10 Reasons Why Manjaro Linux is Best Choice

The Benefits of Manjaro Linux for Programmers
How Manjaro Linux Won Me Over After a Decade on Ubuntu

9 min readSep 2, 2023

I have been using Ubuntu as my main operating system for more than 10 years. I liked its simplicity, stability, and popularity. I was comfortable with its user interface, package manager, and community support. I thought I would never switch to another Linux distro, until I tried Manjaro Linux.

Manjaro Linux is a distribution based on Arch Linux, which is known for its flexibility and customizability. Unlike Arch Linux, which requires a lot of manual configuration and installation, Manjaro Linux is easy to install and use. It has a graphical installer, a user-friendly desktop environment, and a package manager that can access both the official repositories and the Arch User Repository (AUR).

What impressed me the most about Manjaro Linux was its speed and performance. It booted faster, ran smoother, and consumed less resources than Ubuntu. It also had a rolling release model, which meant that it always provided the latest software updates and versions without the need to reinstall the system.

Another thing that attracted me to Manjaro Linux was its customization options. I could choose from different editions or flavors, each with a different desktop environment and set of pre-installed software. I could also tweak every aspect of my system, from the kernel to the themes. I felt like I had more control and freedom over my system than on Ubuntu.

The last thing that convinced me to switch to Manjaro Linux was its access to the AUR, which is a collection of community-maintained packages that are not available in the official repositories. The AUR contained thousands of packages that I could easily install with a simple command, making it a treasure trove for software that I needed or wanted to try.

After using Manjaro Linux for a few months, I realized that it was a better fit for me than Ubuntu. It offered me more speed, performance, customization, and software options than Ubuntu. It also introduced me to the Arch Linux philosophy and community, which I found to be more appealing and helpful than Ubuntu’s. Manjaro Linux won me over after a decade on Ubuntu, and I don’t regret it.

Why I Ditched Ubuntu for Manjaro Linux: A Personal Story

I have been a loyal Ubuntu user for many years. I started using it when I was a student, and I continued using it when I became a professional web developer. I liked its ease of use, stability, and compatibility. I was familiar with its user interface, package manager, and community support. I thought it was the best Linux distro for me, until I discovered Manjaro Linux.

What made me ditch Ubuntu for Manjaro Linux was its webdev edition, which is a special edition dedicated to web developers. It comes with a selection of web development tools, such as Apache, PHP, MySQL, Node.js, Ruby on Rails, and more. It also includes a web browser, an IDE, and a code editor. It was like having everything I needed for my work in one place.

Another thing that made me ditch Ubuntu for Manjaro Linux was its rolling release model, which means that it always provides the latest software updates and versions without the need to reinstall the system. This way, I could enjoy the newest features and improvements of my favorite tools and languages without having to wait for long release cycles or deal with compatibility issues.

The last thing that made me ditch Ubuntu for Manjaro Linux was its performance and stability. It was faster, smoother, and more reliable than Ubuntu. It also consumed less resources and had fewer bugs or errors. It was like having a more efficient and dependable system for my work.

After switching to Manjaro Linux for a while, I realized that it was a better choice for me than Ubuntu. It offered me more convenience, functionality, and quality than Ubuntu. It also exposed me to the Arch Linux philosophy and community, which I found to be more interesting and supportive than Ubuntu’s. I ditched Ubuntu for Manjaro Linux, and I’m happy with it.

The Advantages of Manjaro Linux over Ubuntu: A User’s Perspective

I have been using both Ubuntu and Manjaro Linux for a long time. I have experienced the pros and cons of each distro, and I have compared them in various aspects. In my opinion, Manjaro Linux has more advantages over Ubuntu, and here are some of them:

- Speed and Performance: Manjaro Linux is faster and more responsive than Ubuntu. It boots quicker, runs smoother, and consumes less resources than Ubuntu. It also has a rolling release model, which means that it always provides the latest software updates and versions without the need to reinstall the system. This improves the performance and security of the system.
- Customization and Flexibility: Manjaro Linux is more customizable and flexible than Ubuntu. It allows users to choose from different editions or flavors, each with a different desktop environment and set of pre-installed software. Users can also customize every aspect of their system, from the kernel to the themes. Users can create their own custom edition with the Manjaro Architect tool.
- Software Availability and Variety: Manjaro Linux has more software availability and variety than Ubuntu. It has access to both the official repositories and the Arch User Repository (AUR), which is a collection of community-maintained packages that are not available in the official repositories. The AUR contains thousands of packages that can be easily installed with a simple command, making it a treasure trove for software that users need or want to try.
- **Hardware Support and Compatibility**: Manjaro Linux has better hardware support and compatibility than Ubuntu. It uses the latest kernel and drivers, which ensures that it can run on a wide range of hardware, from old laptops to modern gaming PCs. It also has a hardware detection tool that automatically configures the system for the best performance on any device.
- Community Support and Documentation: Manjaro Linux has more community support and documentation than Ubuntu. It has a large and active community of users and developers who are always ready to help and provide feedback. Users can find answers to their questions, report issues, request features, or share their experiences on the official forums, wiki, chat rooms, or social media platforms.

