Here are some frequently asked questions and answers that should help you find what you need.

Basics

What is Arch Linux ARM?
Arch Linux ARM - An operating system (distribution) of Linux for ARM computers, built for ARM computers. It's a port of Arch Linux to ARM.

How do I log in for the first time?
By default, your new system will request an IP address via DHCP. You can get this address by looking in your router's IP/DHCP lookup table. SSHD is also enabled by default and you can SSH to the IP in the table with the username of 'root' with a password of 'root'.

Why Arch Linux ARM?
It's actively maintained. It's updated daily. It has thousands of packages. It's got the AUR behind it. It's faster and more optimized than all the rest. It's really, really easy to develop on, much easier than writing RPM spec files or Debian control files. Also, the entire distribution is updatable through small packages instead of huge updates every few months.

It's based directly on Arch Linux and shares almost all of its code, which "is lightweight, flexible, simple and aims to be very UNIX-like. Its design philosophy and implementation make it easy to extend and mold". Many packages are unmodified from what the upstream developer originally released.

It runs on anything ARMv5TE or higher, including plug computers, OxNAS devices, WebOS, Android, Nokia N900, PandaBoard, Beagleboard, TrimSlice and pretty much any ARM device.

What are some examples of applications I can run on Arch Linux ARM?
You can run many popular services, like CUPS to print from networked computers, Apache, Lighttpd, Cherokee, Nginx, etc. for web servers, FTP servers, NFS servers, Time Machine-compatible Samba servers, play games (a multiplayer server) or attempt to install a desktop environment (with a web browser, text editors, and more) accessible through VNC (or on a DisplayLink or HDMI display), and more.

View our package repositories here.

Hardware

How powerful are ARM computers?
They'll serve up a set of drives through Samba just fine while running a PHP application on the Apache web server and delivering mail. Check out the hardware specifications to see more. If you're looking for a cheap home or small/medium business server, an ARM computer will work perfectly.

Where can I get an ARM computer?
Look around at all of the supported devices in the "Platforms" menu above and choose one you'd like to buy. Each device's specifications and price and store URL are in the bottom of that list.

Arch Linux ARM

How do I install Arch Linux ARM?
To install Arch Linux ARM on your device, choose your device from the "Platforms" menu above and then click the "Installation" tab on your device's page.

How do you install software on Arch Linux ARM? Remove it?
This guide has pretty much everything you'll ever need to know: Package Rosetta.

Are there other Linux distributions available?
Yes, in case Arch Linux ARM isn't right, there are other distributions available for ARM devices including all of the popular choices. However, we do not support installations with other distributions, nor can we assist in troubleshooting when things don't work. You're best off asking in the forums or chat rooms that those distributions provide for user support.

Development

How do you make packages?
The "Developers" menu above has everything you need to learn the basics of packaging up software for Arch Linux ARM.

How do I make my own kernel?
Just like on any other Linux computer, with one command added to the end (make uImage). See the "Developers" menu above.

I'm a Linux developer. How do I get my software ported to Arch Linux ARM?
If your software already runs ARM (or can be compiled to run on ARM), all you have to do is write a simple PKGBUILD file that will build and package your release on-demand and allow it for addition to our repositories. If you've ever written a PKGBUILD for x86/x86_64 Arch Linux, the process is exactly the same on Arch Linux ARM. See the "Developers" menu above.

Where do you keep the source code? Can I help with that?
Arch Linux ARM's custom PKGBUILDs live on Github, here. Feel free to fork, clone, comment on code, create issues, pull requests, and everything in between. As usual, check the "Developers" menu above for details.

If you'd like to work on Arch Linux ARM itself, join the IRC room and let us know!

Contact

Do you have a Twitter account?
Yes, our Twitter username is @archlinuxarm. Follow us, ask questions, etc.

I found a bug, how do I report it?
If you've found a bug, report it here.

My question isn't answered here, who do I contact?
The best place to look is the Forum. Ask a question, but search for an answer first.

You can also find us on IRC.

You can also send us mail at contact@archlinuxarm.org.

Legal

Arch Linux ARM bricked my device, now what?
If you've installed Arch Linux ARM by following our guides word for word, you shouldn't have any problems. If your device doesn't boot into Arch Linux ARM, try a different USB drive or SD card. This solves 90% of boot problems, as some drives, for whatever reason, just don't work. If this still does not work, post in the forum, let us know on IRC, or email us. We'll do our best to help.

How is Arch Linux ARM licensed?
Arch Linux ARM is licensed under the GNU GPLv2, with full source being free and open software. Each package is licensed under its respective license. The PlugApps distribution is copyright Mike Staszel. You may modify, adapt, and copy it to fit your needs. If you do so, it must be licensed under a similar license to the GPLv2.

Arch Linux ARM website content is licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 license. This includes all wiki entries and guides. Forum content is property of the poster and we are not responsible for it. You may modify, copy, mirror, or adapt the articles to fit your needs, with attribution to Arch Linux ARM.