Boot-to-Firefox (Minimal Arch Linux Live System)
This repository is a proof-of-work project — more of a "I always wanted to try this" kind of thing. The goal is to demonstrate how one can reproducibly build a minimal live system based on Arch Linux and its LTS kernel.
Once booted, the system skips the usual bells and whistles and goes straight into a graphical environment where the only real application of interest is: Firefox.
Why?
In the age of increasingly complex software stacks, this project explores the opposite philosophy: a lean, hardened live system that is ephemeral by design.
- No persistence: Each boot is a clean slate.
- Up-to-date: Rebuild, PXE-boot, and users always start with the latest packages.
- Reduced attack surface: Minimal packages, minimal services, minimal surprises.
- Reproducible: The build pipeline ensures you know exactly what goes into the image.
This makes it a neat candidate for:
- PXE deployments in organizations where users only need a browser.
- Security-conscious environments where diskless, hardened endpoints reduce risks.
- Training & demonstrations where reproducible minimalism is key.
Features
- Boots directly into Firefox under a Wayland compositor (Hyprland).
- Uses Arch Linux LTS kernel for stability.
- Automatically sets a random root password on each boot.
- Automatically sets a random hostname on each boot.
- Boots fast and quietly — no cluttered boot messages, no menu prompts.
- Network connectivity via DHCP out-of-the-box.
Future Directions
- Integrating pre-configured Firefox policies (bookmarks, addons, homepage).
- Providing optional Waybar or minimal panels for usability.
- Exploring additional hardening mechanisms (AppArmor, sandboxing, etc.).
Disclaimer
This project is for educational and demonstration purposes only. Do not rely on it as-is for production use — but do feel free to tinker, adapt, and extend.
Build it
Building requires an Arch Linux system with the archiso package installed.
./build.sh