I gave Arch Linux a shot last year with the Archinstall method, but then I stumbled upon a tutorial by Mudahar showing how to install Arch manually. What are the main differences between these two installation methods? I'm still pretty new to Linux and ended up using Mint for now, but I'm considering giving Arch another try.
3 Answers
Archinstall is fairly new, only introduced about a year ago. Before that, most people did a manual installation, just like in the video you watched. It's a really handy option if you're looking for something simpler!
Fun fact: Arch did have other installation alternatives before 2013, so there were options even back then!
With Archinstall, you get a convenient and flexible shortcut, but be careful—it might not work seamlessly for complex setups. It's more of an automation feature than a full installer, so if your needs are advanced, manual might be the way to go.
Using Archinstall can save you a lot of time since it automates some steps, while a manual install takes a decent amount of time and attention to detail. If you don’t mind putting in the effort, the manual way could be more educational!
Just a heads up, Archinstall actually started back in 2013! Seems like it’s been around longer than most think.