After using Elementary OS for almost half a decade since the Luna release, I wanted to explore other distributions. As I mentioned in my previous posts, Slackware was my first Linux experience, so I wanted to go for something similar this time and ended up with Arch-based Manjaro. It turned out to be a great choice! I’m still using the same laptop from my previous setup post (HP EliteBook 2570P).

This post documents my complete Manjaro setup process and the applications I use for development, productivity, and daily computing.

Manjaro Desktop My Manjaro desktop with custom theme

System Information System specs and neofetch output

Application Menu Application launcher and installed software

Development Environment Development tools and IDE setup

Terminal Setup Terminal configuration with custom prompt

System Monitor System monitoring and resource usage

Initial System Setup⌗

System Update and Upgrade⌗

The first thing to do after a fresh Manjaro installation is to update the system:

# Update package database and upgrade system
sudo pacman -Syu

# Update AUR packages (if using yay)
yay -Syu

Privacy and Security Settings⌗

Disable GNOME Tracker (if using GNOME)⌗

GNOME Tracker can be resource-intensive and privacy-concerning:

# Disable tracker services
systemctl --user mask tracker-store.service tracker-miner-fs.service tracker-miner-rss.service tracker-miner-apps.service tracker-writeback.service

# Stop running tracker processes
tracker reset --hard

Configure Firewall⌗

# Install and enable UFW firewall
sudo pacman -S ufw
sudo ufw enable
sudo systemctl enable ufw

Essential Applications⌗

Web Browsers⌗

I install multiple browsers for different use cases:

# Install browsers via pacman
sudo pacman -S firefox

# Install from AUR
yay -S google-chrome
yay -S opera
yay -S brave-bin
yay -S vivaldi

Browser Usage:

  • Firefox: Primary browser for general use
  • Chrome: Web development and testing
  • Opera: VPN and workspace features
  • Brave: Privacy-focused browsing
  • Vivaldi: Power user features and customization

Terminal and Shell⌗

# Install terminal emulators
sudo pacman -S terminator tilix

# Install shell enhancements
sudo pacman -S zsh fish
yay -S oh-my-zsh-git

# Install terminal utilities
sudo pacman -S htop neofetch tree bat exa fd ripgrep

Media Players⌗

# Install media players
sudo pacman -S mpv vlc audacious

# Install codecs
sudo pacman -S gst-plugins-good gst-plugins-bad gst-plugins-ugly gst-libav

Media Setup:

  • MPV: Lightweight video player for quick viewing
  • VLC: Full-featured media player for all formats
  • Audacious: Music player with Winamp-like interface

Productivity Applications⌗

# Email client
sudo pacman -S geary thunderbird

# Note-taking and documentation
yay -S joplin-appimage
yay -S cherrytree
yay -S notion-app

# E-book management
sudo pacman -S calibre

# Time management
yay -S solanum

# Screen utilities
sudo pacman -S redshift
yay -S caffeine-ng

Cloud Storage and Sync⌗

# Install cloud storage clients
yay -S dropbox
yay -S github-desktop-bin

# Alternative sync tools
sudo pacman -S rsync rclone

Development Environment⌗

Programming Languages and Runtimes⌗

Python Development⌗

# Install Python and package manager
sudo pacman -S python python-pip python-virtualenv

# Install development tools
pip install --user pylint black autopep8 flake8
pip install --user jupyter notebook ipython

Node.js Development⌗

# Install Node.js and npm
sudo pacman -S nodejs npm

# Configure npm for global packages without sudo
echo 'prefix = ~/.npm' > ~/.npmrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:~/.npm/bin' >> ~/.bashrc

# Install global packages
npm install -g typescript @angular/cli create-react-app

NPM Configuration Details:

If you don’t want to execute npm with root privileges for global packages, here’s the complete setup:

  1. Configure npm: Create .npmrc in your home directory:
prefix = ~/.npm
  1. Configure PATH: Add to your ~/.bash_profile:
export PATH=$PATH:~/.npm/bin

This tells npm to install global packages in ~/.npm/lib/node_modules and makes executables available in ~/.npm/bin.

Go Development⌗

# Install Go
sudo pacman -S go

# Set up Go workspace
mkdir -p ~/go/{bin,src,pkg}
echo 'export GOPATH=$HOME/go' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin' >> ~/.bashrc

Rust Development⌗

# Install Rust via rustup
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source ~/.cargo/env

# Install common tools
cargo install cargo-edit cargo-watch

Other Languages⌗

# Dart and Flutter
yay -S flutter

# Ruby
sudo pacman -S ruby rubygems

# Lua
sudo pacman -S lua

# D language
sudo pacman -S dmd

# PowerShell
yay -S powershell-bin

Text Editors and IDEs⌗

# Install editors
sudo pacman -S gedit vim neovim
yay -S visual-studio-code-bin
yay -S sublime-text-4

# Install Android Studio
yay -S android-studio

Editor Configuration:

