# Omarchy Omarchy is an opinionated [[Arch Linux]] distribution by [[David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH)]], incubated at 37signals (Basecamp, HEY) and MIT-licensed. The pitch: a beautiful, keyboard-driven, fully configured Linux desktop out of the box (Hyprland tiling, curated defaults, one coherent theme system), aimed squarely at developers coming from macOS. Since version 4, it's also the first mainstream distribution that treats **coding agents as system citizens** rather than programs you happen to run. It's my daily driver. ## What you get **System layer** - Arch base with Omarchy's own pacman repository; since v4, Omarchy files live in pacman-owned locations (`/etc`, `/usr/share/omarchy`) and updates ride the normal package path (worth knowing: the repo uses HTTPS + SHA-256 checksums, not PGP signing) - Hyprland (Wayland) as compositor; since v4 configured in **Lua** instead of `.conf`, so configs can use loops, conditionals, and shared values - `omarchy` unified CLI for system operations (updates, theme switching, `omarchy reinstall configs` as the rollback hammer) - Migrations system so existing installs evolve version to version - Dual-boot support, full-disk encryption, fingerprint/FIDO2 auth, a Windows VM option, and gaming support (overhauled in 3.7: Steam, Proton, controller support) **Desktop shell (v4 "Quattro" rewrite)** - The entire shell (bar, launcher, menus, notifications, OSDs, panels, lock screen, polkit agent) rewritten as **one Quickshell/QML process**, replacing eight separate tools (Waybar, Walker, Mako, SwayOSD, hyprlock, hypridle, swaybg, polkit-gnome) - Everything is a **plugin**: clone a built-in widget into `~/.config/omarchy/plugins/`, edit, hot-reload. Customization became programmatic instead of config-file archaeology - Bar position on any edge, transparency, panels for Tailscale and Dropbox - Built-in reminders via countdown timers (`Super + Ctrl + R` family) **Agent integration (the differentiator)** - Bar widget tracking agent subscription usage: weekly token burn, daily patterns, time-to-reset for [[Claude Code]], Codex, and others (state stored as JSON in `~/.local/state/omarchy/agents/usage/`) - Nine pre-wired agent CLIs behind lazy-loaded mise stubs: [[Claude Code]], [[OpenCode]], [[Codex CLI|Codex]], [[Gemini CLI]], [[GitHub Copilot]], Crush, [[Grok]], Pi, Oh My Pi (`Super + Shift + Ctrl + A` to launch) - A shipped **agent skill for reconfiguring the machine itself**: experimental; run in plan mode first, and `omarchy reinstall configs` undoes agent misconfiguration - **Herdr** multiplexer alongside [[TMux]], tracking agent state (idle/working/blocked/done) per pane **Apps and tooling** - Terminal-first: `foot` as default terminal since v4 (previously [[Alacritty]]/[[Ghostty]]; alternatives stay supported), [[Neovim]] (LazyVim) as editor - Omarchy's own theme-aware mini-apps: **Omawrite** (Markdown editor), **Omacut** (video trimming), **Omacalc** (calculator) - Coherent theming across terminal, editor, browser, and shell, swappable system-wide with one command, with a large community theme catalog - Plugin Marketplace: 500+ plugins, with a first plugin competition and agent-powered security reviews announced (August 2026) ## Version history | Version | Date | Headline | |---|---|---| | 1.x | mid-2025 | Initial release: scripted Arch + Hyprland setup | | 2.x–3.x | 2025–2026 | ISO installer, own pacman repo, themes, gaming overhaul + unified CLI (3.7) | | **4.0 "Quattro"** | 2026-08-14 | Quickshell shell rewrite, agents as system citizens, Lua Hyprland config, pacman internals — DHH's 90-minute launch video calls it a career-best release | Governance followed the growth: the **Omarchy Core Team** was formalized on 2026-08-19. [[Cloudflare]] sponsors hosting. ## My take Omarchy occupies a spot nothing else does: more opinionated than any DIY Arch/Hyprland setup, more current than any traditional distro, and alone in making agent workflows a first-class desktop concern: usage metering in the bar, agents that reconfigure the OS, a multiplexer that knows when an agent is blocked. The v4 upgrade advice reflects its move-fast nature: fresh installs from the 4.0 ISO, single-machine users wait out the first bug-fix days after a big release. ## References - Official website: https://omarchy.org - News: https://omarchy.org/news/ - Manual (52 chapters, git-backed): https://learn.omacom.io (also in-repo under `/manual/`) - Source code: https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy - Releases/changelogs: https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/releases - Discord server: https://discord.gg/tXFUdasqhY - Plugin marketplace: https://omarchyplugins.com - Themes: https://omarchythemes.com/ - Debloat (à la carte install): https://github.com/DanielCoffey1/a-la-carchy - DistroWatch entry: https://distrowatch.com/omarchy - Omarchy 3.7 gaming overhaul (Phoronix): https://www.phoronix.com/news/Omarchy-3.7-Released - Quattro deep dive: https://codetocloud.io/blog/omarchy-4-quattro-whats-new/ ## Related - [[Arch Linux]]: the base - [[David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH)]]: creator - [[Claude Code]] · [[OpenCode]] · [[Codex CLI]] · [[Gemini CLI]] · [[GitHub Copilot]] · [[Grok]]: the pre-wired agent harnesses - [[TMux]]: ships alongside Herdr - [[Neovim]]: default editor - [[Alacritty]] · [[Ghostty]]: former default terminals, still supported - [[Cloudflare]]: hosting sponsor