Simple, modern and secure installation of Arch Linux with KDE Plasma.

Load the preferred keyboard. In my case it's "de" for Germany.
$ loadkeys de

List devices to make sure you partition the right device. $ lsblk

Partition the device using gdisk (assuming /dev/sda). $ gdisk /dev/sda

Create GPT and EFI-partion. $ o # Creates new GPT-partition table. $ y # Accept. $ n # New partition. $ +512M # 512 MB should be plenty for /boot. $ ef00 # Mark as EFI. $ n # New main partition, accept all the following using "y".

Print and check your partitions. $ p

Write partitions to device. $ w $ y # Accept.

Encrypt primary partition. $ cryptsetup -c aes-xts-plain -y -s 512 luksFormat /dev/sda2 $ YES

Open encrypted partition, map as "root" and create filesystem. $ cryptseup luksOpen /dev/sda2 root $ mkfs.fat -F 32 -n UEFI /dev/sda1 -F specifies the type of file allocation tables used (12, 16 or 32 bit). -n sets the volume name (label) of the filesystem to "UEFI".

Create ext4 filesystem on primary partition. $ mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/root

Create mountpoints and mount partitions. $ mount /dev/mapper/root /mnt $ mkdir /mnt/boot $ mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot

Optionally update mirrorlist using reflector. In this case use the latest 10 mirrors from Germany, that have been synchronized within the last 24 hours and sort the by download-rate and write them to the pacman mirrorlist. $ reflector --verbose --latest 10 --country Germany --age 24 --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Install base system and basic packages (network, editor, sudo). The package base-devel is not necessary but recommended. $ pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux linux-firmware networkmanager nano sudo

Generate fstab. $ genfstab -Lp /mnt > /mnt/etc/fstab -L = Use labels for source identifiers (shortcut for -t LABEL). -p Exclude pseudofs mounts (default behavior).

Chroot into your installation. $ arch-chroot /mnt

Set your hostname. $ echo mycomputer > /etc/hostname

Generate locale.gen for your preferred language (and preferribly english). $ nano /etc/locale.gen Uncomment your language, e.g. de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8 (and en_US.UTF-8).

Generate the locale. $ locale-gen

Add necessary HOOKS and MODULES. $ nano /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

MODULES=(ext4) HOOKS=(base udev autodetect modconf block keyboard keymap encrypt filesystems fsck shutdown)

Create mkinitcpio. $ mkinitcpio -p linux

Start NetworkManager for automatic network access on next boot. $ systemctl enable NetworkManager

Set a root-password. $ passwd

Install systemd-boot bootloader. $ bootctl install

Create the bootloader config. $ nano /bootloader/entries/arch.conf

Add the following:

title    Arch Linux
linux    /vmlinuz-linux
initrd   /initramfs-linux.img
options  cryptdevice=/dev/sda2:root root=/dev/mapper/root rw lang=de init=/usr/lib/systemd/systemd locale=de_DE.UTF-8

Create a fallback config. $ cp /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf /boot/loader/entries/arch-fallback.conf

Edit the fallback config. $ nano /boot/loader/entries/arch-fallback.conf

Change it to the following:

title    Arch Linux Fallback
initrd   /initramfs-linux-fallback.img

Edit loader config. $ nano /boot/loader/loader.conf

Change it to the following:

timeout 1
default arch.conf

Exit and reboot. $ exit $ umount /mnt/boot $ reboot

Enter encryption-password and login as root.

Set the keyboard to your preferred language permantently. $ echo KEYMAP=de-latin1-nodeadkeys > /etc/vconsole.conf

Create a user with a /home-directory. $ useradd -m myusername

Set password for your user. $ passwd myusername

Add $myusername to group wheel for sudo access. $ gpasswd -a $myusername wheel

Edit sudoers-file for sudo access. $ nano /etc/sudoers

Uncomment „%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL“-

Logout as root. $ exit

Login as you user.

Install SDDM and a minimal KDE Plasma. $ pacman -S sddm sddm-kcm plasma-desktop

Install KDE terminal for easier installation of packages in Plasma. $ pacman -S konsole

Enable and start SDDM to login to Plasma. $ systemctl enable sddm $ systemctl start sddm

Now you are logged in to your Plasma desktop environment and ready to configure and use your Arch Linux.

Suggested packages to install.

• microcode (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode)
• kde-gtk-config (Adds graphical settings for GTK apps.)
• kdeplasma-addons („All kind of addons to improve your Plasma experience.“)
• kscreen (Adds screen section to graphical settings.)
• ksystemlog (Graphical system log viewer)
• partitionmanager (Graphical partition manager)
• plasma-nm (Network manager applet)
• plasma-pa (Audio manager applet)
• powerdevil (Adds energy manager to graphical settings.)
• spectacle (Graphical screenshot tool.)
• systemd-swap (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/swap#systemd-swap)