---
title: "Home"
description: "Federated CoreDesktop turns a fresh Arch Linux and GNOME install into a tiling, keyboard-first desktop with the software you need for work, sandboxed AI agents, snapshots, backups and one-command updates."
sections:
  - type: hero
    eyebrow: "Not a distribution, yet. Just Arch, GNOME and some very good scripts."
    title: "A tiling Arch desktop, ready for work in one command."
    subhead: "CoreDesktop takes a fresh **Arch Linux + GNOME** install and turns it into a keyboard-first workstation with a flexible tiling system, with the apps, developer tools, firewall, snapshots, backups and **sandboxed AI agents** already set up."
    ctas:
      - label: "Install CoreDesktop"
        url: "/install/"
        style: primary
      - label: "What's included"
        url: "#included"
        style: ghost
    video: "/video/ultrawide-desktop"
    videoTitle: "CoreDesktop · 5120 × 1440 ultrawide"
    videoLabel: "A CoreDesktop screen on an ultrawide monitor: three tiled windows side by side, a zoom out to the GNOME overview with the dock, and back."

  - type: text
    body: "CoreDesktop is *some scripts*, not a distribution, yet. Arch Linux does the heavy lifting, so you get upstream fixes as they land, and a *flexible tiling* desktop that makes the most of any screen, *ultrawides* included."

  - type: features
    id: included
    kicker: "What you get"
    headline: "Everything set up, nothing in the way."
    lede: "One install script, safe to run again. If something fails, run it again. It skips what's already done."
    items:
      - label: "A tiling desktop you drive from the keyboard"
        body: "GNOME with the Tiling Shell extension: a flexible tiling system you can lay out however you like, Super + arrow keys to move windows, and the full mouse-friendly desktop when you want it."
      - label: "The software you'd install anyway"
        body: "From pacman, the AUR, Flathub and mise: browsers, messaging, office, media, notes, remote desktop, database clients and local AI, plus a full developer toolchain."
      - label: "Sandboxed AI agents"
        body: "opencode, Hermes Agent, Cline Desktop and Claude Code run in a sandbox that can only change your project folder and can't read your keys or passwords."
      - label: "Snapshots and backups"
        body: "Snapper snapshots / before every update. `configure` adds encrypted, daily restic backups of your home folder to your Nextcloud."
      - label: "Safe by default"
        body: "The ufw firewall is on, Docker can't punch holes in it, and [`audit`](/utilities/#audit) shows every open port and who can reach it."
      - label: "One command to stay current"
        body: "`update` snapshots, then updates Arch, GNOME, AUR, Flatpaks, Ruby, extensions and firmware, and tells you if a step failed."
    ctas:
      - label: "Browse the software"
        url: "/software/"
        style: text
      - label: "See the system defaults"
        url: "/system/"
        style: text

  - type: stats
    kicker: "By the numbers"
    headline: "A lot of setup you won't have to do."
    items:
      - value: "1"
        label: "command to install, after Arch and GNOME"
      - value: "48"
        label: "Flatpak apps, from browsers to video editing"
      - value: "4"
        label: "AI coding agents, each in a sandbox"
      - value: "20"
        label: "steps that `update` runs, in order"

  - type: steps
    kicker: "How it works"
    headline: "From USB stick to working desktop."
    items:
      - title: "Install Arch with GNOME"
        body: "Boot the Arch ISO and run `archinstall`. Choose the desktop profile, GNOME, pipewire and the right GPU driver."
      - title: "Run one command"
        body: "Open a terminal, paste the install command, and enter your password once. Then be patient: it takes a while."
      - title: "Configure and reboot"
        body: "`configure` connects your Federated Core, joins your Tailscale network, sets up backups and signs in your AI agents."
    ctas:
      - label: "Read the full install guide"
        url: "/install/"
        style: primary

  - type: command
    kicker: "The install command"
    headline: "Already on Arch and GNOME?"
    lede: "Open a terminal and paste this in."
    note: "The scripts live in `~/.local/share/coredesktop/`. Read [install.sh](https://gitea.federated.computer/Federated_Computer/coredesktop/src/branch/main/install.sh) before you run it."

  - type: cards
    kicker: "Built for Federated Computer"
    headline: "Even better with your Federated Core."
    lede: "CoreDesktop is what the Federated Computer team works on every day. Point it at your Core and it wires itself into your apps."
    columns: 3
    items:
      - label: "Accounts"
        title: "Calendar, contacts, files and email"
        body: "Your Nextcloud and email go into GNOME Online Accounts, your files mount in the Files sidebar, and Element points at your Core's Matrix server."
        link: "/utilities/#configure"
        linktext: "Connect your Core"
      - label: "Network"
        title: "Your own Tailscale network"
        body: "Join this computer to your Core's headscale, so you can reach your other machines from anywhere."
        link: "/utilities/#configure"
        linktext: "Set up Tailscale"
      - label: "Backups"
        title: "Encrypted, daily, off this machine"
        body: "restic backs up your home folder to your Nextcloud: 7 daily, 4 weekly and 6 monthly, with a passphrase only you keep."
        link: "/utilities/#restoring-from-a-backup"
        linktext: "How restoring works"

  - type: faq
    kicker: "Questions"
    headline: "Good to know before you start."
    items:
      - q: "Is CoreDesktop a Linux distribution?"
        a: "Not yet. Today it's a set of scripts that runs on top of a standard Arch Linux and GNOME install. Arch does the heavy lifting; CoreDesktop adds the extensions, software and configuration."
      - q: "Do I need a Federated Computer account?"
        a: "No. Everything except the `configure` steps for your Core, its Tailscale network and backups works on its own. A lot of the software is chosen for work at Federated Computer, but you may find it useful too."
      - q: "What if the install fails halfway?"
        a: "Run the command again. It skips what's already done and picks up where it stopped."
      - q: "Does it work on ultrawide monitors?"
        a: "That's what it's best at. The tiling system adapts to any screen: pick a layout from the tiling icon in the top-right corner, or make your own."
      - q: "Can I add my own tools on top?"
        a: "Yes. A sibling project is any git repository with an optional `install.sh` and `update.sh`. Install it with `sibling`, and every `update` keeps it current."
    ctas:
      - label: "Sibling projects"
        url: "/siblings/"
        style: text

  - type: final-cta
    headline: "Get a better desktop this afternoon."
    body: "Install Arch with GNOME, paste one command, and come back to a tiling workstation that's ready for work."
    ctas:
      - label: "Install CoreDesktop"
        url: "/install/"
        style: primary
      - label: "View the source"
        url: "https://gitea.federated.computer/Federated_Computer/coredesktop"
        style: ghost
---