Fastfetch vs Neofetch comes down to maintenance and configuration. Install Fastfetch on Linux, then customize its JSONC modules and bundled presets.
Fastfetch vs Neofetch at a glance
Neofetch remains usable, but its repository has been archived since April 2024. Fastfetch continues to ship releases and supports Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, BSD systems, Haiku, and SunOS, with active testing focused on x86-64 and AArch64.
| Decision | Fastfetch | Neofetch |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active releases and hardware detection updates | Archived read-only repository |
| Implementation | Mainly C | Bash 3.2 or newer |
| Configuration | JSONC modules, display settings, logos, and presets | Bash configuration and command flags |
| Platform scope | Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, BSD systems, Haiku, and SunOS | Broad operating-system support, without ongoing updates |
| Best fit | A maintained daily fetch tool with current detection | An existing setup that still reports your machine correctly |
Fastfetch is not a Neofetch fork.
It is an independent project with a compatible task, so migration means choosing Fastfetch modules or a bundled Neofetch-style preset rather than importing the old Bash configuration unchanged.
Install Fastfetch on Linux
Use your distribution package manager when it supplies a supported Fastfetch release. If your repository carries an older build, the project recommends its current release packages or the endorsed Ubuntu Personal Package Archive (PPA).
Ubuntu and Debian
Ubuntu 25.04 or newer and Debian 13 or newer provide Fastfetch through apt. If your release includes the package, install it with the same package-management flow used for other repository software.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install fastfetch
Ubuntu 22.04 and newer can use the project-endorsed PPA for the current release.
Adding a PPA creates another software source, so use this route only when you want its update cadence and trust that maintainer.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:zhangsongcui3371/fastfetch
sudo apt update
sudo apt install fastfetch
The project also publishes DEB packages for Ubuntu 20.04 or newer and Debian 11 or newer. Select the file that matches your processor architecture from the current Fastfetch release page, then install it through your normal Linux package-management workflow.
Fedora
Fedora packages Fastfetch for direct installation with DNF. The transaction preview lists the architecture, repository, package version, and dependencies before you confirm.
sudo dnf install fastfetch
Review that preview before accepting it.
If the repository or architecture differs from what you expect, stop and inspect your enabled sources with the Fedora repository controls.
Arch Linux
Arch Linux includes Fastfetch in its repositories. Synchronize the package database and install the package through Pacman.
sudo pacman -S fastfetch
A new Arch installation can add Fastfetch after the base system is ready. The Archinstall setup path covers that earlier operating-system step.
Run Fastfetch and check the output
Run Fastfetch without options to detect the operating system, kernel, desktop session, terminal, processor, graphics, memory, disks, network address, locale, and other available modules.
fastfetch
The exact fields depend on your operating system, installed libraries, desktop session, and terminal. Treat the output as a presentation summary, not a diagnostic report, because a fetch tool condenses details that troubleshooting tools expose more fully.
Fastfetch can show a local Internet Protocol (IP) address. Review the output before sharing a screenshot, especially when the machine name, username, disk labels, local address, or battery state should remain private.
Generate a Fastfetch configuration
Fastfetch reads its default JSONC configuration from the fastfetch directory under your user configuration directory.
Generate a minimal file before changing modules, logos, colors, or formatting.
fastfetch --gen-config
The command refuses to overwrite an existing configuration unless you choose a force option. Back up a working file before restructuring its modules, then change one section and rerun Fastfetch so the failing edit stays easy to identify.
Choose the modules you need
A Fastfetch configuration has logo, display, and modules sections. The modules array controls both the order and the fields shown, while per-module objects can rename keys or change the value format.
fastfetch --list-modules
fastfetch --help os-format
fastfetch --help cpu-format
Start with the default output and remove fields that do not help the screenshot or status check.
If a custom module fails, the matching help command lists its accepted format properties without requiring you to guess field names.
Use the Neofetch-style preset
Fastfetch bundles presets that can change the module set and presentation without replacing your default configuration. A Neofetch-style preset is useful when you want familiar output while keeping Fastfetch detection and maintenance.
fastfetch --config neofetch
Run the preset command first and keep it temporary until the result fits your terminal width. The screenshot shows the Neofetch-like layout alongside the same machine details produced by Fastfetch.
Fix common Fastfetch problems
Most failures come from package availability, a stale distribution package, unsupported configuration properties, or terminal fonts that cannot display the chosen symbols.
Diagnose the boundary before reinstalling the tool.
| Symptom | Check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Package not found | Distribution release and enabled repositories | Use the current project package or endorsed Ubuntu PPA when your repository does not provide Fastfetch |
| Unknown option or module property | Installed Fastfetch version and matching built-in help | Update the package or use properties accepted by that release |
| Missing icons or square symbols | Terminal font glyph coverage | Select plain keys or install a font that contains the required symbols |
| Output is too tall | Enabled modules and terminal width | Remove low-value modules or use a smaller preset |
| Shared screenshot exposes private data | Hostname, username, disks, addresses, and battery fields | Disable or crop sensitive modules before capture |
If basic commands are unfamiliar, the Linux command-line primer explains command execution, paths, and the shell prompt. Fedora users can continue with the Fedora workstation setup checklist after the package is installed.
Remove Fastfetch
Remove Fastfetch with the package manager that installed it. Deleting the package does not automatically remove your user configuration, which lets you keep the file for a later reinstall.
sudo apt remove fastfetch
# Fedora
sudo dnf remove fastfetch
# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -R fastfetch
Choose Fastfetch when you want maintained system detection, JSONC customization, or a Neofetch-style output backed by current releases.
Keep Neofetch only when its archived script still reports everything you need and changing tools would add no useful capability.