Omarchy
An opinionated, keyboard-driven Arch setup for developers.
What is Omarchy?
Omarchy is an Arch Linux-based distribution created by David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) and incubated at 37signals, first released in 2025. It installs from its own ISO with a preconfigured Hyprland tiling desktop, a curated set of developer tools, and coordinated themes. Installation is designed for a dedicated drive and uses full-disk encryption. The keyboard-first tiling workflow takes some learning if you are used to a traditional desktop.
Who is Omarchy for?
Omarchy fits best for development. Where it ranks in our lists:
- #4 of 14: best rolling release Linux distros
- #7 of 29: best Linux distros for programming and development
Pros
- Hyprland preconfigured and themed out of the box
- Developer tools set up during installation
- Fast installer that asks only a few questions
Cons
- Keyboard-driven tiling workflow has a learning curve
- Opinionated defaults and a dedicated drive with full-disk encryption
- Young project; rolling Arch updates still need attention
Omarchy system requirements
For a comfortable desktop with a modern web browser, plan for about 8 GB of RAM. Omarchy is available for x86_64. Leave at least 25 GB of storage for the system and applications. These figures are editorial guidance; check the official documentation for minimums.
Try Omarchy before you install
Write the image to a USB stick and boot it as a live session to test Wi-Fi, graphics, sound, and suspend on your own computer. A browser trial on DistroSea shows the desktop, but cannot verify your hardware.
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Omarchy: common questions
What is Omarchy based on?
Omarchy is based on Arch Linux. It uses Pacman · AUR (community) for software and systemd as its init system.
Is Omarchy good for beginners?
It is manageable if you are comfortable troubleshooting and occasionally using a terminal. Complete beginners may prefer Linux Mint or Ubuntu first.
How much RAM does Omarchy need?
We suggest about 8 GB of RAM for a comfortable desktop experience with a modern browser. This is editorial guidance, not the project’s official minimum, which can be lower. It runs on x86_64.
What desktop does Omarchy use?
Omarchy offers Hyprland.
Is Omarchy a rolling release?
Yes. Omarchy updates continuously, so there are no version upgrades to perform.
Is Omarchy free?
Yes, Omarchy is free to download and use.