Archinstall 4.0: new TUI on Textual

Archinstall 4.0: Switch to Textual TUI and New Arch Linux Installation Features

The Archinstall 4.0 release introduces a text-based interface powered by the Textual framework, replacing the previous curses implementation. This update makes the installer's menus more modern and user-friendly. The tool has been part of Arch Linux ISO images since 2021 and is licensed under GPLv3.

Archinstall supports two operating modes: dialog and automated. The dialog mode lets you select ready-made profiles for various scenarios—from desktop environments to server configurations. The automated mode uses scripts for quick deployments.

Operating Modes and Profiles

In dialog mode, the following profiles are available:

• Desktop: support for KDE, GNOME, Awesome, and other WM/DE.
• Webserver: web server configuration.
• Database: database setup.

The automated mode is script-oriented, simplifying repeatable installations in CI/CD or virtual environments. Developers have added instructions for booting the Arch Linux ISO in a VM, which is handy for testing.

Security and Localization Improvements

Firewall configuration now includes firewalld zone support, boosting flexibility for managing network rules. Support for NTFS as the root FS has been dropped—now the focus is on ext4, Btrfs, and other Linux-compatible filesystems.

Localization for Galician has been added, expanding accessibility for non-English speakers. The internal architecture has been refactored:

• LVM functions moved to a separate module.
• Interactive module optimized.
• Mirror handling improved.
• Detected script bugs fixed.

Installation and Update

Archinstall 4.0 is available in current Arch Linux ISO images. To update, run:

sudo pacman -Sy archinstall
archinstall -v

Version 4.0 will become the default in the Arch Linux 2026.04.01 ISO, scheduled for release on April 1, 2026. This lets users access the new features right away without manual updates.

The switch to Textual delivers better TUI responsiveness, especially in terminals with Unicode support. For mid-level and senior developers, this means more predictable behavior when customizing scripts.

Key Points

• Switch to Textual TUI instead of curses for a modern interface.
• firewalld zone support in firewall setup.
• New desktop, webserver, database profiles and automated scripts.
• Removal of NTFS as root FS; focus on Linux filesystems.
• Available now via pacman in Arch Linux ISO.

— Editorial Team