I would like to practice installing Gentoo from scratch since I like the idea of the distro, but I’m quite new to Linux at all and only had experience with Debian. I suppose my very basic knowledge of terminal isn’t enough to install Gentoo, even with the handbook. So, what would you recommend to learn or practice before I actually try installing Gentoo? Also, any specific tips on installing Gentoo inside a VM?
Do use the Gentoo-provided minimal install iso as the host for the install, and not random live media, just to reduce the possibility of unexpected problems.
The handbook is actually pretty explicit on what commands you need to run for the base install. Read it through first. Take note of the places where you actually have to decide something (the biggest one is OpenRC vs. systemd, and you want to have that decision made before you start). Go with the default for anything you don’t really care about or that looks a bit complicated or scary. Absolutely do not skip steps (unless they’re marked “Optional”) even if you don’t yet understand what the step is for.
Working inside a VM insulates you from some of the worst gotchas you can run into on real hardware (like bad UEFI implementations), fortunately. Still, don’t try to build a custom kernel straight out the gate—just install the distro kernel for now.
If something goes wrong during the install, it can be best to take a break and come back later.
Once you’ve got the base system running, you’ll have another decision to make about X vs wayland and the various DE/WM/compositor options.