What Should I Expect Using Arch Linux as My Main OS?

You might find yourself wanting to discuss your use of Arch with others, similar to how people talk about going vegan. You'll likely feel more superior to users of other distros and Windows, too. But seriously, the experience is generally positive once you get past the initial hurdles. There’s tons of info available to help you out along the way.

Be ready to spend quite a bit of time on troubleshooting. A lot of Arch users suggest that you'll spend hours researching issues and figuring out how to fix them. While you'll come across helpful people, some might wonder why you chose Arch as your starting point. If you're really into tinkering, though, it might be worth it! Just keep in mind that you'll often be the one breaking things and needing to fix them. After 15 years of using Linux, I find that I wouldn't want the daily hassles of Arch. It might be better to start with a less demanding distro and get familiar with the Arch Wiki first.

Prepare to read a lot! If you don't like reading, be ready to watch plenty of tutorials. Just a heads-up that at some point, something might brick, so have a backup plan in mind.

Before diving in, I'd recommend watching several videos to get a feel for it. Decide on a desktop environment and the programs you need first. Arch can be great since it’s customizable—think of it like a plate at a buffet; it’s empty until you start adding what you want. I suggest trying it out in a virtual machine first so you can easily revert if something goes wrong.

Expect some frustration up front when you're first setting things up. But once everything is running smoothly and customized to your liking, you might never want to switch to another distro again!

Honestly, it's easy to get discouraged. If you're not super committed, you might find yourself frustrated and wanting to switch back to Windows. I can run Arch, but I definitely don't have the time to deal with its quirks on a daily basis.