diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/arcan.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/arcan.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8a30da9e81f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/arcan.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+{ lib
+, stdenv
+, fetchFromGitHub
+, SDL2
+, cmake
+, espeak
+, ffmpeg
+, file
+, freetype
+, harfbuzz
+, leptonica
+, libGL
+, libX11
+, libXau
+, libXcomposite
+, libXdmcp
+, libXfixes
+, libdrm
+, libffi
+, libusb1
+, libuvc
+, libvlc
+, libvncserver
+, libxcb
+, libxkbcommon
+, luajit
+, makeWrapper
+, mesa
+, openal
+, pkg-config
+, sqlite
+, tesseract
+, valgrind
+, wayland
+, wayland-protocols
+, xcbutil
+, xcbutilwm
+, xz
+, buildManPages ? true, ruby
+}:
+
+let
+  # TODO: investigate vendoring, especially OpenAL
+  # WARN: vendoring of OpenAL is required for running arcan_lwa
+  # INFO: maybe it needs leaveDotGit, but it is dangerous/impure
+  letoram-openal-src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = "openal";
+    rev = "1c7302c580964fee9ee9e1d89ff56d24f934bdef";
+    hash = "sha256-InqU59J0zvwJ20a7KU54xTM7d76VoOlFbtj7KbFlnTU=";
+  };
+in
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  pname = "arcan";
+  version = "0.6.1pre1+unstable=2021-07-07";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = "arcan";
+    rev = "f3341ab94b32d02f3d15c3b91a512b2614e950a5";
+    hash = "sha256-YBtRA5uCk4tjX3Bsu5vMkaNaCLRlM6HVQ53sna3gDsY=";
+  };
+
+  postUnpack = ''
+    (
+     cd $sourceRoot/external/git/
+     cp -a ${letoram-openal-src}/ openal/
+     chmod --recursive 744 openal/
+    )
+  '';
+
+  # TODO: work with upstream in order to get rid of these hardcoded paths
+  postPatch = ''
+    substituteInPlace ./src/platform/posix/paths.c \
+      --replace "/usr/bin" "$out/bin" \
+      --replace "/usr/share" "$out/share"
+
+    substituteInPlace ./src/CMakeLists.txt --replace "SETUID" "# SETUID"
+  '';
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    cmake
+    makeWrapper
+    pkg-config
+  ] ++ lib.optionals buildManPages [
+    ruby
+  ];
+
+  buildInputs = [
+    SDL2
+    espeak
+    ffmpeg
+    file
+    freetype
+    harfbuzz
+    leptonica
+    libGL
+    libX11
+    libXau
+    libXcomposite
+    libXdmcp
+    libXfixes
+    libdrm
+    libffi
+    libusb1
+    libuvc
+    libvlc
+    libvncserver
+    libxcb
+    libxkbcommon
+    luajit
+    mesa
+    openal
+    sqlite
+    tesseract
+    valgrind
+    wayland
+    wayland-protocols
+    xcbutil
+    xcbutilwm
+    xz
+  ];
+
+  # INFO: According to the source code, the manpages need to be generated before
+  # the configure phase
+  preConfigure = lib.optionalString buildManPages ''
+    (cd doc; ruby docgen.rb mangen)
+  '';
+
+  cmakeFlags = [
+    "-DBUILD_PRESET=everything"
+    # The upstream project recommends tagging the distribution
+    "-DDISTR_TAG=Nixpkgs"
+    "-DENGINE_BUILDTAG=${version}"
+    "-DHYBRID_SDL=on"
+    "-DSTATIC_OPENAL=off"
+    "../src"
+  ];
+
+  hardeningDisable = [
+    "format"
+  ];
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    homepage = "https://arcan-fe.com/";
+    description = "Combined Display Server, Multimedia Framework, Game Engine";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Arcan is a portable and fast self-sufficient multimedia engine for
+      advanced visualization and analysis work in a wide range of applications
+      e.g. game development, real-time streaming video, monitoring and
+      surveillance, up to and including desktop compositors and window managers.
