Void Linux
stable rolling release
XBPS package manager, runit init

Initial Setup

Change root user shell to BASH

login: root

# chsh

/bin/bash

Add extra repositories

# xbps-install void-repo-nonfree

# xbps-install void-repo-multilib

# xbps-install void-repo-multilib-nonfree

Install essential tools

# xbps-install bash-completion vim screen mc htop nmap

Install cron and enable service

# xbps-install cronie

# ln -s /etc/sv/crond /var/service/

Set up periodic SSD TRIM

# vim /etc/cron.weekly/fstrim

#!/bin/sh

fstrim /

# chmod u+x /etc/cron.weekly/fstrim

Install microcode / firmware

# xbps-install intel-ucode

or

# xbps-install linux-firmware-amd

and then regenerate initramfs for the applicable kernel version

# xbps-reconfigure -f linux6.12

GUI

Install niri (Wayland)

# xbps-install niri

Install companion utilities

# xbps-install alacritty fuzzel swaylock swayidle swaybg mako xwayland-satellite

Install desktop toolbar and fonts

# xbps-install Waybar font-awesome6

Note: If Waybar fails to start, make sure PipeWire is running.

Install elogind session management along with D-Bus inter-process communication mechanism and enable both services

# xbps-install elogind

# ln -s /etc/sv/elogind /var/service/

# ln -s /etc/sv/dbus /var/service/

Note: Package dbus gets installed automatically with elogind.

Install sound support

# xbps-install pipewire alsa-pipewire pavucontrol

and if using elogind

# xbps-install wireplumber-elogind

Note: Packages wireplumber (session and policy manager) and pulseaudio-utils get installed automatically along with pipewire. PulseAudio interface is provided by PipeWire (symlink pipewire-pulse -> pipewire).

Install video acceleration (Intel and Nvidia)

# xbps-install mesa-vaapi mesa-vdpau

Install OpenGL support

# xbps-install mesa-dri

Example niri config.kdl ➔ https://github.com/wizetek/niri

Package Management

X Binary Package System (XBPS)

Search available and installed packages (--repository --search)

# xbps-query -Rs "window manager"

Search only installed packages (--show)

# xbps-query -s vim

or

# xbps-query -Ss vim

(Mode -S is the default for query and can be skipped)

Search using regular expressions

# xbps-query --regex -Rs '^neo.*qt'

Check for updates (--sync --update --dry-run)

# xbps-install -S

# xbps-install -un

or (--memory-sync)

# xbps-install -Mun

Update all packages

# xbps-install -Su

Install a package (sync remote repo index first)

# xbps-install -S Waybar

Note: Package names are case sensitive.

Reinstall a package (--force)

# xbps-install -f vim

Downgrade a package using local cache file (--repository --force)

# xbps-install -R /var/cache/xbps/ -f vim-9.1.1215_3

but first add to local repository the old package version (file must be in cache)

# xbps-rindex -a /var/cache/xbps/vim-9.1.1215_3.xbps

Hold / prevent a package from upgrade (--list-manual-pkgs)

# xbps-pkgdb -m hold vim

and then unhold later

# xbps-pkgdb -m unhold vim

Set package as automatically installed (--automatic)

# xbps-pkgdb -A vim

(Package will become an orphan if no other packages depend on it)

Only download the package without installing (--download-only)

# xbps-install -D ranger

Remove a package

# xbps-remove inxi

and also remove all dependencies (--recursive)

# xbps-remove -R inxi

Remove orphaned packages (--remove-orphans)

# xbps-remove -o

Remove old packages from cache (--clean-cache)

# xbps-remove -O

List all installed packages (--list-pkgs)

# xbps-query -l

List manually installed packages (--list-manual-pkgs)

# xbps-query -m

List packages on hold (--list-hold-pkgs)

# xbps-query -H

List package orphans (--list-orphans)

# xbps-query -O

Show information about installed package

# xbps-query vim

or if not installed

# xbps-query -R gvim

List files installed by a package (--files)

# xbps-query -f vim

Show which installed package owns the file (--ownedby)

# xbps-query --regex -o bin/vim

List package dependencies (--deps)

# xbps-query -x vim

List package reverse dependencies (--revdeps)

# xbps-query -X sed

or if not installed

# xbps-query -R -X awk

List repos (--list-repos)

# xbps-query -L

Reconfigure installed package (--force)

# xbps-reconfigure -f fontconfig

and dependencies (--deps)

