The Most Cutting-Edge Hyprland Dotfiles for Arch Linux: End 4
dotfiles Hyprland
The sleek, animated interfaces you see in futuristic tech demos and anime aren't just fantasy anymore. Thanks to the incredible work of the End-4 developer, you can now bring that same level of polished, intelligent, and visually stunning interaction to your own Arch Linux desktop. Let me show you how.
Hi everyone, and welcome back to MusaBase! In today's guide, I will walk you through the process of installing the End-4 (dots-hyprland) dotfiles on Arch Linux.
The End-4 configuration offers perhaps the most advanced and cutting-edge Hyprland experience available today. It features a highly customizable AGS-based launcher, integrated anime aesthetics, and unique waifu services. What truly sets it apart, however, is the robust AI integration utilizing the Gemini API and Ollama models. This provides a feature-rich desktop experience that is surprisingly accessible for users transitioning from Windows or those who are just beginning their Linux journey. In this guide, we will cover:
- Essential Arch Linux base configurations
- Preparing your Arch system for the End-4 Hyprland implementation
- How to install the End-4 dotfiles using the automated script
- And finally, booting into your new End-4 Hyprland environment on Arch Linux
By following the steps explained in this guide, you will have a seamless, cutting-edge End-4 Hyprland setup running on your PC. So without further ado, let's get started!
End-4 Dotfiles Credit
Before we begin, a massive thanks to the developer end_4 and all the contributors for creating and maintaining the End-4 Hyprland Dotfiles. This project is hosted at the end-4/dots-hyprland repository. To explore the source code and learn more about the project, visit the official repo: end-4/dots-hyprland on GitHub.
Prerequisites
To apply the End-4 dotfiles, you only need a base or minimal Arch Linux installation without any pre-installed Desktop Environment. Although the End-4 developers designed these dotfiles to be compatible with various Linux distributions, this guide focuses exclusively on Arch Linux. If you do not have Arch Linux installed yet, you can complete the process using one of my comprehensive guides:
- For a fast and automated setup, follow my guide on Minimal Arch Linux Installation with archinstall Script.
- For a more hands-on, technical approach, I have a detailed walkthrough on the Manual Arch Linux Installation: From Scratch to Command Line.
Once you have completed the minimal Arch Linux installation, return to this page to proceed with the End-4 integration. As shown in the images throughout this guide, our starting point is a bare-bones, freshly installed CLI system. Furthermore, this guide aligns with the illogical-impulse Quickshell Official Documentation. If any command fails to execute, please cross-reference with the official wiki in case of recent updates to the installation script.
System Requirements
- OS: Minimal/base Arch Linux
- RAM: Minimum 4GB (8GB+ recommended for Hyprland animations)
- Storage: Minimum 25GB free space
- CPU: Any x86-64 compatible processor
- GPU: Any modern GPU
- Internet: Stable connection
Step 1: Getting Things Ready
This step is optional. In this step, we will update the system and install a few essential packages, and other dependencies for compiling and installing End-4 dotfiles. From my personal experience, performing these tasks beforehand can make the dotfiles installation process much smoother and easier.
1.1: Run a Full System Update
Running a full system update before installing any package ensures that all dependencies are properly satisfied without conflict. It also helps in preventing dependency mismatches.
- To update the system, run:
sudo pacman -Syu
1.2: Install Required Dependencies
Next, we need packages to download GitHub repos, edit files, and download other utilities from the internet in a command-line environment.
- Run:
sudo pacman -S nano git wget curl
Step 2: Installing End-4 Dotfiles
Now that all the necessary steps are complete, let's finally clone the End-4 repository and run its install.sh script. We simply need to run a single bash command, and the rest will be handled by the end-4 install script automatically, including cloning the repository, navigating the directory, and executing the installation. This single operation will install core components like the Hyprland Wayland compositor, essential graphical utilities, QT libraries for theming, and various other crucial system tools for a seamless desktop experience.
Clone and Install End-4 Dotfiles
- Simply run:
bash <(curl -s https://ii.clsty.link/setup)- Note: In new updates of end 4, the install commands has changed to:
bash <(curl -s https://ii.clsty.link/get)
- When we run the bash command, it will download the end_4 repo and create the additional directories that it needs.
- After configuring itself, the installer will prompt (Ctrl-C to abort, others to proceed). Just press ENTER to continue.
- Next, the installer will provide an overview of what its script would do. Again, just press ENTER to continue.
- On the next prompt, the installer will give a note about not handling system-level stuff, etc. Again, just press ENTER to continue.
- On the next prompt, the installer will ask for "confirming every time before a command executes?"
- Type n and press ENTER.
- The full installation can take 15-30 minutes, depending on your internet speed.
- The installer will prompt you for the password from time to time while installing its required dependencies. Simply enter your password when prompted.
- If the installer is interrupted by anything or couldn't download packages or any other error happens, it will prompt for repeating or trying again.
- Type R and press ENTER when prompted, and it will retry the process and resolve previous errors.
- The installer will finish installing all dependencies that the end_4 dotfiles require and symlink all services and components which it provides.
- When the installer finishes the dotfiles, we would have the following screen:
Fix for Failed Downloads
If you encounter errors like 'couldn't resolve host' or other network-related issues, adding a custom DNS may fix the problem. In my experience, switching to reliable nameservers provided a more stable connection, eliminated most resolution errors, and made download speeds feel more consistent compared to the default ISP settings.
- To add a nameserver, run:
sudo echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf
2.1: Reboot
- After finishing the dotfiles, reboot your PC with:
rebootStep 3: Launch End-4 Hyprland
We can launch Hyprland by simply just running hyprland on our tty screen, or we can install and enable sddm and log in to end_4 Hyprland from a display manager.
3.1: Graphical Login Manager
- To install SDDM, run:
sudo pacman -S sddm
3.1.1: Enable SDDM
- After installing SDDM, we need to enable it.
- To enable, simply run:
sudo systemctl enable sddm --now
Launch end_4 Hyprland
- On the SDDM screen, simply enter your password for your user and press ENTER, and you are in:
Wallpapers
- For wallpapers, press CTRL + META + T, or CTRL + SUPER + T, or CTRL + WINDOWKEY + T. A dialog box will open at the top asking for choosing wallpapers.
- Navigate to the folder where your wallpapers are stored and simply click the wallpaper, and it will be set.
Updating End-4 Dotfiles
- To update end_4 Hyprland, do the following:
yay -Syu
cd ~/.cache/dots-hyprland
git pull
./install.shEnd-4 Hyprland Cheat Sheet / Keybinds
🚀 End-4 Hyprland Installation Complete!
The End-4 dotfiles are now fully installed and running on your system. Personally, I find these configurations to be the closest experience to a polished Windows or macOS environment, yet they remain surprisingly lightweight and optimized for performance. For more technical details or updates, be sure to visit the official End-4 / dots-hyprland repository. A huge thanks to End-4 for creating and maintaining this incredible project.
If this setup transformed your Linux experience, stay tuned to MusaBase for more advanced customization tutorials.
101 out, I’ll see you in the next one! 🚀