ArchLabs

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ArchLabs Linux
Archlabs Logo.png
ArchLabs-2022.01.18.png
ArchLabs 2022.01.18 with Openbox
Developer Nathaniel Maia & Matthew Dobson [1]
OS family Linux (Unix-like)
Working stateDiscontinued
Source model Open source
Latest release Rolling release 2023.06.07 [2] / 8 June 2023;15 months ago (2023-06-08)
Marketing targetGeneral purpose
Available in English
Update method Pacman
Package manager Pacman
Platforms x86-64
Kernel type Monolithic (Linux)
Userland GNU
Influenced byBunsenLabs
Default
user interface
NA
License GNU General Public License
Official website www.archlabslinux.com

ArchLabs Linux is a discontinued lightweight rolling release Linux distribution based on a minimal Arch Linux operating system with the Openbox window manager. [3] ArchLabs is inspired by BunsenLabs. [4] [5]

Contents

Features

The ArchLabs distribution contains a text-based installer, "AL-Installer" as its installation method, [6] as well as baph, an AUR helper. [7] The installer gives the user the ability to choose from 16 different assorted Desktop Environments and Window Managers as well as a selection of extra software, Linux Kernels, Display Managers and shells.

History

Initial releases used the Calamares installer. Early versions of ArchLabs started to become bloated with many unnecessary applications and programs. This sparked a change in direction. A slim down of the ISO size from over 2Gb in size down to approximately 580mb made download times a lot quicker.

Mínimo was the first of this minimal release with a change from the traditional Openbox panel, Tint2 to Polybar. Also introduced in this release was the original welcome script, named "AL-Hello" which was a nod to the "brother" distribution BunsenLabs. [8] [9] Mínimo was also the final release to have a release name, following releases followed a numbering pattern of YYYY.MM.

2018.02 release brought a new and improved AL-Hello welcome script and many additions and refining to the ArchLabs experience. [10]

2018.07 saw more improvements to the newly written AL-Installer. [11]

With the release of 2018.12 came the removal of the live environment and the post install script "AL-Hello". Options for choosing desktops and window managers as well as a selection of apps have been added to AL-Installer (ALI). [6] Also introduced in this 2018.12 release was the in house AUR (Arch User Repository) Helper, baph (Basic AUR Package Helper). [7]

2019.10.29 was ArchLabs third release for 2019 (After 2019.1.20 & 2019.10.28). Many changes were made including additional desktop environments and window managers added to the installer. Most notably, awesomewm and jwm.

ArchLabs first release of 2022 [12] brought with it a new custom Window Manager called dk. [13] Also included is a custom panel and menu for the Sway Window Manager called nwg-shell. [14]

The ArchLabs installer now includes 16 assorted Desktop Environments and Window Managers, such as i3, dwm, bspwm, LXQt, jwm, XFCE, Awesome, Fluxbox, KDE Plasma, Deepin, Gnome, and Cinnamon. [15] Most are installed as the developer intended with no customisation. Openbox, awesomewm, dk and Sway are the only customised environments supplied by the ArchLabs installer.

Matthew Dobson announced that 2023.06.07 would be the final release. [16]

Release history

The current release of ArchLabs Linux is "2023.06.07", which was released on 8 June 2023. [17]

ColorLegend
RedOld version
GreenLatest version
BlueFuture version
VersionCodenameRelease date Kernel
idea [18] [19] Start1 January 2017
Alpha [18] [19] 24 February 2017
1.0 [18] [19] 3 March 2017
3.0 [1] [18] [19] 6 March 2017
3.4 [20] 7 April 2017
4.0 [21] 29 April 2017
4.1 [18] Yoda4 June 2017
5.0 [19] R2-D27 July 20174.11.9 [3]
2017.09 [22] [23] Mínimo [4] 17 September 20174.12.13 [3]
2017.10 [24] 2017.1024 October 20174.13.19
2017.10 [24] LTS24 October 20174.9.56 [3]
2017.12 [25] 2017.1223 December 20174.13.3
2018.02 [10] 2018.0226 February 20184.15.5
2018.03 [26] 2018.034 March 20184.15.6
2018.05 [27] 2018.0511 May 20184.16.8
2018.07 [11] 2018.0729 July 20184.17.10
2018.12 [6] 2018.1218 December 20184.19.9
2019.01 [17] 2019.0120 January 20194.20.3
2019.10.28 [17] 2019.10.2828 October 20195.3.7
2019.10.29 [17] 2019.10.2929 October 20195.3.7
2020.05.04 [17] 2020.05.044 May 20205.6.8
2020.11.04 [17] 2020.11.044 November 20205.9.3
2021.05.02 [17] 2021.05.022 May 20215.11.16
2022.01.18 [17] 2022.01.1819 January 20225.16.1
2022.02.12 [17] 2022.02.1213 February 20225.16.8
2023.01.20 [17] 2023.01.2020 January 20236.1.7
2023.02.05 [17] 2023.02.055 February 20236.1.9
2023.06.07 [17] 2023.06.078 June 20236.3.6

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References

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