Arch Linux is a distribution known for always giving users only cutting-edge software as soon as it becomes available. This is thanks to the rolling release model followed by the distribution. However, one of the significant exceptions to this rule is the GNOME desktop environment.
In short, despite the release of official x.0 versions of GNOME, such as 43.0, 44.0, etc., Arch is waiting for the first stable GNOME x.1 release, for example, 43.1, 44.1, etc., before including it in the distribution repositories. More about this topic can be found here.
This yearโs GNOME 44, initially released version 44.0 a month and a half ago on March 22, is no exception to this rule. On April 16, its first stable update, GNOME 44.1, saw the light of day, and today, it made its way into Archโs stable repositories.
So, for Arch users, the wait is finally over. They can now update their GNOME 43.4 desktop environment straight to 44.1, available as an update in the stable Arch repo.
And now for something interesting. This year, an unexpected situation occurred in the Archโs Reddit channel, which has over 230 thousand users and currently is the largest Reddit Linux distro community.
Following nearly a month of countless questions about when Arch users would finally get an update to GNOME 44, the moderators temporarily blocked such talks. Fortunately, this is all in the past.
How to get it? Fire up your terminal, and type the well-known Pacman command:
sudo pacman -SyuUpgrade your system, and you’ll get the brand new GNOME 44.1 in all its glory.
It offers a host of improvements in performance, stability, and user experience, such as an enhanced login/lock screen, thumbnail view in file picker, updated Quick Settings menu, and settings panel improvements, making your Arch system shines.
So, what are you waiting for? Upgrade today and enjoy all of the benefits of GNOME 44 on your Arch Linux system.