These are some of the advantages of Manjaro Linux over Ubuntu that I have noticed as a user. Of course, this is not to say that Ubuntu is a bad distro or that Manjaro Linux is perfect. Each distro has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each user has their own preferences and needs. However, based on my personal experience, I prefer Manjaro Linux over Ubuntu for its speed, performance, customization, flexibility, software availability, variety, hardware support, compatibility, community support, and documentation.

My Journey from Ubuntu to Manjaro Linux: Speed, Customization, and AUR

I have been a Linux user for several years. I started with Ubuntu, which was one of the most popular and user-friendly distros at the time. I liked its simplicity, stability, and compatibility. I was satisfied with its user interface, package manager, and community support. I thought I would stick with Ubuntu for a long time, until I heard about Manjaro Linux.

What motivated me to switch from Ubuntu to Manjaro Linux was its speed and performance. It was noticeably faster and more responsive than Ubuntu. It booted faster, ran smoother, and consumed less resources than Ubuntu. It also had a rolling release model, which meant that it always provided the latest software updates and versions without the need to reinstall the system.

What impressed me about Manjaro Linux was its customization options. I could choose from different editions or flavors, each with a different desktop environment and set of pre-installed software. I could also tweak every aspect of my system, from the kernel to the themes. I felt like I had more control and freedom over my system than on Ubuntu.

What fascinated me about Manjaro Linux was its access to the AUR, which is a collection of community-maintained packages that are not available in the official repositories. The AUR contained thousands of packages that I could easily install with a simple command, making it a treasure trove for software that I needed or wanted to try.

After switching to Manjaro Linux for some time, I realized that it was a better distro for me than Ubuntu. It offered me more speed, performance, customization options than Ubuntu. It also introduced me to the Arch Linux philosophy and community, which I found to be more appealing and helpful than Ubuntu’s. My journey from Ubuntu to Manjaro Linux was driven by speed, customization options ,and AUR.

What Made Me Switch from Ubuntu

Manjaro Linux is a popular and user-friendly distribution based on Arch Linux, which is known for its flexibility and customizability. Manjaro Linux offers many advantages for programmers who want to have a reliable and up-to-date development environment. Here are 10 reasons why Manjaro Linux is a great choice for programmers:

1. Latest and Greatest: Manjaro Linux has a rolling release model, which means that it always provides the latest software updates and versions without the need to reinstall the system. This way, programmers can enjoy the newest features and improvements of their favorite tools and languages.
2. Arch User Repository (AUR): One of the most attractive features of Manjaro Linux is its access to the AUR, which is a collection of community-maintained packages that are not available in the official repositories. The AUR contains thousands of packages that can be easily installed with a simple command, making it a treasure trove for programmers who need specific or niche software for their projects.
3. Highly Customizable: Manjaro Linux allows users to customize every aspect of their system, from the desktop environment to the kernel. Programmers can tweak their system to suit their preferences and needs, creating a personalized and optimized development environment.
4. Variety of Editions: Manjaro Linux comes in different editions or flavors, each with a different desktop environment and set of pre-installed software. Users can choose the edition that best matches their taste and workflow, or they can create their own custom edition with the Manjaro Architect tool.
5. Webdev Edition: Manjaro Linux has a special edition dedicated to web developers, called the Webdev Edition. This edition comes with a selection of web development tools, such as Apache, PHP, MySQL, Node.js, Ruby on Rails, and more. It also includes a web browser, an IDE, and a code editor.
6. **Stability and Performance**: Manjaro Linux is a stable and high-performance system, which makes it ideal for programmers who need to run resource-intensive applications or processes. Manjaro Linux uses a tested branch of packages to ensure stability, while also providing the option to switch to a more experimental branch for those who want more cutting-edge software.
7. Hardware Support: Manjaro Linux has excellent hardware support and compatibility, thanks to its use of the latest kernel and drivers. It also has a hardware detection tool that automatically configures the system for the best performance on any device. Manjaro Linux can run on a wide range of hardware, from old laptops to modern gaming PCs.
8. Easy Installation: Manjaro Linux has one of the easiest and friendliest installation processes among Arch-based distributions. It has a graphical installer that guides users through the steps of setting up their system, with options to customize their partitions, bootloader, locale, timezone, keyboard layout, and more.
9. Active and Supportive Community: Manjaro Linux has a large and active community of users and developers who are always ready to help and provide feedback. Users can find answers to their questions, report issues, request features, or share their experiences on the official forums, wiki, chat rooms, or social media platforms.
10. Tons of Software: Manjaro Linux has a rich and diverse software library that can satisfy any programmer’s needs. Users can install software from the official repositories using the package manager, or from the AUR using an AUR helper. Users can also install software from third-party sources, such as Flatpak or Snap.

Conclusion

Manjaro Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that offers many benefits for programmers who want to have a modern and efficient development environment. With its rolling release model, AUR access, customizability, variety of editions, webdev edition, stability, performance, hardware support, easy installation, active community, and tons of software, Manjaro Linux is one of the best Linux distros for programmers.