devOS Wiki

Getting Started Guide

Getting Started with devOS

What is devOS?

devOS is an Arch Linux-based system designed for Intel Mac computers. It provides a ready-to-use Linux environment with hardware support, a preconfigured development workstation, and an installation experience designed to minimize manual configuration.

Rather than requiring you to install and configure each component manually, devOS delivers a complete, tested snapshot where the work of making hardware and tools behave properly has already been done.

Is my Mac supported?

devOS supports Intel-based Mac computers from 2013 or newer. Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3) are not currently supported.

To check your Mac model:

  • Click the Apple  menu → About This Mac
  • Note the model identifier (e.g., "MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017)")
  • See the Hardware Compatibility page for supported models

Before you install

⚠️ Back up important data: Installing an operating system can modify or erase data on your internal drive.

Before proceeding:

  1. Back up your data using Time Machine or another backup solution
  2. Ensure you have at least 25 GB of free space
  3. Have a bootable USB drive ready (8GB minimum)
  4. Know your Wi-Fi network name and password (required during installation)

Installation

Follow the steps on the Installation page to create bootable media and install devOS.

After installation completes, your Mac will automatically reboot into devOS.

First boot

On first boot, you'll see:

  • The Zsh shell prompt with Powerlevel10k
  • Alacritty terminal window (you can open more with Ctrl+Alt+T)
  • NetworkManager applet in the system tray (if Wi-Fi connected during install)
  • Volume and brightness controls
  • System menu (user, power, settings)

The default user is set up during installation with sudo privileges.

Connecting to Wi-Fi

If you didn't connect to Wi-Fi during installation:

  1. Click the network icon in the system tray
  2. Select your Wi-Fi network
  3. Enter your password
  4. Wait for connection to establish

Updating the system

devOS follows the Arch Linux rolling release model. To update:

sudo pacman -Syu

Regular updates ensure you have the latest features and security patches.

Setting up development tools

devOS includes many development tools pre-installed:

  • VS Code (via code command)
  • Docker (docker daemon and CLI)
  • Node.js 20 LTS
  • Python 3.14
  • Git and GitHub CLI
  • PlatformIO (for embedded development)

To install additional tools:

# Search for packages
pacman -Ss 

# Install a package
sudo pacman -S 

# Install from AUR (using paru helper)
paru -S

Where to get help

If you need assistance: