Install and integrate

Install Strata with one command, then choose how much of your desktop it takes over. Every integration is opt-in and reversible.

Install interactively or unattended

Run the installer as your normal user:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lgse/strata/main/install.sh | bash

It needs x86_64 or aarch64 and glibc 2.39 or newer. On Arch and Omarchy it installs missing packages with sudo pacman. On other distributions it lists the libraries to install yourself, then asks you to confirm. It verifies the latest stable release's checksum, installs it to ~/.local/bin/strata, then asks about each integration:

The folder question follows only a Yes to the menu entry, and a Yes to it also sets up "Open file location". Answer No to the keybinds unless you run Omarchy.

On Arch or Omarchy, to install without questions, pass the flags for the integrations you want. Anything you leave out stays off, except that --with-folder-association also turns on the menu entry and "Open file location":

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lgse/strata/main/install.sh \
  | bash -s -- --with-desktop-entry --with-file-manager

Unattended package installs need passwordless sudo or cached credentials. --help lists every flag. Unattended mode refuses to replace an existing binary, so to add an integration later, rerun the installer without flags and answer Yes to replacing it.

Run ~/.local/bin/strata --version to confirm the install. If the installer warns that ~/.local/bin is not on PATH, add it to run strata by name.

AUR packages are not yet published; use the installer.

Add Strata to your launcher

The desktop menu entry puts Strata in your launcher. The installer writes ~/.local/share/applications/io.github.lgse.Strata.desktop and the icon under ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor. To add it by hand, see Desktop entry.

Make Strata the default file manager

With the launcher entry installed, press Ctrl+, and open Settings → General. The System file manager row lists Open and Save dialogs, Opening folders, Reveal in File Manager, and, on Omarchy, Keyboard shortcuts. Close any open file dialogs, then click Complete setup to configure all of them. On Omarchy, Super+Shift+F and Super+Alt+Shift+F then open Strata instead of Nautilus. Restore default undoes it.

To set these up by hand, see Usage and desktop integration.

Use Strata as the system file chooser

Strata can draw portal Open and Save dialogs for local files. Complete setup in Settings → General turns this on with the rest of the row. Your current chooser stays listed as the fallback, and Restore default brings it back.

To switch only the chooser by hand, see Per-user installation.

Keep Strata up to date

Strata checks for a newer release automatically. When one exists, an Update available notice appears in the sidebar. Click it to read the release notes, then click Download update. You can also open Settings → Updates and click Check now or Install update.

Strata verifies the release's signature, replaces the binary, and restarts. If the new build fails to start, it restores the previous one.

To try builds early, set Release channel in Settings → Updates from Stable to Preview (alpha, beta, and release candidates) or Nightly (daily builds). Switching a prerelease install back to Stable offers Return to stable.

When a package manager installed Strata, Strata never replaces itself. It offers Open Omarchy Update, Open AUR Update (View on AUR without an AUR helper), or tells you to run a full system update.

Full detail: Installation and desktop integration, System file chooser, Signed updates