pacstrap:tldr:d7c79

The command pacstrap ${path-to-new-root} ${base} ${linux} ${linux-firmware} is used in Arch Linux to install essential packages into a new system root directory.

Here's what each parameter means:

• ${path-to-new-root}: This is the path to the directory where you want to create the new system root. It can be an empty directory or an existing one.
• ${base}: It refers to the name of the base package group. This group contains a minimal set of packages needed for a working system, including essential utilities, network tools, and the package manager itself.
• ${linux}: This parameter specifies the name of the Linux kernel package. It installs the kernel and its associated modules.
• ${linux-firmware}: This parameter refers to the Linux firmware package, which includes firmware files required by various hardware devices.

When you run the pacstrap command with these parameters, it performs a minimal installation of Arch Linux by pulling the base package group, the Linux kernel, and the required firmware into the specified system root directory. This creates a minimal but functional Arch Linux system that you can further customize and build upon.