+    '';
+    license = with licenses; [ bsd3 gpl2Plus lgpl2Plus ];
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ AndersonTorres ];
+    platforms = platforms.unix;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..dba284f0100d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+{ callPackage, lib, pkgs }:
+
+rec {
+  # Dependencies
+
+  espeak = pkgs.espeak-ng;
+  ffmpeg = pkgs.ffmpeg-full;
+  harfbuzz = pkgs.harfbuzzFull;
+
+  # Arcan
+
+  arcan = callPackage ./arcan.nix { };
+  arcan-wrapped = callPackage ./wrapper.nix { };
+  xarcan = callPackage ./xarcan.nix { };
+
+  # Appls
+
+  durden = callPackage ./durden.nix { };
+  durden-wrapped = callPackage ./wrapper.nix {
+    name = "durden-wrapped";
+    appls = [ durden ];
+  };
+
+  pipeworld = callPackage ./pipeworld.nix { };
+  pipeworld-wrapped = callPackage ./wrapper.nix {
+    name = "pipeworld-wrapped";
+    appls = [ pipeworld ];
+  };
+
+  prio = callPackage ./prio.nix { };
+  prio-wrapped = callPackage ./wrapper.nix {
+    name = "prio-wrapped";
+    appls = [ prio ];
+  };
+
+  # One Expression to SymlinkJoin Them All
+
+  everyone-wrapped = callPackage ./wrapper.nix {
+    name = "everyone-wrapped";
+    appls = [ durden pipeworld prio ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/durden.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/durden.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cfe41cb6ec22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/durden.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+{ lib
+, stdenv
+, fetchFromGitHub
+}:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  pname = "durden";
+  version = "0.6.1+unstable=2021-06-25";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = pname;
+    rev = "fb618fccc57a68b6ce933b4df5822acd1965d591";
+    hash = "sha256-PovI837Xca4wV0g0s4tYUMFGVUDf+f8HcdvM1+0aDxk=";
+  };
+
+  installPhase = ''
+    runHook preInstall
+
+    mkdir -p ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/
+    cp -a ./durden ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/
+
+    runHook postInstall
+  '';
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    homepage = "https://durden.arcan-fe.com/";
+    description = "Reference Desktop Environment for Arcan";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Durden is a desktop environment for the Arcan Display Server. It serves
+      both as a reference showcase on how to take advantage of some of the
+      features in Arcan, and as a very competent entry to the advanced-user side
+      of the desktop environment spectrum.
+    '';
+    license = licenses.bsd3;
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ AndersonTorres ];
+    platforms = platforms.all;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/pipeworld.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/pipeworld.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a48ce5044ca0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/pipeworld.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+{ lib
+, stdenv
+, fetchFromGitHub
+}:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  pname = "pipeworld";
+  version = "0.0.0+unstable=2021-05-27";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = pname;
+    rev = "c26df9ca0225ce2fd4f89e7ec59d4ab1f94a4c2e";
+    hash = "sha256-RkDAbM1q4o61RGPLPLXHLvbvClp+bfjodlWgUGoODzA=";
+  };
+
+  installPhase = ''
+    runHook preInstall
+
+    mkdir -p ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/
+    cp -a ./pipeworld ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/
+
+    runHook postInstall
+  '';
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    homepage = "https://github.com/letoram/pipeworld";
+    description = "Dataflow 'spreadsheet' desktop environment";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Pipeworld is a zooming dataflow tool and desktop heavily inspired by
+      userland. It is built using the arcan desktop engine.
+
+      It combines the programmable processing of shell scripts and pipes, the
+      interactive visual addressing/programming model of spread sheets, the
+      scenegraph- and interactive controls-, IPC- and client processing- of
+      display servers into one model with zoomable tiling window management.
+
+      It can be used as a standalone desktop of its own, or as a normal
+      application within another desktop as a 'substitute' for your normal
+      terminal emulator.
