Daily driver guide: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:30, 19 January 2025

Alpine Linux is a general purpose Linux distribution designed for power users. It is built to be small and resource efficient. If you feel the defaults are too lightweight for desktop use, it is easy to get most of the regular stuff working and use it as a daily driver.

This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine Linux system in system disk mode with working internet.

Note: Before installing any desktop,

Ensure you have Internet connectivity. If the test fails, setup your Internet access first, before you proceed further.
Create a non-privileged user account for security reasons, if you skipped this step during Installation.
Enable community repository.
Install graphics driver for your video hardware.

Once the above mandatory steps are completed, install any desktop of your choice either manually or using setup-desktop script.

Basics

Learn the alpine package keeper basics or refer wiki for more details.
Install some fonts to make your desktop look better.
Setup a sound server to manage your audio and configure your Bluetooth, if you have one.
Configure your printer.
Enable documentation, so man pages are available.
Install CPU Microcode updates to mitigate processor design bugs.
Secure your system by installing firewall software like awall or UFW.
To keep your system secure, regularly check and apply updates with the package manager.

Advanced

Use Flatpak to add packages that are not in the repositories.
Install gcompat package to add a glibc compatability layer which lets you run glibc binaries as normal.
Install a sandboxing application like AppArmor or Bubblewrap.
Learn basics of openrc, the alpine Linux init system or refer Open rc wiki.
Upgrade your OS whenever Alpine Linux releases a new stable version.
If you want the rolling release version of Alpine Linux, enable the Edge repository.
You may want to explore the testing repository, as it provides a lot more applications.

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 <!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS
-If you edit Post-Install,
+This page is linked to Post-Install section of [[Installation|Installation guide]]. So, check before making changes.
+  * Do not create content on this page as this page is meant as link aggregation page like [[Tutorials_and_Howtos]]
-Changes Made on this page also affects the Post-Install section of [[Installation|Installation guide]]. So, check that page too before making changes.
+   * Consider that there are already [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Post-Install]], [[Developer_Documentation#Package_management]] and the Handbook, please work towards reducing duplication
+  * Focus on linking to desktop related topics only.
-   * Consider that there are already [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Post-Install]], [[Developer_Documentation#Package_management]] and the Handbook, please work towards reducing duplication and providing an overview, and maintaining topic details of considerable size on their own pages.
    * Here, only the most relevant jumping off points are listed, not exact list duplicates!!!
-   * Keep short-list of links here, as overview to more detailed topic specific pages.
+   * Keep short-list of links here, as overview to more detailed topic specific pages
-   * Don't aggregate different topics at yet another place.
+   * Don't aggregate topics related to Desktop at yet another place.
 -->
+Alpine Linux is a general purpose Linux distribution designed for power users. It is built to be small and resource efficient. If you feel the defaults are too lightweight for desktop use, it is easy to get most of the [[How to get regular stuff working|regular stuff working]] and use it as a daily driver.
-Many people think that Alpine Linux is only made for containers and servers, but it is actually a general purpose distribution designed for power users. Since Alpine Linux is extremely small, simple and resource-efficient, it is easy to customize and use as a daily driver.
+This guide assumes you have already [[Installation|installed]] a minimal Alpine Linux system in [[Installation#System_Disk_Mode|system disk]] mode with working internet.
-{{Note|This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine Linux system with working internet by following the [[Installation|Installation guide]].}}
+{{:Include:Desktop prerequisites}}
+Once the above mandatory steps are completed, install any [[Desktop environments and Window managers|desktop]] of your choice either manually or using [[Setup-desktop|setup-desktop]] script.
 ==== Basics ====
-* Create a non-privileged [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|user account]] for security reasons.
-* Learn the [https://docs.alpinelinux.org/user-handbook/0.1a/Working/apk.html alpine package keeper basics] or refer [[Alpine Package Keeper|apk wiki]] for more details.
+* Learn the [https://docs.alpinelinux.org/user-handbook/0.1a/Working/apk.html alpine package keeper basics] or refer [[Alpine Package Keeper|wiki]] for more details.
-* Ensure that <code>community</code> repository is [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enabled]]
+* [[fonts#Installation|Install]] some [[fonts]] to make your desktop look better.
-* Install [[graphics driver]] for your video hardware.
+* Setup a [[Sound Setup|sound server]] to manage your audio and configure your [[Bluetooth]], if you have one.
-* Install a desktop using [[Setup-desktop]] or manually install a [[Desktop environments and Window managers|desktop]] of your choice.
-* [[fonts#Installation|Install]] some [[fonts]].
-* Setup [[PipeWire]] to manage your audio, if setup-desktop did not install it for your already or you installed your desktop environment manually.
-* Configure your [[Bluetooth]], if you have one. Also check [[PipeWire#Bluetooth_audio|pipewire bluetooth]], if needed.
 * Configure your [[Printer_Setup|printer]].
 * Enable [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ#Why don't I have man pages or where is the 'man' command?|documentation]], so man pages are available.
-* To keep your system secure, regularly [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Upgrade_a_Running_System|check and apply updates]] with the package manager.
+* Install [[CPU Microcode]] updates to mitigate processor design bugs.
+* Secure your system by installing [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Firewall and VPN|firewall]] software like [[How-To_Alpine_Wall|awall]] or [[Uncomplicated Firewall|UFW]].
+* To keep your system secure, regularly [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Upgrade_a_Running_System|check and apply updates]] with the package manager.
 ==== Advanced ====
-* If you find busybox lacking in features or options, it is easy to [[How to get regular stuff working|get regular stuff working]]
 * Use [[Flatpak]] to add packages that are not in the [[Repositories#repositories|repositories]].
 * Install {{pkg|gcompat|arch=}} package to add a glibc compatability layer which lets you run [[Running glibc programs|glibc binaries]] as normal.
-* Secure your system by installing firewall software like [[How-To_Alpine_Wall|awall]] or [[Uncomplicated Firewall|UFW]].
 * Install a sandboxing application like [[AppArmor]] or [[Bubblewrap]].
-* Learn [https://docs.alpinelinux.org/user-handbook/0.1a/Working/openrc.html basics of openrc],   the alpine Linux init system or refer [[OpenRC|Open rc wiki]]
+* Learn [https://docs.alpinelinux.org/user-handbook/0.1a/Working/openrc.html basics of openrc], the alpine Linux init system or refer [[OpenRC|Open rc wiki]].
+* [[Upgrading Alpine|Upgrade your OS]] whenever Alpine Linux [https://www.alpinelinux.org/releases/ releases] a new stable version.
 * If you want the rolling release version of Alpine Linux, [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enable]] the [[Repositories#Edge|Edge]] repository.
-* You may want to [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enable]] the [[Repositories#Testing|testing ]] repository, as it provides a lot more applications.
+* You may want to explore the [[Repositories#Testing|testing ]] repository, as it provides a lot more applications.
 [[Category:Desktop]]