# Antergos > Linux distribution **Wikidata**: [Q13422835](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13422835) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antergos) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/antergos ## Summary Antergos was a Linux distribution that provided a user-friendly gateway to Arch Linux, offering live installation media with a graphical installer while maintaining full compatibility with Arch's rolling release model. Originally published on April 5, 2013, the distribution ceased operations on May 21, 2019, after six years of development. It supported multiple desktop environments including GNOME, Cinnamon, Openbox, and Xfce, and utilized Pacman as its package management system under the GNU General Public License. ## Key Facts - **Type**: Linux distribution (operating system based on the Linux kernel) - **Publication Date**: April 5, 2013 - **End of Life**: May 21, 2019 - **License**: GNU General Public License - **Package Management System**: Pacman - **Platform**: i686 - **Minimum Hardware Requirement**: Pentium Pro processor - **Supported Desktop Environments**: Cinnamon, Openbox, Xfce (with GNOME 3.22 shown in screenshots) - **Website**: https://antergos.com/ - **Distrowatch ID**: antergos - **Wikipedia Title**: Antergos - **Commons Category**: Antergos - **Copyright Status**: Copyrighted - **Sitelink Count**: 20 (Wikipedia language versions) - **Wikipedia Available In**: Arabic, Bengali, Czech, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Persian, French, Galician, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese - **Freebase ID**: /m/0vsjm5v - **Golden ID**: Antergos-4YR98Z **Version History**: - 2015.04.12 (initial documented release) - 2016.03.20 - 2016.11.20 - 17.9 (September 5, 2017) - 17.12 (December 3, 2017) - 19.4 (April 4, 2019) — final and preferred release **Visual Assets**: - Logo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Antergos_logo.png - Screenshot: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Antergos_Linux_menu.png (depicts Antergos with GNOME 3.22) ## FAQs **What was Antergos Linux and what made it different from other distributions?** Antergos was a Linux distribution built on top of Arch Linux that aimed to make the power of Arch accessible to users who preferred a graphical installer. Unlike Arch's manual installation process, Antergos provided a live environment with a user-friendly installer while maintaining full compatibility with Arch's rolling release model. **When did Antergos stop being developed?** Antergos officially ended development on May 21, 2019. The project announced its discontinuation, citing various challenges in maintaining the distribution while keeping pace with Arch Linux's rapid development cycle. **What desktop environments could be installed with Antergos?** Antergos supported multiple desktop environments including GNOME (specifically version 3.22 in documented screenshots), Cinnamon, Openbox, and Xfce. This variety allowed users to choose their preferred desktop experience during installation. **What package manager did Antergos use?** Antergos used Pacman, the same package manager used by Arch Linux. This allowed users access to the extensive Arch User Repository (AUR) and the official Arch repositories. **What were the system requirements for Antergos?** Antergos required at minimum a Pentium Pro processor and supported the i686 platform architecture. **Was Antergos free software?** Yes, Antergos was released under the GNU General Public License, making it free and open-source software. ## Why It Matters Antergos mattered because it filled a crucial gap in the Linux ecosystem by bridging the accessibility of user-friendly distributions with the power and flexibility of Arch Linux. Many users wanted the cutting-edge packages and rolling release model that Arch offered but were intimidated by its command-line-only installation process. Antergos solved this problem by providing a graphical installer while maintaining full Arch compatibility. The distribution played an important role in the Linux community by serving as a gateway for users transitioning from beginner-friendly distributions like Ubuntu to more advanced rolling release systems. Its existence demonstrated that there was significant demand for accessible Arch-based distributions, a market segment that continues to be served by successors like EndeavourOS and ArcoLinux. The project's discontinuation in 2019 marked the end of an era but also highlighted the challenges of maintaining a derivative distribution that must keep pace with a rapidly evolving base. The Antergos team's decision to end the project transparently and recommend alternatives demonstrated their commitment to the Linux community's best interests. ## Notable For - Being one of the first Arch-based distributions to offer a user-friendly graphical installer - Supporting multiple desktop environments (Cinnamon, Openbox, Xfce, GNOME) from a single installation medium - Maintaining full compatibility with Arch Linux repositories throughout its lifespan - Providing live installation media that allowed users to test the desktop environment before committing to installation - Achieving 20 Wikipedia language versions across 19 different languages - Running on the i686 platform architecture - Using the Pacman package management system with access to the Arch User Repository ## Body ### History and Development Antergos was first published on April 5, 2013, emerging as a project designed to make Arch Linux accessible to a broader audience. The distribution was developed as a middle ground between the simplicity of beginner-focused distributions and the flexibility of Arch Linux. Throughout its six-year lifespan, the project maintained its commitment to providing a graphical installation experience while preserving the rolling release model that characterized its parent distribution. The development team released multiple versions over the years, with the final release being version 19.4 on April 4, 2019. This version represented the culmination of the project's efforts to provide a stable and user-friendly Arch-based experience. Prior to this, the distribution