- Proton VPN has released an official CLI for Arch, Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora
- The update aims to empower Linux users who prefer terminal commands
- Future releases include P2P, Tor, and Secure Core connection options
Proton VPN has released its official Command Line Interface (CLI) for a wider range of Linux distributions. The provider is already widely regarded as the best VPN for privacy enthusiasts, and this latest update strengthens its reputation by specifically addressing the technical needs of the Linux community.
According to an official announcement shared by the company on X, the new official CLI is now available for Arch, Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora. By officially supporting these distributions, Proton ensures that the software is stable, secure, and receives timely updates directly from the source instead of relying on third-party maintainers.
This is a significant step forward, especially for Arch Linux users, often humorously recognized in the community with “I’m using Arch, btw” meme – as Proton jokingly referred to in their announcement – who often have to rely on the Arch User Repository (AUR) for software not officially supported by vendors.
A victory for the command line
For the uninitiated, a CLI (Command Line Interface) works differently than the Graphical User Interface (GUI) most people are used to. Instead of clicking icons and buttons with a mouse, users type text commands into a terminal to perform tasks.
While this may sound scary to the average casual user, it is often the preferred method for Linux power users, developers, and system administrators.
CLI tools use fewer system resources than graphical apps and can be easily scripted or automated, making this release highly attractive to those looking to integrate VPN protection in complex system setups or headless servers (computers without a screen).
The OFFICIAL Proton VPN CLI is now available on: ✅ Arch (btw) ✅ Debian ✅ Ubuntu ✅ Fedora. Next we are adding features to allow you to specify P2P, TOR and Secure Core for your connection and the ability to see all countries/cities. Here’s a quick demo and how to install it pic5Otwitter.com/com pic5Otwitter.15 December 2025
What comes next?
The launch of the CLI on these platforms is only the first step. In the same announcement, the Swiss-based privacy firm teased several upcoming features that will improve the tool’s usability.
The team is working on adding features that allow users to specifically target P2P (Peer-to-Peer) servers for torrenting, Tor servers for enhanced anonymity and Secure Core servers. Secure Core is one of Proton’s standout features, routing traffic through privacy-friendly countries like Switzerland or Iceland before it reaches its final destination to protect against network-based attacks.
In addition, the developers add the ability to see all available countries and cities directly in the terminal, giving users detailed control over their virtual location without having to leave the command line environment.
Why this matters to Linux users
This move comes not long after Proton extended Linux capabilities with features like split tunneling, showing a continued effort to bring their Linux offerings up to par with their Windows and macOS counterparts.
Finding the best Linux VPN can be a challenge. Many providers offer a bare-bones Linux client that lacks the polish and feature set of their main apps.
By rolling out an official, feature-rich CLI for the most popular distributions—Ubuntu and Fedora are desktop behemoths, and Arch and Debian are pillars of the enthusiast and server world—Proton makes advanced privacy available to a much wider demographic of users.
If you’re running one of these distributions, check out the demo included in Proton’s social media posts to see how to install the new CLI and get started.
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