How to choose, use and configure a VPN in Cucumber Linux (Tutorial)

Choosing the Right VPN for Cucumber Linux

Running Cucumber Linux, with its cuke package manager (a pacman-style frontend), rolling-release ethos, musl-based toolchain and focused minimalism, calls for VPN clients that are:

CLI-friendly (NetworkManager and graphical front-ends aren’t enabled by default on clean installs).
Packaged or easily built in the cuke ecosystem (to avoid manual dependency hell).
Systemd-service-ready (Cucumber relies on systemd for networking and daemons).
Lightweight and open source (to align with the distro’s security-first philosophy).

After testing stability, integration with netctl or systemd-networkd, and ease of installation on both x86_64 and ARM builds, three providers stand out:

Mullvad VPN – Open-source daemon, packaged for Cucumber, minimal dependencies.
ProtonVPN – Official Python-CLI, easy pipx/pip installation, systemd support.
Private Internet Access – Community AUR package, robust service, wireguard and OpenVPN modes.

VPN Comparison for Cucumber Linux

VPN Provider	CLI Client	Systemd Service	Repo Availability	Link
Mullvad VPN	Yes (mullvad-daemon CLI)	mullvad-daemon.service	Official Cucumber repo	Visit Mullvad
ProtonVPN	Yes (protonvpn-cli)	Optional user service	Install via pipx/pip	Visit ProtonVPN
Private Internet Access	Yes (pia-client)	pia.service	Community AUR	Visit PIA

Detailed Setup Guides

Below are step-by-step instructions for the two top picks: Mullvad and ProtonVPN. We assume a fresh Cucumber Linux install, with root or sudo privileges and cuke already configured.

Mullvad VPN Installation Configuration

Mullvad provides an official Cucumber repo. The client runs as a systemd-enabled daemon, exposing a simple mullvad CLI interface.

1. Enable the Mullvad repo

echo [cucumber-vpn]
Server = https://repo.cucumberlinux.org/vpn/arch  sudo tee /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.d/cucumber-vpn.conf
sudo cuke update

2. Install the Mullvad client

sudo cuke install mullvad-vpn

3. Enable and start the daemon

sudo systemctl enable --now mullvad-daemon.service

4. Authenticate and connect

# Insert your Mullvad account number when prompted
mullvad account login

# Check status
mullvad status

# Connect to the best nearby server
mullvad connect

# To disconnect
mullvad disconnect

Optionally, add mullvad connect to your desktop session’s autostart or a systemd user unit for automatic connection at login.

ProtonVPN CLI Installation Configuration

ProtonVPN’s official CLI is written in Python and installs via pipx (preferred) or pip. It works seamlessly with netctl or systemd-networkd.

1. Install prerequisites

sudo cuke install python3-pip python3-virtualenv openvpn

2. Install ProtonVPN CLI with pipx

python3 -m pip install --user pipx
python3 -m pipx ensurepath

# Restart shell or source your .profile, then:
pipx install protonvpn-cli

3. Initialize ProtonVPN

# First-time setup (login with your ProtonVPN credentials)
protonvpn init

4. Connect and manage sessions

# List countries
protonvpn c -l

# Quick connect to the fastest server in your country
protonvpn c --fastest

# To disconnect
protonvpn d

You can wrap the protonvpn c command in a simple systemd user service if you want it to come up at login:

# ~/.config/systemd/user/protonvpn.service
[Unit]
Description=ProtonVPN Auto Connect

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/home/you/.local/bin/protonvpn c --fastest

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target

# Enable for your user
systemctl --user enable protonvpn.service
systemctl --user start protonvpn.service

Wrapping Up

For Cucumber Linux users—whether you prefer XFCE, i3 or a headless server—Mullvad and ProtonVPN blend neatly with the distro’s lightweight, systemd-centric design and cuke packaging approach. If you need GUIs or additional server locations, Private Internet Access is also viable via the community AUR. Happy browsing, and mai taille of privacy!

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