Learning Artix Linux - Prerequisites & Environment Setup

#Introduction

Welcome to the Learning Artix Linux series! This series will take you to mastery of Artix — an Arch Linux-based distribution that runs without systemd — from installation and package management with pacman to all four init systems: OpenRC, runit, s6, and dinit. In total there are 23 episodes organized into six phases.

But before firing up the machine, there are a few basic skills and pieces of software you must have. Why do these prerequisites matter? Because Artix is not just a distro you install and forget: its philosophy is full control. Without systemd, you choose the init, you choose the services that run, and you choose how they run. That means a solid understanding of partitioning, bootloaders, and the concept of services becomes your primary asset.

Episode 0 is your roadmap: we'll make sure you have the basic skills, prepare the ISO and a VM, and then verify your first environment. Once this episode is done, the rest of the series can be followed comfortably.

#Basic Skills You Must Have

#Linux CLI and Package Manager

Artix uses pacman as its package manager. You must be comfortable with the terminal, file navigation, sudo privileges, and the concept of repositories. Learn the basic pacman commands from now on, because this entire series revolves around them:

sudo pacman -Syu
pacman -Ss package-name
pacman -Q package-name
pacman -Q | wc -l

You also need to understand the difference between package sources: binary packages from the official repos versus PKGBUILD scripts from the AUR that you build yourself. This concept is fully broken down in episode 15, complete with the yay and paru tools.

#Partitioning, Bootloader, and Filesystem

The Artix installation in episode 3 depends on your ability to partition a disk. Master fdisk or cfdisk, the GPT versus MBR partition table concepts, and the EFI System Partition for UEFI boot. The bootloader we use is GRUB, so understand how GRUB finds the kernel and initramfs.

Check these skills by looking at your disk and firmware:

lsblk
blkid
ls /sys/firmware/efi

If the /sys/firmware/efi directory exists, your system uses UEFI. If it doesn't, your system uses legacy BIOS — no problem, GRUB can still handle it, only the installation is slightly different.

#Service and Init System Concepts

On other distros you may be used to systemctl start. On Artix the commands differ depending on the init: rc-service for OpenRC, sv for runit, s6-svc for s6, and dinitctl for dinit. You don't need to memorize all of them right now, but you should understand that a service is a process registered to be run by the system, complete with rules for start and stop ordering.

#Software to Prepare

#Artix ISO Matching Your Init Choice

Download the official ISO from artixlinux.org/download.php. Pick the init variant you most want to learn; this series covers all four in a balanced way:

artix-base-openrc.iso   -> PID 1 uses OpenRC
artix-base-runit.iso    -> PID 1 uses runit
artix-base-s6.iso       -> PID 1 uses s6
artix-base-dinit.iso    -> PID 1 uses dinit

If you're unsure, start with the OpenRC variant because it has the most documentation, then compare it with the other inits in episode 6. The latest ISO version at the time this series was written is 2026-04-03 with kernel 6.19, the XLibre X server, and PipeWire as the default audio.

#Verifying the ISO Checksum

Before booting, verify the authenticity of the ISO so you don't use a corrupted or tampered file. Artix provides checksums and signature files on the download page:

sha256sum -c artix-base-openrc-2026.04.03-x86_64.iso.sha256
gpg --verify artix-base-openrc-2026.04.03-x86_64.iso.sig

The sha256sum -c command reads a checksum list and reports whether the ISO matches. The second line uses a stronger GPG signature, as long as the developer keys have been imported.

#A VM to Experiment In

Don't install directly on a real machine. Prepare a VM in VirtualBox, QEMU/KVM, or Proxmox with at least 2 CPUs and 4 GB of RAM. Allocate a 40 GB virtual disk. With a VM, you can try all four init variants and break the system to your heart's content with no permanent consequences.

#The base, world, and galaxy Repositories

Artix uses the base (replacing core), world (replacing extra), and galaxy (replacing community) repositories. Every package in them is built without systemd dependencies. Init service packages are provided via subpackages such as artix-base-openrc for the base install and per-init service scaffolds.

#Verifying Your First Environment

Once the VM is running from the ISO, make sure the environment is healthy before installing. Check the kernel version and system identity:

uname -r
cat /etc/os-release

The output of cat /etc/os-release shows ID=artix and ID_LIKE=arch. You can also confirm the installation tools are available:

pacman -V | head -n 1
which basestrap fstabgen

The last two binaries — basestrap and fstabgen — are the key Artix installation tools we'll use in episode 3. If both appear, your ISO is healthy and ready to proceed.

#Prerequisite Summary

Here's what you've prepared in episode 0:

• Skills: Linux CLI, pacman, partitioning & bootloader, and the concept of services.
• Software: an Artix ISO matching your init choice, verified checksum, and a VM.
• Repositories: base, world, and galaxy, all systemd-free.
• Key tools: pacman, basestrap, and fstabgen.

If anything is still missing, stop and complete it before continuing. A strong foundation will make the next 22 episodes feel much lighter.

#Conclusion

In this episode 0 you've laid the groundwork for the entire series: understanding CLI skills, partitioning, and the concept of services, choosing the init variant you want to learn, preparing a VM, and verifying the repositories and system identity.

Key takeaways:

• Artix is Arch without systemd, with four init choices: OpenRC, runit, s6, and dinit.
• Master pacman, partitioning, and service concepts before moving on.
• Prepare a 2-CPU, 4 GB RAM VM with a 40 GB disk for experiments.
• Choose the ISO matching your init; start with OpenRC if in doubt.
• Artix's repositories are base, world, and galaxy, all systemd-free.
• Verify uname -r and cat /etc/os-release before installing.

In the next episode, episode 1, we'll cover the history, background, and why Artix Linux exists — from the continuation of Arch-OpenRC in 2012, its birth as Arch without systemd, to the support for four init systems that makes it unique. Make sure your VM is ready, because the Learning Artix Linux journey has only just begun!