Arch Linux Minimalist Programming Environment

Repository containing the configuration files (dotfiles) and optimization steps used to revive a legacy 2007 machine into a high-performance environment for software development.

System Specs & Performance

Metric	Specification / Result
CPU	Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual E2180 (2) @ 2.00 GHz
RAM	2.89 GiB DDR2 (two slots)
OS	Arch Linux (x86_64)
Window Manager	bspwm + sxhkd
Boot Time	~20 seconds (systemd-analyze)
Idle RAM Usage	~505.48 MiB (17%)

Key Optimizations

• Window Manager: Replaced heavy Desktop Environments (like GNOME/KDE) with bspwm to maximize CPU/RAM availability for development tools.
• Display Server: Minimal Xorg setup without a display manager (booting directly via startx / .xinitrc to save boot time).
• Terminal & Editor: Alacritty + Helix.

Repository Structure

• .config/bspwm/: Window manager behavior and workspaces.
• .config/sxhkd/: Custom keyboard shortcuts for navigation and efficiency.
• .config/lemonbar/: Minimalist status bar configuration.
• .xinitrc: It configures and starts your X11 session.

Core Keybindings (sxhkd)

• Super + Enter: Open terminal (Alacritty)
• Super + d: Open program launcher (rofi)
• Super + w: Quit/Close focused window
• Super + 1-9: Switch workspaces

How to Replicate (Installation)

Work in Progress

Once the files are up, the general installation process will require:

1. Installing dependencies: sudo pacman -Sy bspwm sxhkd alacritty rofi picom hsetroot xorg-xinit xorg-server xorg-xsetroot git
2. Cloning this repository.
3. Copying the configurations to your local directory: cp -r .config/* ~/.config/
4. And copying the .xinitrc file to your home.