Choosing the Right VPN for ToOpPy Linux

ToOpPy Linux is an Arch-based, rolling-release distribution tailored to privacy-minded developers and power users. It uses pacman (and AUR helpers like yay or paru) for package management, and favours lightweight, tiling and modular desktop environments such as i3, Sway, XFCE and KDE Plasma. Under the hood you’ll find systemd-networkd, a kernel compiled with WireGuard support, and a mature Netctl profile stack. Users of ToOpPy typically want minimal overhead, maximum control over networking, and easy access to VPN protocols—so we need VPN clients that:

• Ship official Arch or AUR packages (no manual tarballs).
• Support native WireGuard/OpenVPN.
• Integrate cleanly with systemd and Netctl.
• Offer a CLI (and optionally a GUI) that fits into tiling setups.

Top VPN Candidates for ToOpPy

• NordVPN – Official AUR package, robust CLI tool, native WireGuard (“NordLynx”) and OpenVPN, systemd service.
• Mullvad – Official Linux client repackaged in AUR, WireGuard/OpenVPN, both GUI and CLI, daemon integrates with systemd.
• ProtonVPN – Open-source CLI tool available via AUR (protonvpn-cli), supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, lightweight.

Feature Comparison

Deep Dive: Installation Configuration

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is a solid choice if you want an officially maintained CLI client with first-class WireGuard support (branded as NordLynx). It integrates smoothly with systemd.

1. Install the AUR package:

   sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git
   git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/nordvpn-bin.git
   cd nordvpn-bin
   makepkg -si
       

2. Enable and start the NordVPN daemon:

   sudo systemctl enable nordvpnd
   sudo systemctl start nordvpnd
       

3. Login and connect:

   nordvpn login
   nordvpn set technology nordlynx     # switch to WireGuard
   nordvpn set killswitch on           # enable network kill-switch
   nordvpn connect                      # connect to the fastest server
       

4. Check status or switch countries:

   nordvpn status
   nordvpn connect united_kingdom       # specific country/server
       

2. Mullvad

Mullvad stands out for its privacy-friendly account model (anonymous account numbers) and provides both a GTK GUI and a CLI. The client runs as a systemd daemon, which plays well with ToOpPy’s networking stack.

1. Install via AUR:

   sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git
   git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/mullvad-vpn-bin.git
   cd mullvad-vpn-bin
   makepkg -si
       

2. Enable and start the Mullvad daemon:

   sudo systemctl enable mullvad-daemon.service
   sudo systemctl start mullvad-daemon.service
       

3. Login, choose protocol and connect:

   mullvad status
   mullvad account login                 # paste your account number
   mullvad tunnel wireguard              # switch to WireGuard
   mullvad connect                       # connect to nearest server
       

4. If you prefer the GUI (e.g. under XFCE or KDE):

   mullvad gui
       

3. ProtonVPN (Bonus)

ProtonVPN’s open-source CLI client is lighter than its GUI counterpart. Ideal if you want minimal dependencies.

1. Install from AUR:

   sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git python-pip
   git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/protonvpn-cli-ng.git
   cd protonvpn-cli-ng
   makepkg -si
       

2. Initialize and login:

   sudo protonvpn init     # follow prompts to set default protocol, credentials
   protonvpn connect       # connect to recommended server
       

Final Thoughts

On ToOpPy Linux, NordVPN and Mullvad offer the most polished Arch-native experience with robust systemd integration and true WireGuard performance. ProtonVPN is an excellent lightweight alternative if you prefer pure CLI and open-source tooling. Whichever you choose, you’ll enjoy secure networking, minimal overhead and full compatibility with ToOpPy’s advanced package and networking stack.