For anyone looking to install Linux on Apple Silicon, that task has been next to impossible…until Ashahi Linux came into being. The announcement of the project came some time ago, but only recently have the developers finally announced the release of the alpha version of the OS.
This first release will contain bugs and doesn’t include all features that will be found in the final release. Some of the features that do not yet work include DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, HDMI, Bluetooth, GPU acceleration, video codec acceleration, neural engine, CPU deep idle, sleep mode, camera, and the touchbar. Rest assured, however, that common features (such as Wi-Fi, USB, NVMe, and the keyboard) function as expected. As well, some apps (such as Chromium and emacs) do not yet function properly.
For those looking to kick the tires of Asahi Linux, you will not have to first jailbreak your device, as the installer works out of the box, nor will the distribution affect the security level of your macOS install. You can install Asahi Linux by upgrading to the latest version, by opening the terminal application, and issuing the command curl https://alx.sh | sh. You should also make sure to read official release notes for the alpha version of Asahi Linux[1].
