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Arch Linux

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551
+ 1
108
Gentoo Linux

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+ 1
41
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Arch Linux vs Gentoo Linux: What are the differences?

<Write Introduction here>
  1. Installation Process: Arch Linux provides a simpler and more streamlined installation process compared to Gentoo Linux. Arch Linux offers a guided installation via its Arch Linux Installer, making it more accessible for beginners. On the other hand, Gentoo Linux requires users to compile everything from source, making the installation process more time-consuming and complex.

  2. Package Management: Arch Linux utilizes the Pacman package manager, known for its simplicity and speed in managing software packages. In contrast, Gentoo Linux uses Portage as its package manager, which focuses on source-based package management and allows for extensive customization of software packages.

  3. Release Model: Arch Linux follows a rolling-release model, providing continuous updates and ensuring that users always have access to the latest software versions. On the contrary, Gentoo Linux follows a more conservative approach with releases, allowing users to have more control over when and how they update their software packages.

  4. Community Support: Both Arch Linux and Gentoo Linux have active and supportive communities, but Arch Linux tends to have more widespread recognition and a larger user base. This results in more readily available resources, forums, and guides for Arch Linux users, compared to Gentoo Linux users.

  5. Resource Usage: Gentoo Linux tends to be more resource-intensive compared to Arch Linux due to its source-based nature and the need to compile packages from scratch. Arch Linux, being more minimalist in its default installation, typically requires fewer system resources and offers a lighter performance footprint.

  6. Philosophy and Approach: Arch Linux prioritizes simplicity, minimalism, and user-centric design, aiming to provide a lightweight and customizable experience. On the other hand, Gentoo Linux emphasizes flexibility, customization, and optimization through source code compilation, catering to users who desire granular control over their system configurations.

In Summary, Arch Linux and Gentoo Linux differ in their installation processes, package management, release models, community support, resource usage, and underlying philosophies and approaches.
Decisions about Arch Linux and Gentoo Linux
Simon Aronsson
Developer Advocate at k6 / Load Impact · | 7 upvotes · 283.8K views

At the moment of the decision, my desktop was the primary place I did work. Due to this, I can't have it blow up on me while I work. While Arch is interesting and powerful, Ubuntu offers (at least for me) a lot more stability and lets me focus on other things than maintaining my own OS installation.

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Pros of Arch Linux
Pros of Gentoo Linux
  • 17
    Large Community
  • 15
    Package Manager
  • 13
    Customizable
  • 12
    Rolling Release
  • 11
    Arch User Repository
  • 11
    Bleeding Edge
  • 10
    Extensive Documentation
  • 8
    Arch Build System
  • 7
    X86_64 architecture supported
  • 4
    Can fix bugs yourself if you know how to
  • 3
    OpenRC or systemd init
  • 3
    Portage package manager
  • 3
    Control
  • 2
    Cross compiling
  • 2
    Flexibility
  • 2
    X86_64 architecture supported
  • 2
    Compile time optimizations
  • 2
    Per package dependency control
  • 2
    Customizable
  • 2
    Overlays
  • 2
    Extensive documentation
  • 2
    Source based distribution
  • 2
    Supports distributing compiling tasks
  • 1
    SPARC architecture supported
  • 1
    Generalized reduction is system vulnerabilities
  • 1
    Stable rolling release
  • 1
    Package slots
  • 1
    X86 architecture supported
  • 1
    Alpha architecture supported
  • 1
    ARM64 architecture supported
  • 1
    ARM architecture supported
  • 1
    HPPA architecture supported
  • 1
    MIPS architecture supported
  • 1
    PCC architecture supported
  • 1
    PCC64 architecture supported

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Cons of Arch Linux
Cons of Gentoo Linux
  • 4
    Systemd only
  • 3
    Only X86_64 architecture is offically supported
  • 1
    No Guided Installation
  • 1
    System maintenance
  • 1
    Unstable
  • 1
    Comparatively fewer offically supported packages
  • 2
    Dated documentation
  • 2
    Circular dependancy conflicts
  • 2
    No guided installation
  • 1
    Vulnerabilities related to its specific toolchains
  • 1
    System maintenance
  • 1
    Complexity
  • 1
    Compilation time

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What is Arch Linux?

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

What is Gentoo Linux?

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

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What companies use Arch Linux?
What companies use Gentoo Linux?
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What tools integrate with Arch Linux?
What tools integrate with Gentoo Linux?

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What are some alternatives to Arch Linux and Gentoo Linux?
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.
Debian
Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.
Kali Linux
It is a Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at advanced Penetration Testing and Security Auditing. It contains several hundred tools which are geared towards various information security tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Security research, Computer Forensics and Reverse Engineering.
CentOS
The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.
Manjaro
It is an accessible, friendly, open-source Linux distribution and community. Based on Arch Linux, it provides all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed.
See all alternatives