  • VSCode: Primary IDE with extensions for all languages
  • Sublime Text: Quick editing and large file handling
  • Neovim: Terminal-based editing with custom config
  • Android Studio: Mobile app development

Version Control⌗

# Install Git and related tools
sudo pacman -S git git-lfs
yay -S github-cli

# Configure Git
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Virtualization and Containerization⌗

Docker Setup⌗

# Install Docker
sudo pacman -S docker docker-compose

# Start and enable Docker service
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Verify installation
sudo docker version

VMware Workstation⌗

# Install VMware Workstation from AUR
yay -S vmware-workstation

# Load VMware modules
sudo modprobe -a vmw_vmci vmmon

# Enable VMware services
sudo systemctl enable --now vmware-networks.service
sudo systemctl enable --now vmware-usbarbitrator.service
sudo systemctl enable --now vmware-hostd.service

VMware Services Explained:

  • vmware-networks.service: Provides network access inside VMs (most people need this)
  • vmware-usbarbitrator.service: Allows USB devices to be connected inside VMs
  • vmware-hostd.service: Enables sharing of VMs on the network

KVM/QEMU Setup⌗

# Install KVM and related packages
sudo pacman -S qemu virt-manager virt-viewer dnsmasq vde2 bridge-utils openbsd-netcat ebtables iptables

# Install text editor if needed
sudo pacman -S vim

# Configure libvirt
sudo vim /etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf

Configure libvirt by editing /etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf:

# Set UNIX domain socket group ownership (around line 85)
unix_sock_group = "libvirt"

# Set UNIX socket permissions (around line 102)
unix_sock_rw_perms = "0770"

# Add user to libvirt group
sudo usermod -a -G libvirt $(whoami)
newgrp libvirt

# Restart and enable libvirt daemon
sudo systemctl restart libvirtd.service
sudo systemctl enable libvirtd.service

Enable Nested Virtualization (Optional)⌗

Nested Virtualization allows you to run VMs inside a VM:

# Enable nested virtualization for Intel
sudo modprobe -r kvm_intel
sudo modprobe kvm_intel nested=1

# Make configuration persistent
echo "options kvm-intel nested=1" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/kvm-intel.conf

# Verify nested virtualization is enabled
systool -m kvm_intel -v | grep nested
cat /sys/module/kvm_intel/parameters/nested

Expected output should show:

nested              = "Y"
nested_early_check  = "N"

VirtualBox⌗

# Install VirtualBox
sudo pacman -S virtualbox virtualbox-host-modules-arch

# Add user to vboxusers group
sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers $USER

# Load VirtualBox modules
sudo modprobe vboxdrv

Network Simulation⌗

# Install GNS3 for network simulation
yay -S gns3-gui gns3-server

# Install additional network tools
sudo pacman -S wireshark-qt nmap netcat

Graphics and Design⌗

# Install graphics applications
sudo pacman -S inkscape gimp blender

# Install image viewers and editors
sudo pacman -S gwenview feh imagemagick

# Install screenshot tools
sudo pacman -S spectacle flameshot

System Utilities⌗

File Management⌗

# Install file managers
sudo pacman -S dolphin thunar ranger

# Install archive tools
sudo pacman -S ark unrar p7zip

# Install disk utilities
sudo pacman -S gparted baobab ncdu

System Monitoring⌗

# Install monitoring tools
sudo pacman -S htop iotop nethogs iftop
yay -S btop

# Install system information tools
sudo pacman -S neofetch screenfetch inxi

USB and ISO Tools⌗

# Install USB creation tools
yay -S popsicle-gtk
sudo pacman -S dd_rescue

# Install ISO tools
sudo pacman -S fuseiso acetoneiso

Popsicle is a great tool for creating bootable USB drives with a simple GUI interface.

System Tweaks and Optimizations⌗

Performance Tweaks⌗

# Install performance tools
sudo pacman -S preload profile-sync-daemon

# Enable preload for faster application startup
sudo systemctl enable preload

# Configure swappiness for better performance
echo 'vm.swappiness=10' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

Power Management⌗

# Install power management tools
sudo pacman -S tlp tlp-rdw powertop

# Enable TLP for laptop battery optimization
sudo systemctl enable tlp
sudo systemctl start tlp

# Configure laptop mode
sudo pacman -S laptop-mode-tools

Audio Configuration⌗

# Install audio tools
sudo pacman -S pulseaudio pulseaudio-alsa pavucontrol

# Install additional audio codecs and Bluetooth support
sudo pacman -S pulseaudio-bluetooth a2dp-alsa

Backup and Maintenance⌗

Backup Solutions⌗

# Install backup tools
sudo pacman -S rsync borgbackup timeshift

# Configure automatic snapshots with Timeshift
sudo timeshift --create --comments "Initial setup complete"

System Maintenance⌗

# Install maintenance tools
sudo pacman -S bleachbit stacer

# Set up automatic package cache cleaning
sudo pacman -S pacman-contrib
sudo systemctl enable paccache.timer

Custom Configurations⌗

Shell Configuration⌗

Create a custom .bashrc with useful aliases:

