Arch Linux in June 2023 #

packaging #

We have now enabled all packagers to have default access to the multilib and unstable desktop (GNOME/KDE) repositories. This decision removes artificial gates and simplifies the process for packagers to contribute to different aspects of the distro’s packaging. By granting wider access by default, we encourage easier participation and collaboration within our distro packaging team.

devtools #

We released version v1.0.3 of devtools which focused on bug fixes. This release addresses the issue of broken repos for new packages by ensuring that the actual PKGBUILD is always version controlled. Additionally, we implemented the functionality to skip unofficial architectures, providing better support for building AUR packages with pkgctl.

arch-boxes #

Starting with the v20230601 release, arch-boxes images now include x64 UEFI support in addition to legacy BIOS. The GRUB boot loader is used for both UEFI and BIOS systems, ensuring a consistent implementation across different hardware configurations. This is a great enhancement that allows using arch-boxes images on UEFI-based systems.

ArchISO #

In the archlinux-2023.06.01-x86_64.iso release, the mDNS responder of systemd-resolved is now enabled by default. This improvement enhances the user experience by simplifying network connections during the installation process.

This enables convenient connectivity to the live environment via SSH from the local network without the need to know the IP address. Users can simply use the mDNS hostname archiso.local. The ArchWiki article “Install Arch Linux via SSH” has been updated to include a helpful tip with the appropriate command.

container images #

Arch Linux’s container images are now published to multiple registries. In addition to DockerHub, the images are also pushed to Quay.io and GitHub Container registry. This wider distribution ensures availability of the image across multiple platforms and helps mitigate the risk of a single point of failure. Users can now access the Arch Linux container images from their preferred registry, offering greater flexibility and redundancy.

Specification effort for .BUILDINFO files #

With the alpm-buildinfo project, a Rust-based specification effort for the .BUILDINFO files found in ALPM packages has been started. The implementation for version 1 of the file is currently in review.