# xbps-reconfigure -f -x fontconfig

or full dependency tree

# xbps-reconfigure -f -x --fulldeptree fontconfig

Global options

xbps-install, xbps-query
-n, --dry-run Do not do anything
-y, --yes Do not ask for confirmation

xbps-install, xbps-remove
-f, --force Force reinstall / removal

-v, --verbose Verbose

System Configuration

Change package repository mirrors

# xbps-install xmirror

# xmirror

# xbps-install -S

and optionally check

# xbps-query -L

# ls /etc/xbps.d/*repo*

Configure XBPS in xbps.d and set some useful options

# cp /usr/share/xbps.d/xbps.conf /etc/xbps.d/

# vim /etc/xbps.d/xbps.conf

ignorepkg=sudo

preserve=/etc/passwd

preserve=/etc/group

keepconf=true

virtualpkg=doas:opendoas

virtualpkg=waybar:Waybar

How to install doas and remove sudo

# xbps-install opendoas

# vim /etc/xbps.d/xbps.conf

ignorepkg=sudo

# xbps-remove sudo

Note: Package sudo depends on base-system and cannot be removed even with the -f, --force option. It must be added to the ignore list in xbps.conf in order to be removed.

List all alternatives

# xbps-alternatives -l

or only alternatives from a package (e.g. vi, vim)

# xbps-alternatives -l neovim

or match a group (e.g. nvi, vim-common, neovim)

# xbps-alternatives -l -g vi

Set alternatives for a package

# xbps-alternatives -s neovim

or for a group

# xbps-alternatives -g vi -s vim-common

How to change the default initramfs generator – replace dracut kernel hooks with mkinitcpio

# xbps-install mkinitcpio

# xbps-alternatives -l -g initramfs

# xbps-alternatives -s mkinitcpio

# xbps-reconfigure -f linux6.12

(Reconfiguring kernel package forces regeneration of initramfs images)

Install zramen and enable service

# xbps-install zramen

# ln -s /etc/sv/zramen /var/service/

Set the amount of memory (defaults to 25%)

# vim /etc/sv/zramen/conf

export ZRAM_SIZE=50

and also suppress messages on tty1

export ZRAMEN_QUIET=1

Restart service

# sv restart zramen

Suppress kernel messages on tty1

# vim /etc/sysctl.conf

kernel.printk = 3 3 3 3

Extra Tools

Helpers for working with XBPS (xtools)

Install xtools

# xbps-install xtools

Install a package directly from .xbps file

# xdowngrade mypackage.xbps

List installed packages by size

# xhog

List installed packages by installation date

# xilog

List installed packages not in repo (-v show version)

# xpkg -D -v

or not from remote repos

# xpkg -L -v

Reverse package search by files (-S clone repo first)

# xlocate -S

# xlocate bin/vi

List programs using outdated libraries after update

# xcheckrestart

Show news messages for packages by installation date

# xnews

Bootstrap a new Void Linux installation and chroot into it

$ mkdir newinstall

# xvoidstrap newinstall/

# xchroot newinstall/

Build Packages From Source

The Void source packages collection (void-packages)
xbps-src tutorial

Note: Some packages are not built and distributed by Void Linux due to large size or legal restrictions. These packages still have their build templates and can be locally built and installed.

Clone the void-packages git repository

$ git clone https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages.git

 or update the already existing one

$ cd void-packages

$ git pull

Install the recommended bootstrap packages (inside void-packages directory)

$ ./xbps-src binary-bootstrap

To build packages marked as restricted, modify etc/conf (overrides etc/defaults.conf) in the cloned repository

$ echo XBPS_ALLOW_RESTRICTED=yes >> etc/conf

Check which package templates contain restricted=yes

$ grep -rl '^restricted=' srcpkgs/

Build a package – later available in hostdir/binpkgs or hostdir/binpkgs/nonfree

$ ./xbps-src pkg google-chrome

Install the built package (--repository)

# xbps-install -R hostdir/binpkgs/nonfree google-chrome

Lock / prevent the built package from getting replaced by system update

# xbps-pkgdb -m repolock vim

and then unlock later

# xbps-pkgdb -m repounlock vim

runit Init System

Start, stop, restart, reload, status of services

# sv up sshd

# sv down wpa_supplicant

# sv restart chronyd

# sv reload sshd

# sv status sshd

# sv status /var/service/*

List enabled services

# ls /var/service/

List available services

# ls /etc/sv/

Enable service

# ln -s /etc/sv/ntpd /var/service/

Note: /var/service is a symlink to /run/runit/runsvdir/current which is a symlink to /etc/runit/runsvdir/current where current is a symlink to either default or single.

Disable service

# rm /var/service/ntpd

or

# unlink /var/service/ntpd

Prevent service from starting at boot

# touch /etc/sv/sshd/down

Switch runlevel (runit-void package provides single and default)

# runsvchdir single

# runsvchdir default

Suspend to RAM (equivalent to systemd's systemctl suspend)

# zzz