vs AUR vs Flatpak
| Feature | Pacman | AUR (via yay) | Flatpak |
| — | — | — | — |
| Source | Official Arch repos | Arch User Repository (community) | Flatpak remote repositories |
| Trust level | High (maintainer-reviewed) | Medium (user-maintained) | High (sandboxed) |
| System integration | Full | Full | Partial (sandboxed) |
| Updates | pacman -Syu | yay -Syu | flatpak update |
| Disk usage | Minimal | Minimal | Larger (bundled runtimes) |
| Use case in this setup | Core tools & system software | Packages not in official repos | Optional desktop apps with sandboxing |
| Ease of troubleshooting | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
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