# arch

_Peios / Using Peios / Peiosutils / System and processes_

> Print the machine's hardware architecture.

`arch` prints the machine's hardware architecture — the kind of processor the system runs on.

```
arch
```

```
$ arch
x86_64
```

That is the whole command. It takes no options and prints a single name.

`arch` prints exactly what [`uname -m`](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/system-and-processes/uname.md) prints. It exists as a short, obvious name for the one question "what architecture is this?" — convenient in a script that picks an architecture-specific path.

## Exit status

| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `0` | The architecture was printed. |
| `1` | The architecture could not be determined. |

Related content:

- [uname](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/system-and-processes/uname.md)
- [System and processes](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/system-and-processes/overview.md)