Imaginary Linux

   ████▓▓▒▒      ▒▒▓▓████
  ████▓▓▓▒▒      ▒▒▓▓▓████
 ████▓▓▓▓▒▒      ▒▒▓▓▓▓████
████▓▓▓▓▒▒   ██   ▒▒▓▓▓▓████
███▓▓▓▒▒     ██     ▒▒▓▓▓███
██▓▓▒▒       ██       ▒▒▓▓██
█▓▒          ██          ▒▓█
▒                          ▒
       IMAGINARY LINUX

The system stands, quietly.

Version 1.1.17 (Shamshel)
A git-based, security-focused Arch Linux distribution

---

About

Imaginary Linux is an unconventional, git-based Arch distribution with a guardian philosophy. Unlike traditional distributions that release outdated ISOs, Imaginary Linux is always current, simply clone and install.

Why Git-Based?

Traditional distros: Download 2GB ISO → ISO is outdated the moment it's released → Install old system → Update everything anyway

Imaginary Linux: Boot any Arch ISO → git clone latest installer (seconds) → Install current system → Start secured

Why Imaginary?

• Security First - Hardened kernel options, AppArmor support, firewall enabled by default
• Always Current - Git-based delivery means you always get the latest installer
• Customizable - Choose from 7 desktop environments/window managers
• Transparent - Review all code before installation
• Arch-Based - Rolling release, access to AUR, pacman package manager
• Guardian System - Includes imaginary-angel for ongoing system monitoring and protection

What Makes This a Distribution?

Traditional Distro	Imaginary Linux
❌ Outdated ISO releases	✅ Always-current git installer
❌ GB of bandwidth per download	✅ Lightweight clone (~few MB)
❌ Fixed at release time	✅ Hotfixes applied immediately
✅ Custom branding	✅ Custom branding (/etc/os-release)
✅ Package repository	✅ Package repository (GitHub releases)
✅ Unique packages	✅ imaginary-release, imaginary-angel
✅ Post-install support	✅ imaginary-angel guardian system

Screenshots

Installer

Terminal

---

Features

Installation

• Git-based installer - Always get the latest version
• Automated CLI installer - No manual partitioning or configuration needed
• Multiple desktop environments - GNOME, KDE, XFCE, Cinnamon, BSPWM, i3, Hyprland
• Custom BSPWM rice - Pre-configured beautiful setup for BSPWM users
• Dual boot aware - Detects other operating systems

Security

• Hardened kernel options - Security-focused kernel parameters
• AppArmor support - Mandatory Access Control framework
• UFW firewall - Enabled and configured by default
• System hardening - Optional security hardening during installation
• Minimal attack surface - Only essential packages installed
• Guardian philosophy - imaginary-angel provides ongoing system protection

Desktop Environments

Environment	Type	Description
GNOME	Full DE	Modern, feature-rich desktop
KDE Plasma	Full DE	Highly customizable, powerful
XFCE	Full DE	Lightweight, classic experience
Cinnamon	Full DE	Traditional desktop layout
BSPWM	WM	Tiling window manager with custom rice
i3	WM	Popular tiling window manager
Hyprland	WM	Modern Wayland compositor

Package Management

• pacman - Fast, efficient package manager
• AUR support - Choose between paru or yay
• Custom repository - imaginary-release and imaginary-angel packages
• Minimal base - Install only what you need

---

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Any Arch Linux ISO (or any Arch-based live environment)
• Internet connection
• Target system (physical or virtual machine)

Installation (The Imaginary Way)

1. Boot from any Arch Linux ISO

   • Download from archlinux.org
   • Boot into live environment

2. Connect to the internet:

   WiFi (using iwctl)
   iwctl
   # Inside iwctl:
   # device list
   # station wlan0 scan
   # station wlan0 get-networks
   # station wlan0 connect "SSID"
   # exit
   
   # Ethernet usually auto-connects
   
   # Verify connection
   ping -c 3 archlinux.org   

3. Clone and install:

   # Clone the repository (always latest)
   git clone https://github.com/digitalcanine/imaginary-linux.git
   cd imaginary-linux/installer
   
   # Run the installer
   sudo ./install.sh

4. Follow the prompts - The installer guides you through everything

5. Reboot into your new Imaginary Linux system

Alternative: Quick Install

For those who prefer a one-liner:

curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/digitalcanine/imaginary-linux/main/quick-install.sh | sudo bash

See INSTALL.md for detailed installation instructions.

