Daily driver guide: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:56, 8 November 2024

Alpine Linux is built to be small and resource efficient. It is still a general purpose Linux distribution designed for power users. 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.

Note: This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine Linux system in sys mode with working Internet by following the Installation guide. The following four steps are mandatory to install any Desktop:

Create a non-privileged user account for security reasons.
Ensure that community repository is enabled
Install graphics driver for your video hardware.
Install a desktop using Setup-desktop script or manually install any desktop of your choice.

Basics

Learn the alpine package keeper basics or refer wiki for more details.
Install some fonts to make your desktop look better.
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.
Configure your printer.
Enable documentation, so man pages are available.
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.
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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-Many people think that Alpine is only made for containers and servers, but it is actually a general purpose distro which can definitely be used as a daily driver.
+Alpine Linux is built to be small and resource efficient. It is still a general purpose Linux distribution designed for power users. 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.
-Alpine is extremely small, simple and resource-efficient, making it easy to customize.
+{{Note|This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine Linux system in [[Installation#System_Disk_Mode|sys]] mode with working Internet by following the [[Installation|Installation guide]]. The following four steps are mandatory to install any [[Desktop environments and Window managers|Desktop]]:
+# Create a non-privileged [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|user account]] for security reasons.
+# Ensure that <code>community</code> repository is [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enabled]]
+# Install [[graphics driver]] for your video hardware.
+# Install a desktop using [[Setup-desktop]] script or manually install any [[Desktop environments and Window managers|desktop]] of your choice.
+}}
-{{Note|This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine system by following the [[Installation|Installation guide]]}}
+==== Basics ====
-== Basics ==
+* 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.
-* Create a non-privileged [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|user account]] for security reasons.
+* [[fonts#Installation|Install]] some [[fonts]] to make your desktop look better.
-* 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.
-* Ensure that <code>community</code> repository is [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enabled]]
-* Install [[graphics driver]] for your video hardware.
-* Choose [[Setup-desktop|Quickstart Install]] or manual installation of a [[Desktop environments and Window managers|desktop environment]] 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 [[Bluetooth]], if you have one.
 * Configure your [[Printer_Setup|printer]].
-* Enable [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ#Why don't I have man pages or where is the 'man' command?|docs]], so man pages are available.
+* Enable [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ#Why don't I have man pages or where is the 'man' command?|documentation]], so man pages are available.
+* Secure your system by installing 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 ====
-== 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 (sometimes) lets you run binaries as normal.
+* 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]].
+* If you want the rolling release version of Alpine Linux, [[Repositories#Managing_repositories|enable]] the [[Repositories#Edge|Edge]] repository.
-== Experimental ==
+* You may want to explore the [[Repositories#Testing|testing ]] repository, as it provides a lot more applications.
-{{Warning|'''Only do below steps, if you're 100% sure what you're doing!''' Possible bugs in ''edge'' and ''testing'' could cause data loss or could break your system.}}
-* If You may 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.
-Read the above warning once again and understand the full implications.
 [[Category:Desktop]]
-[[Category:Newbie]]