6.2 KiB
Antergos NeXT ISO
⚠️ SYSTEMD MIGRATION NOTICE
This branch (
before-systemd-change) represents the last version of Antergos NeXT built on systemd.The project is migrating away from systemd to an alternative init system. This means:
- GNOME is being dropped — GNOME 49+ requires systemd as a hard dependency (Artix Linux dropped GNOME for the same reason in 2025)
- The desktop will be replaced with KDE Plasma (or another non-systemd-dependent DE)
- The base distribution will switch from Arch Linux to Artix Linux (Arch without systemd)
- ISO build tools will switch from
archisotoartoolsThis branch is preserved for reference. All future development will happen on
masterafter the migration.
Both a revival and a modernization of the Antergos live installer ISO, based on the maintained EndeavourOS-ISO.
Provides a live GNOME environment to install Arch Linux using Calamares — the mature, upstream-supported universal installer framework — with offline (GNOME squashfs) and online (netinstall with 8 DE choices) modes, and dracut initramfs.
"I can't let you do that, Dave." — Cnchi, 2012–2026
Why Calamares and not Cnchi?
Cnchi was the original Antergos installer — a custom GTK+ tool that gave Antergos its identity. For Antergos NeXT, we initially ported it to GTK4 and fought to keep it alive. But after days of fighting with a brittle Python codebase, broken GTK4 bindings, and an ever-growing maintenance burden, the honest call was made:
Cnchi is not coming back.
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| GTK4 breakage | Python GTK4 bindings were unstable; widgets broke on every upstream release |
| Maintenance hell | Single developer couldn't keep up with Python dependency churn + GTK4 + systemd + dracut |
| Calamares is better | Mature, modular C++/Qt6 framework, upstream-supported, offline+online already built in |
| Time | Every hour fixing Cnchi was an hour not spent on actual improvements |
A brief eulogy
Cnchi (originally written as a Bash script, then Python/GTK2, then GTK3) served Antergos from 2012 to 2019, and was briefly revived for NeXT. It was ambitious, opinionated, and deeply tied to what made Antergos Antergos. But the 2026 Linux desktop is not 2012 — dracut replaces mkinitcpio, systemd-boot replaces grub, and a single-dev team can't carry a full custom installer framework.
Calamares is the big boy installer now. It works. It's maintained. And with our custom branding, offline/online split, and dracut support, it's more capable than Cnchi ever was.
Requiescat in pace, Cnchi. You did your job.
Installer modes
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Offline | Unpacks a GNOME squashfs from the ISO — no internet needed, fast install |
| Online | Netinstall with 8 DE choices (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Budgie, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt, i3/Sway) |
The launcher (calamares-next) presents a zenity/kdialog/dialog GUI to pick offline or online mode before launching Calamares.
Desktop Editions
| Desktop | Edition | Status |
|---|---|---|
| GNOME | antergos-gnome | default |
| KDE Plasma | antergos-kde | available |
| XFCE | antergos-xfce | available |
| Cinnamon | antergos-cinnamon | available |
| Budgie | antergos-budgie | available |
| Deepin | antergos-deepin | available |
| LXQt | antergos-lxqt | available |
| Openbox | antergos-openbox | available |
| i3 | antergos-i3 | available |
| MATE | antergos-mate | available |
Community
Join us on Matrix: (uses pulsar's matrix) #pulsar-linux:matrix.org
Download
ISO images exceed GitHub's 2 GB release limit. They are uploaded to SourceForge (waiting for project)
⚠️ Early releases may have incomplete DE package lists.
How to build
You need an Arch-based system with archiso available.
sudo pacman -S archiso git squashfs-tools --needed
git clone https://github.com/Antergos-NeXT/antergos-iso.git
cd Antergos-NeXT-ISO
./prepare.sh
sudo ./mkarchiso -v "."
The .iso appears in the out/ directory.
Custom packages
The ISO uses the antergos-packages repo for custom packages (Calamares branding, keyring, mirrorlist, desktop settings, wallpapers). Add it to your system:
[antergos-pkgs]
SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
Server = https://antergos-next.github.io/antergos-packages/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://antergos-next.github.io/antergos-packages
Sources
- EndeavourOS-ISO — base ISO build system
- Arch-ISO — archiso tools
- Calamares — upstream installer framework
- antergos-packages — custom package repo
- Antergos wallpapers — original wallpapers
License
A Note to the "Branding Police"
If you came here to hate and you're about to type "why are you using Antergos's branding" — pack your bags and go to Manjaro. We have Dustin's blessing. We are respectful. We are not them. Move on.
Antergos launched in 2012 as Cinnarch (Cinnamon + Arch), renamed in 2013, and ran until 2019. NeXT modernizes it GNOME first, with the original installer experience and all the desktop choices you remember.
Dustin Falgout, one of the original Antergos developers, has given his blessing for this community revival (see NOTICES). Antergos NeXT is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the original Antergos project.