Arch linux kernel vs mainstream Linux kernel
 

does the .arch linux kernel have any special modifications? how does it compare to the mainstream Linux kernel.

Bookmark wiki.archlinux.org, they have all the answers:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernels

Moderator Response
 

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <Arch> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

https://projects.archlinux.org/svnto...packages/linux will show you the source files used to build the stock archkernel.

Looking into the PKGBUILD for 3.6-1 that is now in testing, only 1 patch is applied, everything else is upstream vanilla .

Most distros apply a lot more distro-specific stuff to the kernel then arch.