Hi,

Note : I do not want to use Manjaro. I want to use pure Arch repos.

Some years back I used an Arch derivative called Antergos. That project is discontinued. I started using Linux in 2007 & I have used mostly Debian based distros. I install updates as soon as they are available which is almost everyday.

When I was using Antergos I faced major breakage and I had to learn how to downgrade packages. This happened many years ago.

Q1) Is Arch still so breakage prone ?

Q2) I am using Mint 20 at the moment but I feel this craving for using Arch. What is your opinion ? Should I install Arch or abandon the idea ?

Q3) I want to install an Arch derivative which offers a graphical installer. Which one do you recommend ?

Q4) Manjaro offers a GUI tool which enables user to install packages from AUR. I need that capability so please take this point into consideration while suggesting a derivative.

Arch breakages are generally because people don't read the news. Simple.
Guess how I know.

You might like to read this thread. Haven't got inquisitive enough to try it yet.

3 members found this post helpful.

@syg00
Okay I will try EndeavourOS. One question before I download. Does it offer a GUI tool to install from AUR ?

You mentioned reading the news. I had updated the packages before they even published their news.

syg00,

Thanks for posting a link to my earlier post about EndeavourOS.

Go on, be inquisitive! You know you want to.

@beachboy2
Does EndeavourOS offer a GUI tool to install from AUR ?

I've used Antergos and a few other Arch derivatives. I haven't used Manjaro, and haven't tried Endeavour. I feel that I end up with a better system when I install Arch "the Arch way". Having said that, I liked the results I got using the Anarchy installer. Might be worth looking into.

hifi100,

Not to my knowledge.

I use yay on the command line if I need anything from AUR.

Package management in EndeavourOS:
https://endeavouros.com/docs/pacman/...n-endeavouros/

Do try EndeavourOS, it is brilliant IMO.

Used arch for 10 years. I've never seen it to be breakage prone. More like little problems that you need to sort out after and update. Usually something has changed and the wiki is updated with the change. I've never had and arch machine break.
Arch is a rolling release that stays out of your way. Whatever your arch machine is, you made it that way. Use arch if you want to use arch. Be prepared for no hand holding. If you don't like that then use something else.
None. Read the arch installation guide for a week when you have time. Understand how linux works, then install arch. You are going to have to maintain that install. If you have no idea how it works then you are going to have problems. And the arch forum is not newbie friendly. It is a knowledgeable forum but...you'll be told to read the wiki.
Problematic from the start. Installing/compiling software without any idea what is happening. Then you won't be able to maintain it. Read the wiki pages for the ABS, makepkg, PKGBUILD. After you understand how it works then use whatever AUR helper you wish. Also installing software outside of pacman with a AUR helper is problematic and will get you no help on the arch forum.

Use arch if you want to run the machine yourself, and all that you need is a wiki with the latest info. If you need hand holding, use something else.

1 members found this post helpful.

Arch is my favorite systemd distro. It is light, fast and you build it how you like it. If you follow the actual Arch wiki install guide, installation is simple and relatively fast - I can have a bootable Arch system in about 30 minutes or so, maybe 45. If you follow the various outdated guides out there on the Internet, be prepared for problems.

I have never used any sort of Arch installer - maybe because I am a former Gentoo user and an installer just feels wrong, I don't know...

Manjaro was OK but I prefer Arch. When I had an Arch install, I only used AUR the "traditional" way and built each package manually "makepkg -I" I think was the command.

Arco is good Arch based distro too. I recommend it. If you ask me its best arch based distro.

I have installed EndeavourOS. I used my knowledge that I gained while using Manjaro & ran pacman -Syu and it downloaded about 250MB of updates. Nothing broke. So I will have to agree with you guys that the popular saying that indicates that rolling releases break often is just not true.

I agree. Its really awesome.

I will use EndeavourOS for some months & once I get used to maintaining an Arch system I will try vanilla Arch.

Thanks everyone for the replies.