---

What's Included

Base System

• Linux kernel (choice of standard, LTS, zen, or hardened)
• Base-devel tools
• NetworkManager
• Git, vim, fastfetch
• Auto-detected hardware drivers (GPU, audio, network)
• imaginary-release - System branding package
• imaginary-angel - System guardian and monitoring tool

Desktop Profiles

Minimal Installation:

• Desktop environment/window manager
• Terminal emulator (kitty)
• Web browser (Firefox)
• Essential utilities

Full Installation:

• Everything in Minimal
• File manager
• Archive tools
• System utilities
• Multimedia support

Optional Packages

Choose from curated categories:

• Web browsers (Firefox, Chromium, Brave, LibreWolf)
• Editors (Neovim, VS Code, VSCodium)
• Communication (Discord, Telegram, Signal)
• Development tools (Docker, Git, GitHub CLI)
• Gaming (Steam, Lutris, Wine)
• And more...

---

Guardian System: Imaginary Angel

Imaginary Linux includes Imaginary Angel, a comprehensive system guardian tool that provides:

Core Features

• System Health Monitoring: Real-time CPU, memory, and disk monitoring with auto-repair capabilities
• Security Auditing: SSH hardening, firewall management, privilege checks, and vulnerability scanning
• Network Protection: Threat detection, DDoS prevention, port scan detection, and connection monitoring
• Process Management: Suspicious process detection, zombie cleanup, and resource analysis
• System Integrity: Package verification, file integrity checks, and configuration monitoring
• Smart Automation: Configurable auto-fix mode for hands-free maintenance

Usage

# Run the guardian system
imaginary-angel

# Or use it directly after installation
sudo pacman -S imaginary-angel  # If not already installed
imaginary-angel

The guardian philosophy means your system isn't just installed—it's protected and monitored throughout its lifetime.

---

Advanced Features

System Hardening

Optional security hardening includes:

• Kernel parameter hardening (dmesg_restrict, kptr_restrict, ASLR)
• Restricted ptrace access
• Core dump disabling
• Secure umask (077)
• SSH hardening
• Systemd security settings
• Automatic security updates (optional)

Bootloader Options

• systemd-boot (UEFI, recommended)
• GRUB (UEFI and BIOS)

Partition Schemes

• Multiple filesystem support (ext4, btrfs, xfs, f2fs)
• Btrfs with snapshots capability
• Flexible swap options (file, partition, or zram)
• Support for additional disks with custom mount points

---

Version History & Roadmap

Current: Version 1.1.17 (Shamshel)

• Git-based installer delivery
• Automated CLI installation
• 7 desktop environment options
• Security hardening features
• UEFI and BIOS support
• imaginary-angel system guardian
• Custom package repository

Roadmap to 2.X.X (Ramiel)

Planned features for the next major release:

• Custom hardened kernel package
• imaginary-angel 2.0 with enhanced features
• Advanced security hardening options
• Expanded angelic theming
• LUKS encryption during installation
• Minimal ISO with git-based updater

Version History

• 0.5.6 (Sachiel) - First prototype
• 1.0.0 (Shamshel) - Initial public release
• 1.1.X (Shamshel) - Current stable series (git-based installer)
• 2.X.X (Ramiel) - Future major release (planned)

---

Keeping Up to Date

System Updates

# Update all packages
sudo pacman -Syu

# Update imaginary packages
sudo pacman -S imaginary-release imaginary-angel

# Apply new branding (if imaginary-release updated)
sudo imaginary-release

Installer Updates

The beauty of git-based distribution: you always get the latest installer.

Every time someone clones the repository, they get:

• Latest bug fixes
• Newest features
• Security patches
• Updated configurations

No need to wait for ISO releases!

---

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Whether it's:

• Bug reports
• Feature requests
• Code improvements
• Documentation
• New desktop environment profiles
• Security enhancements

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

---

License

Imaginary Linux is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

The installer scripts and configurations are MIT licensed.
The Linux kernel and included packages retain their original licenses.

---

Credits

• Arch Linux - The foundation of this distribution
• Chris Titus Tech - Inspiration for automated installer concepts
• Evangelion - Angel naming scheme and philosophical inspiration
• All the open source projects that make this possible
• The Arch community for excellent documentation

---

Support & Community

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Installation Guide | Wiki

---

Disclaimer

Imaginary Linux is provided as-is without warranty. This is a community project created for enthusiasts who appreciate:

• Transparency (git-based, reviewable code)
• Security (hardened by default)
• Simplicity (Arch philosophy)
• Philosophy (guardian protection)

Always backup your data before installation.

---

Why Choose Imaginary?

Choose Imaginary Linux if you:

• ✅ Want security-focused Arch without manual installation
• ✅ Prefer always-current installers over outdated ISOs
• ✅ Like to review code before running it
• ✅ Appreciate the guardian philosophy
• ✅ Want ongoing system protection (imaginary-angel)
• ✅ Value transparency and open source

Stick with other distros if you:

• ❌ Need commercial support contracts
• ❌ Want graphical installers only
• ❌ Prefer stable (non-rolling) releases
• ❌ Need Secure Boot support (not yet implemented)

---

Follow the devlog

Anyone can follow the devlogs here