# Add to ~/.bashrc
alias ll='ls -alF'
alias la='ls -A'
alias l='ls -CF'
alias grep='grep --color=auto'
alias fgrep='fgrep --color=auto'
alias egrep='egrep --color=auto'
alias ..='cd ..'
alias ...='cd ../..'
alias h='history'
alias c='clear'
alias df='df -h'
alias du='du -h'
alias free='free -h'
alias ps='ps auxf'
alias psgrep='ps aux | grep -v grep | grep -i -e VSZ -e'

# Git aliases
alias gs='git status'
alias ga='git add'
alias gc='git commit'
alias gp='git push'
alias gl='git log --oneline'

# Docker aliases
alias dps='docker ps'
alias dpa='docker ps -a'
alias di='docker images'
alias drm='docker rm'
alias drmi='docker rmi'

# Pacman aliases
alias pacupg='sudo pacman -Syu'
alias pacin='sudo pacman -S'
alias pacins='sudo pacman -U'
alias pacre='sudo pacman -R'
alias pacrem='sudo pacman -Rns'
alias pacrep='pacman -Si'
alias pacfind='pacman -Ss'
alias pacown='pacman -Qo'
alias pacorphan='sudo pacman -Rs $(pacman -Qtdq)'

Git Configuration⌗

# Enhanced Git configuration
git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'
git config --global alias.visual '!gitk'
git config --global core.editor vim
git config --global merge.tool vimdiff

Additional Applications⌗

Note-Taking and Documentation⌗

  • Joplin: Cross-platform note-taking with sync capabilities
  • CherryTree: Hierarchical note-taking application
  • Notion: All-in-one workspace (via web app)

Communication⌗

# Install communication apps
yay -S discord
yay -S slack-desktop
yay -S telegram-desktop
sudo pacman -S thunderbird

Hardware Considerations⌗

HP EliteBook 2570P Specific⌗

This laptop works well with Manjaro, but here are some specific considerations:

  • Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 works out of the box
  • WiFi: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 has excellent Linux support
  • Battery: TLP configuration significantly improves battery life
  • Thermal: No special configuration needed, runs cool

Performance Optimizations⌗

# Install CPU frequency scaling
sudo pacman -S cpupower

# Set CPU governor for better battery life
sudo cpupower frequency-set -g powersave

# Or for performance
sudo cpupower frequency-set -g performance

Future Plans⌗

Looking ahead, I’m considering upgrading to:

  • MacBook Pro: For better battery life and build quality
  • Dell XPS Developer Edition: Official Linux support with excellent hardware
  • Lenovo ThinkPad with Fedora: The upcoming Lenovo+Fedora collaboration
  • Framework Laptop: Modular and repairable design with Linux support

The main factors driving a potential upgrade:

  • Better battery life (8+ hours)
  • Higher resolution display
  • More RAM (16GB+)
  • Faster SSD storage
  • Better build quality and portability

Conclusion⌗

This Manjaro setup has served me exceptionally well for development, productivity, and daily computing tasks. The Arch-based foundation provides access to the latest software while maintaining stability through Manjaro’s testing process.

Key Advantages of This Setup⌗

  • Rolling Release: Always up-to-date software without major version upgrades
  • AUR Access: Vast software repository with community packages
  • Performance: Lightweight and fast, even on older hardware
  • Customization: Highly configurable to match personal preferences
  • Development-Friendly: Excellent tooling support for multiple languages
  • Hardware Compatibility: Great support for older laptops

Workflow Benefits⌗

The combination of traditional applications and modern development tools creates a versatile environment suitable for:

  • Web development (Node.js, Python, Go)
  • Mobile development (Android Studio, Flutter)
  • System administration (Docker, KVM, networking tools)
  • Content creation (graphics, video, documentation)
  • Research and learning (virtualization, multiple browsers)

Maintenance Strategy⌗

Regular maintenance tasks I perform:

# Weekly system update
sudo pacman -Syu && yay -Syu

# Monthly cleanup
sudo pacman -Sc
yay -Sc
sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=2weeks

# Quarterly full backup
sudo timeshift --create --comments "Quarterly backup"

Lessons Learned⌗

After using this setup for several months:

  1. AUR is powerful but requires occasional manual intervention
  2. Rolling releases need regular updates to avoid issues
  3. Virtualization is essential for testing and development
  4. Multiple browsers are necessary for web development
  5. Backup strategy is crucial with rolling releases

The modular approach allows for easy customization and expansion as needs evolve, making this setup both practical and future-proof for development work.

Neofetch Output Final system configuration with all tools installed