A collection of battle-tested guides from my journey through Linux system administration and problem-solving.
This repository documents my ongoing journey of maintaining a clean, efficient Linux system. Every guide here represents a real problem I faced and solved. This isn't theoretical documentation—it's the accumulated wisdom from actual troubleshooting sessions, broken systems, and hard-won victories.
Philosophy: Keep the system clean, stay away from unnecessary dependencies, and understand what you're installing before you install it.
- Distro: openSUSE (subject to change as the journey continues)
- Approach: Minimal installations, portable apps where possible, manual control over system components
- Storage: Self-contained app structure in
/data/itachi/AppImages/
- VS Code Without Microsoft's Repo - Portable VS Code/VSCodium setup with zero package manager dependencies
More guides coming as I encounter and solve new problems...
Problem: Most Linux guides assume you're okay with:
- Adding random third-party repositories
- Installing dependencies you'll never audit
- Trusting package maintainers blindly
- Cluttering your system with automated installers
Solution: This repository.
Every guide here prioritizes:
- ✅ Transparency - Know exactly what you're installing
- ✅ Portability - Self-contained installations where possible
- ✅ Clean rollback - Easy to undo if things break
- ✅ Minimal trust - Reduce the number of parties you need to trust
- ✅ Automation-friendly - Scripts that are readable and modifiable
Each guide follows a consistent format:
- The Problem - What broke or what I needed to accomplish
- The Clean Solution - How to solve it without polluting the system
- Automation - Scripts to make it repeatable
- Alternatives - Other approaches and why I chose this one
Found a better way to solve something? Have a cleaner approach? PRs welcome.
Rules:
- Solutions must actually work (no theoretical "this should work" guides)
- Prioritize system cleanliness over convenience
- Explain the why, not just the how
- No "just trust this random script" submissions
These guides reflect my journey and my preferences. Your threat model, use case, and system requirements may differ. Read, understand, and adapt—don't blindly copy-paste.
This is a living document. As I learn better approaches, I'll update existing guides. Old solutions that become obsolete won't be deleted—they'll be marked as deprecated with explanations.
MIT License - Do whatever you want with these guides. If they help you keep your system clean, that's payment enough.
Status: Active | Last Updated: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 3:26 PM
"The best system is one you understand and have control over completely."