Unlike Windows and macOS, Linux comes in tons of flavors, ranging from the ol' reliable Debian to the hardcore Arch Linux. While we're on the subject, Arch Linux is a bleeding-edge distribution that’s as useful for DIY tinkerers as it is for Linux ricing lovers.

What’s more, the all-powerful Arch Linux has its own community of distributions – some useful for general-purpose systems, others quirky enough for specific tasks. Having cycled between many Arch-based distributions during my distro-hopping (mis)adventures, here are some of my favorites.

Garuda Linux

Plenty of gamer-centric tools under the hood

The rise of the Proton compatibility layer lifted Linux from being a bump in the gaming road to a robust option for gamers. So much so that there are quite a few Linux distributions geared specifically for running games. Garuda Linux is one such distro, and it’s a great option for Arch lovers who want minimal headaches when setting up the bleeding-edge king on their gaming machine.

For starters, Garuda Linux includes Nvidia drivers by default, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of configuring Team Green GPUs to work on your Linux gaming PC. I also adore the Garuda Gamer package installer, which can set up everything from Proton and Wine tools to Steam, Itch, and even most of the popular emulators. I also love Garuda Linux’s clean yet striking aesthetics, especially the macOS-like dock.

CachyOS

Quite responsive, and works well on handhelds

Unlike Windows, Linux distributions are well-known for their snappy performance, and CachyOS includes a handful of tweaks to make your Arch experience feel more responsive. Underneath its simple UI, CachyOS supports the BORE scheduler for better performance during intensive tasks. On top of that, the distro has its own set of recompiled applications optimized for specific CPU architectures, and even ships with specific kernel patches.

While I consider Garuda Linux better for running games on a desktop, CachyOS is a great option if you’re on a gaming handheld. Since the developers have released specific versions of CachyOS for handheld systems, you don’t have to worry about broken functionalities or weird issues with the distro.

Exodia OS

A solid alternative to Kali Linux

Ask any cybersecurity enthusiast about their distribution of choice, and you’ll hear Kali Linux several times in the conversation. While it’s undeniably one of the best distributions for pen testing, there are other options for folks looking to step into the murky waters of ethical hacking. On the Arch front, you’ve got Exodia OS, which houses hundreds of pen-testing, network scanning, and vulnerability detection packages.

Rather than relying on a desktop environment like most distros, Exodia ships with the BSPWM tiling window manager, giving it a sleeker (and low-key alienish) appearance. While the Wireless edition is designed for pen-testing, you can also go for the Home edition if you want to use it as a daily driver.

Artix Linux

For folks who despise systemd

Although I have no issues using systemd on my Linux distros, a barebones system without this init utility is better when you want to eke every last drop of performance out of your system. As such, if you’re someone who finds systemd bloatware, you could go for Artix Linux, which relies on other init systems.

The base version has different ISOs for dinit, openrc, runit, and s6, and you can even choose between Cinnamon, Plasma, LXQt, and a couple of other desktop environments if you prefer GUI setups.

EndeavourOS

A gorgeous-looking, beginner-friendly distro

Although I use a virtualized Arch Linux dev environment these days, the distro’s DIY-heavy nature and lack of built-in GUI provisions made me rather apprehensive about switching to it during my early distro-hopping days. As such, I used EndeavourOS to ease myself into the bleeding-edge nature of the Arch landscape, and it’s such an amazing distro that I still use it to this day.

The installation wizard makes configuring EndeavourOS a walk in the park, especially if you’ve only used simple Debian or Fedora-based distros in the past. EndeavourOS’ default themes, together with KDE Plasma’s refreshing design, result in a sleek UI even without using any customization tools. I’ve been using EndeavourOS for years, and besides the extremely occasional broken packages from the AUR repo, I haven’t run into any deal-breaking issues with it.

But Arch Linux is still the best for the job

While I’ve covered my favorite Arch-based distros, I have to admit that Arch Linux’s complexity and stability issues aren’t nearly as problematic as many make them out to be. Sure, the installation process can get rather complicated if you’re not used to CLI-based distros, but once you’ve gotten past this initial hurdle, you’re in for a smooth ride. The Arch documentation alone is a treasure trove of all the guides you’ll ever need to configure the distro.

But if you’re still looking for other Arch distributions, I’ve got some more suggestions. Manjaro is a decent option for general-purpose setups, while Nyarch is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for an anime-themed distro.