had released versions 17.9 in September 2017 and 17.12 in December 2017, demonstrating its ongoing development cycle. On May 21, 2019, the Antergos project officially announced its discontinuation. The decision was made public through various Linux news outlets, with the development team explaining the challenges of maintaining the distribution while keeping pace with Arch Linux's rapid development cycle. The announcement was made via the official Antergos blog and subsequently covered by technology news websites. ### Architecture and Technical Specifications Antergos was built on the Arch Linux foundation, inheriting its rolling release model and package management system. The distribution utilized Pacman as its package manager, giving users direct access to the official Arch repositories and the Arch User Repository (AUR). This architecture meant that Antergos users could access the same vast collection of software packages available to Arch Linux users. The minimum hardware requirement was a Pentium Pro processor, reflecting the distribution's target audience of users with older hardware who still wanted a modern Linux experience. The distribution supported the i686 platform architecture, which was notable because many modern distributions had moved to 64-bit only configurations. One of Antergos's distinguishing features was its support for multiple desktop environments. Users could choose between Cinnamon, Openbox, Xfce, and GNOME during the installation process. This flexibility allowed the distribution to serve users with different preferences and hardware capabilities, from lightweight environments like Openbox for older systems to full-featured desktops like GNOME for modern hardware. ### Licensing and Legal Status Antergos was released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), specifically GPLv3. This licensing ensured that the distribution remained free and open-source software, allowing users to view, modify, and redistribute the source code. The GPL licensing also meant that derivative works based on Antergos would need to maintain the same open-source principles. The copyright status of Antergos was listed as copyrighted, which is standard for software distributions that maintain their own branding and packaging while incorporating open-source components. The project combined numerous open-source packages, each with their own licenses, within the framework of the GPL. ### Community and Ecosystem Antergos maintained an active presence in the Linux community throughout its development period. The distribution had a dedicated website at https://antergos.com/ where users could access installation media, documentation, and community support. The project fostered a community of users who appreciated the balance between accessibility and flexibility that Antergos provided. The distribution's presence extended across multiple platforms, including Wikipedia in 19 different language versions (Arabic, Bengali, Czech, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Persian, French, Galician, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, and Chinese). This multilingual presence reflected the distribution's international appeal and adoption. On Distrowatch, Antergos maintained a dedicated page with the identifier "antergos," where users could track news and release information. The distribution also had a presence on Quora as a topic, indicating its recognition within broader technology discussions. ### Visual Identity and Media Antergos had a distinct visual identity represented by its official logo, which is preserved on Wikimedia Commons at the designated file path. The distribution also featured screenshot documentation showing the desktop environment in action, including images depicting Antergos running GNOME 3.22. These visual assets were important for potential users evaluating the distribution, as they provided a preview of the user experience. The screenshot documentation included multilingual descriptions, with some metadata available in Greek, indicating the international nature of the distribution's documentation and community contributions. ### Relationship to Related Projects Antergos existed within a broader ecosystem of Linux distributions and open-source projects. Its primary relationship was with Arch Linux, from which it derived its core architecture and package management. The distribution also connected to the GNU project through its use of the GPL license and various GNU components that form the foundation of most Linux distributions. The distribution's use of Pacman connected it to the broader Arch ecosystem, including the Arch User Repository and related projects that maintain compatibility with Arch's package standards. This relationship meant that Antergos users could benefit from the extensive work of the Arch Linux community in packaging and maintaining software. ### End of Life and Legacy When Antergos announced its discontinuation in May 2019, the development team directed users to alternative distributions that could provide a similar user experience. The project's end marked the conclusion of an important experiment in making Arch Linux accessible to a wider audience. The legacy of Antergos continued through other Arch-based distributions that emerged to fill the gap it left, particularly distributions that maintained the balance between user-friendliness and Arch compatibility. The project demonstrated both the demand for accessible Arch-based distributions and the technical challenges of maintaining such a project over time. ## References 1. [Source](https://antergos.com/blog/iso-refresh-2016-03-20/) 2. [Source](https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=antergos) 3. [ISO Refresh: antergos 17.9](https://antergos.com/blog/iso-refresh-antergos-17-9/) 4. [ISO Refresh: antergos 17.12](https://antergos.com/blog/iso-refresh-antergos-17-12/) 5. [ISO Refresh: antergos 19.4](https://antergos.com/blog/iso-refresh-antergos-19-4/) 6. [Arch-Based Antergos Linux Distribution Calls It Quits](https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Antergos-EOL) 7. Quora 8. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Antergos-4YR98Z)