- Proton VPN has released an official CLI for Arch, Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora
- Update aims to power Linux users who prefer terminal commands
- Future versions include selection for P2P, Tor and Secure Core connections
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 solidifies 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, rather than relying on third-party maintainers.
This is a significant advancement, especially for Arch Linux users, often humorously acknowledged in the community with the “I use Arch, by the way” – which Proton playfully referenced in its announcement – which often has to rely on Arch User Repository (AUR) for software that isn’t 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) that most people are used to. Instead of clicking icons and buttons with the mouse, users enter text commands into a terminal to perform tasks.
Although this may seem intimidating 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 GUI applications and can be easily scripted or automated, making this release very attractive to those looking to integrate VPN protection in complex system configurations or headless servers (computers without a monitor).
The OFFICIAL Proton VPN CLI is now available on:✅ Arch (btw)✅ Debian✅ Ubuntu✅ FedoraNext, we are adding features to allow you to specify P2P, TOR and Secure Core for your connection, as well as the ability to see all countries/cities. Here’s a quick demo and how to install it 👇 pic.twitter.com/kOxYEIcN25December 15, 2025
What’s next?
Launching the CLI on these platforms is just the first step. In the same announcement, the Switzerland-based privacy company announced several upcoming features that will improve the tool’s usefulness.
The team is working on adding features that will 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 most notable features, routing traffic to privacy-friendly countries like Switzerland or Iceland before it reaches its final destination to protect against network-based attacks.
Additionally, developers are adding the ability to display all available countries and cities directly in the terminal, giving users granular control over their virtual location without having to leave the command line environment.
Why it matters for Linux users
This decision comes shortly after Proton expanded Linux capabilities with features like split tunneling, demonstrating a sustained effort to bring their Linux offering up to par with their Windows and macOS counterparts.
Finding the best Linux VPN can be a challenge. Many vendors offer a simple Linux client that lacks the polish and features of their core applications.
By rolling out a feature-rich official CLI for the most popular distributions – Ubuntu and Fedora being giants in the desktop space, and Arch and Debian being mainstays in the enthusiast and server worlds – Proton makes high-end privacy accessible to a much broader user demographic.
If you’re running one of these distributions, you can check out the demo included in Proton’s social media post to see how to install the new CLI and get started.
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