+    '';
+    license = licenses.bsd3;
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ AndersonTorres ];
+    platforms = platforms.all;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/prio.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/prio.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..764d82fae9b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/prio.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{ lib
+, stdenv
+, fetchFromGitHub
+}:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  pname = "prio";
+  version = "0.0.0+unstable=2018-09-13";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = pname;
+    rev = "c3f97491339d15f063d6937d5f89bcfaea774dd1";
+    hash = "sha256-Idv/duEYmDk/rO+TI8n+FY3VFDtUEh8C292jh12BJuM=";
+  };
+
+  installPhase = ''
+    runHook preInstall
+
+    mkdir -p ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/prio
+    cp -a ./* ${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/prio
+
+    runHook postInstall
+  '';
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    homepage = "https://github.com/letoram/prio";
+    description = "Plan9- Rio like Window Manager for Arcan";
+    license = licenses.bsd3;
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ AndersonTorres ];
+    platforms = platforms.all;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/wrapper.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/wrapper.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a8b93ca1deac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/wrapper.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{ arcan
+, makeWrapper
+, symlinkJoin
+, appls ? [ ]
+, name ? "arcan-wrapped"
+}:
+
+symlinkJoin rec {
+  inherit name;
+
+  paths = appls ++ [ arcan ];
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ makeWrapper ];
+
+  postBuild = ''
+    for prog in ${placeholder "out"}/bin/*; do
+      wrapProgram $prog \
+        --prefix PATH ":" "${placeholder "out"}/bin" \
+        --set ARCAN_APPLBASEPATH "${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/appl/" \
+        --set ARCAN_BINPATH "${placeholder "out"}/bin/arcan_frameserver" \
+        --set ARCAN_LIBPATH "${placeholder "out"}/lib/" \
+        --set ARCAN_RESOURCEPATH "${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/resources/" \
+        --set ARCAN_SCRIPTPATH "${placeholder "out"}/share/arcan/scripts/" \
+        --set ARCAN_STATEBASEPATH "$HOME/.arcan/resources/savestates/"
+    done
+  '';
+}
+# TODO: set ARCAN_FONTPATH to a set of fonts that can be provided in a parameter
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/arcan/xarcan.nix b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/xarcan.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9bfd7e290733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/arcan/xarcan.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+{ lib
+, stdenv
+, fetchFromGitHub
+, arcan
+, audit
+, dbus
+, epoxy
+, fontutil
+, libGL
+, libX11
+, libXau
+, libXdmcp
+, libXfont2
+, libdrm
+, libgcrypt
+, libmd
+, libselinux
+, libtirpc
+, libxcb
+, libxkbfile
+, libxshmfence
+, mesa
+, meson
+, nettle
+, ninja
+, openssl
+, pixman
+, pkg-config
+, systemd
+, xcbutil
+, xcbutilwm
+, xkbcomp
+, xkeyboard_config
+, xorgproto
+, xtrans
+}:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  pname = "xarcan";
+  version = "0.6.0+unstable=2021-06-14";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "letoram";
+    repo = pname;
+    rev = "98d28a5f2c6860bb191fbc1c9e577c18e4c9a9b7";
+    hash = "sha256-UTIVDKnYD/q0K6G7NJUKh1tHcqnsuiJ/cQxWuPMJ2G4=";
+  };
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    meson
+    ninja
+    pkg-config
+  ];
+
+  buildInputs = [
+    arcan
+    audit
+    dbus
+    epoxy
+    fontutil
+    libGL
+    libX11
+    libXau
+    libXdmcp
+    libXfont2
+    libdrm
+    libgcrypt
+    libmd
+    libselinux
+    libtirpc
+    libxcb
+    libxkbfile
+    libxshmfence
+    mesa
+    nettle
+    openssl
+    pixman
+    systemd
+    xcbutil
+    xcbutilwm
+    xkbcomp
+    xkeyboard_config
+    xorgproto
+    xtrans
+  ];
+
+  configureFlags = [
+    "--disable-int10-module"
+    "--disable-static"
+    "--disable-xnest"
+    "--disable-xorg"
+    "--disable-xvfb"
+    "--disable-xwayland"
+    "--enable-glamor"
+    "--enable-glx"
+    "--enable-ipv6"
+    "--enable-kdrive"
+    "--enable-record"
+    "--enable-xarcan"
+    "--enable-xcsecurity"
+    "--with-xkb-bin-directory=${xkbcomp}/bin"
+    "--with-xkb-output=/tmp"
+    "--with-xkb-path=${xkeyboard_config}/share/X11/xkb"
+  ];
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    homepage = "https://github.com/letoram/letoram";
+    description = "Patched Xserver that bridges connections to Arcan";
+    longDescription = ''
+      xarcan is a patched X server with a KDrive backend that uses the
+      arcan-shmif to map Xlib/Xcb/X clients to a running arcan instance. It
+      allows running an X session as a window under Arcan.
+    '';
+    license = licenses.mit;
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ AndersonTorres ];
+    platforms = platforms.all;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index f113de0cf0ac..c1b84d697b5b 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -29600,6 +29600,10 @@ in
     gtk = gtk2;
   };
 
+  arcan = recurseIntoAttrs (callPackage ../desktops/arcan {
+    callPackage = newScope pkgs.arcan;
+  });
+
   xfce = recurseIntoAttrs (callPackage ../desktops/xfce { });
 
   xrandr-invert-colors = callPackage ../applications/misc/xrandr-invert-colors { };