EndeavourOS is quickly becoming one of the most popular Arch-based Linux distributions available. It gives users the speed, power, and high level of choice that makes Arch Linux stand out without the somewhat difficult and often frustrating manual setup process.
The sleek presentation and intuitive graphical interface make it easy for anyone to install EndeavourOS, one of the most advanced bleeding-edge Linux operating systems.
What Is EndeavourOS?
EndeavourOS is aimed at intermediate and advanced Linux users. The graphical installer simplifies the initial setup, but the installer will still give you a long list of choices when it comes to what exactly gets installed on your system.
A side benefit of the GUI installer is that many options are laid out for you, whereas if you were installing Arch through a terminal environment, you might not even be aware of most of the software choices that are available to you.
While this makes EndeavourOS a great system for users who want absolute control over their system, it also opens the door to possible problems and even system crashes caused by conflicting packages and programs. With more choices comes more responsibility.
What attracts most users is the same thing that attracts many users to Arch, total control over the finest details of their operating system. EndeavourOS makes the installation process easier for the average user but adheres tightly to the Arch Linux principle that your system should have only the software you choose to install, nothing more and nothing less.
Like Arch, EndeavourOS follows a rolling release model. There is no fixed release schedule for major versions. Instead, as you run regular updates, all system packages are constantly updated to the latest version.
With this type of release model, you’ll never have to stop and run a full “system upgrade” to keep up with the latest version of the operating system.
Where to Get EndeavourOS
As you may have guessed, you can find download links to the latest ISO images on the official EndeavourOS website. There are several mirrors with direct downloads as well as torrent options.
Download: EndeavourOS
There are 13 different flavors of EndeavourOS available. Each comes pre-configured with its own desktop environment and some basic software. You’ll find all of the most popular Linux desktops and more, including:
- GNOME
- KDE Plasma
- Cinnamon
- XFCE
- MATE
- i3wm
- Sway
- Budgie
In short, you can run just about any available desktop on EndeavourOS. In the spirit of keeping things as simple as possible, however, you’ll find only one ISO image to download no matter which desktop you want.
To start, download the ISO of your choice, create a live USB, and reboot your computer from the EndeavourOS installation media.
How to Install EndeavourOS
When you boot into the live system, you’ll be greeted with a clean, simple XFCE desktop and a welcome app that will allow you to adjust some general settings as well as launch the installer. It also contains links to the latest release information, the Endeavour Wiki, the community forum, and some pre-installation tips.
Upon launch, the installer will ask if you want to perform an online or offline installation. An online installation will allow you to pick from any of the available desktops, set up your own theming, and choose from some extra software options.
If you have an active internet connection, online installation is going to be the better option. The offline installation doesn’t require any network connection and instead installs the system from the software packages available on the live system ISO.
The installer will first ask for the language that you would like to use and your location. It will then present you with your first major choice. Among the options, you’ll be able to choose one of nine different desktops as well as a few other options such as an LTS (long term support) kernel version, accessibility options, and printer support.
Once you’ve made your choices and confirmed, the installer will make any necessary changes to your hard drive configuration and begin the installation process. Sit back, relax, and within a few minutes, it’ll ask you to restart your computer.
The first time you boot into your new EndeavourOS system, a welcome application will open, providing easy access to system update functions as well as installation of common apps that you may want to have available.
It is highly recommended that you run the first two options on the After Install tab: Update Mirrors and Update System. Update mirrors will check in with several of the available software repositories and try to find the ones that respond to you fastest.
Once located, the program will set them as your default software download points. This will ensure that you get good download speeds when you need to install or update anything. The update system option will do exactly what it says—it will check your system against currently available software and update everything to the latest versions.
Once you have everything updated, it’s time to explore! The General Info tab of the welcome app has links to the EndeavourOS website, wiki, forum, and other helpful sites. The Assistant tab will help you with updating your system, troubleshooting, and locating software packages.
The Tips tab will get you started with various aspects of managing your new system. Finally, the Add More Apps tab will help you install some of the most common apps as well as show you where to find anything else you may be looking for.
EndeavourOS: Post-Installation
The base system that you are left with after installation will vary somewhat depending on the desktop and any extra software you chose as the beginning of the install process.
In most cases, you’ll end up with what is generally considered to be a “minimal install.” You’ll have your desktop environment, some basic apps like a text editor, calculator, web browser, some audio/video apps, etc.
To begin filling in the gaps, you can take your pick from thousands of packages available in the Arch User Repository, commonly referred to as the AUR. The AUR is what makes Arch-based Linux distributions really special.
You’ll find everything you’re looking for and so much more. From professional-grade software to user-generated gems and so many things that you never knew you wanted, it’s all here.
Enjoy Your Arch-Based EndeavourOS System
With the installation complete, your journey has just begun. From this moment forward, you have complete control over your computer and user environment. You can create and alter functionality any way you see fit.
There are countless destinations, and even more ways to reach them. Where will your EndeavourOS take you? You can start by customizing your desktop and personalizing it to make it yours.
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