Introduction
So you survived the Arch Linux manual installation.
System boots, terminal works, internet is alive — good enough.
Now comes the real part: Making Arch usable without wasting your entire weekend.
I already maintain my own dotfiles, and a friend of mine — BackToVedas — has automated most of the boring post-install stuff using a bash script.
This blog explains post-installation setup, his script, that installs my dotfiles & other setups with minimal effort and maximum laziness.
Credits (Important)
Before anything else:
- backtovedas – for the automated post-installation setup script
Repo: https://github.com/backtovedas/post-installation-setup/ - 0xguava – for the
st(simple terminal) fork used in this setup
Without these two, this setup would take much more manual effort.
What This Setup Installs
Using the automated script + my dotfiles, we get:
- DWM (suckless window manager)
- slstatus (status bar for DWM)
- st (simple terminal – forked by 0xguava)
- Basic development tools
- Audio, fonts, networking essentials
- A usable desktop without bloated DEs
Minimal, fast, and keyboard-driven.
Prerequisites
- Fresh Arch Linux install
- Working internet
- Non-root user with sudo access
- Basic patience
Step 1: Clone the Post-Installation Script
git clone https://github.com/backtovedas/post-installation-setup.git
cd post-installation-setup
Take a quick look at the script before running it.
Step 2: Run the Setup Script
chmod +x setup.sh
./setup.sh
This handles:
- Package installation
- Building DWM, slstatus, and st
- Xorg, fonts, audio setup
Coffee break recommended. Might take a while.
Step 3: Reboot
reboot
If it boots, congratulations.
Tweak as needed.
About st (Simple Terminal)
Uses a fork by 0xguava:
- Better defaults
- Extra patches
- Still minimal
Fits perfectly with DWM.
Common Issues
- Black screen → check
.xinitrc - Broken keybinds → rebuild DWM
Fixing is part of Arch life.
Conclusion
Thanks to BackToVedas and 0xguava, setting up Arch after install doesn’t have to be painful.
Minimal setup, maximum control.
Personal Opinion
I don’t enjoy redoing setups.
This exists so I can install Arch, run one script, apply dotfiles, and move on.
Not perfect, but it works — and that’s enough.