Install KDE SC in ArchLinux [Tutorial]

Have you installed the Base System ArchLinux and Basic graphical environment? Perfect! You can install the desktop environment Of your choice. In this tutorial, install KDE SC step by step.

Step 1: Choose between groups or Meta Packages

First of all, it is important to know that the source code KDE SC is organized into different categories called modules (Hence the "SC” = software compilation), Which in turn include one or more applications KDE. In ArchLinux, You can install each module in two ways: using groups or meta packages. There is a group (and a meta package) for each module KDE SC.

Which method to choose? Depends on user preferences:

• By using Package Group, You can uninstall a package that belongs to any group, without affecting the other packages members of the group. On the other hand, if a future version of KDE SC some group includes a new package, it will not be included automatically when you update the system.
• By using meta packages not have this limitation (all new package is automatically included in their respective meta package), but the only way to uninstall a package that belongs to a meta package, first uninstall the meta package and then the package itself, this action does not uninstall the rest of the packets belonging to the meta package, but lose their main advantage, as the new packages would no longer be added to the meta package automatically.

If the above does not understand at first, do not worry! (Most of us go), re-read them until they clear the advantages and disadvantages of each method to choose the one that best suits your needs.

If you need more information on the subject, I invite you to read “KDE Packages“ in the wiki official ArchLinux.

Step 2: Installing KDE SC

As always, we must first update the current system:

sudo pacman -Syu

To install completely KDE SC:

• If you chose to use Group Package

sudo pacman -S kde

• If you chose to use meta packages

sudo pacman -S kde-meta

For a minimal install custom KDE SC:

• If you chose to use Group Package

sudo pacman -S kdebase

Optionally you can add kdeaccessibility, kdeadmin, kdeartwork, kdeedu, kdegames, kdegraphics, kdemultimedia, kdenetwork, kdepim, kdeplasma-addons, kdesdk, kdetoys, kdeutils, kdewebdev and/or kde-wallpapers.

• If you chose to use meta packages

sudo pacman -S kde-meta-kdebase

Optionally you can add kde-meta-kdeaccessibility, kde-meta-kdeadmin, kde-meta-kdeartwork, kde-meta-kdebase, kde-meta-kdeedu, kde-meta-kdegames, kde-meta-kdegraphics, kde-meta-kdemultimedia, kde-meta-kdenetwork, kde-meta-kdepim, kde-meta-kdeplasma-addons, kde-meta-kdesdk, kde-meta-kdetoys, kde-meta-kdeutils, kde-meta-kdewebdev and/or kde-wallpapers.

Indeed, during the installation (no matter the method of choice) that you will be prompted for the provider you want to use multimedia interface: phonon-gstreamer or phonon-vlc (Choose your personal preference).

Last but not least, to leave KDE SC:

sudo pacman -S kde-l10n

Step 3: Running KDE SC

Before running KDE ,The intercom system processes dbus must be running:

sudo rc.d start dbus

To start automatically at system startup, add dbus settlement DAEMONS in the configuration file /etc/rc.conf

DAEMONS=(... dbus ...)

To start KDE ,The preferred method is to use KDM (KDE Display Manager), For which we must edit the configuration file /etc/inittab and comment (add "#" at the beginning) the lines:

#id:3:initdefault:
[...]
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/xdm -nodaemon

And uncomment (remove the "#" at the beginning) the lines:

id:5:initdefault:
[...]
x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/kdm -nodaemon

Restart the system

sudo reboot

and you will be KDE SC running under ArchLinux