Manjaro: the new standard for our developers

LinuxSoftware DevelopmentTeam

TL;DR: We are switching to Manjaro Linux as the standard development environment for our development team. Our complete setup, including YubiKey integration, development tools and package management, is available as an Glossary · In briefopen sourceOpen source is software whose source code is available under a licence that allows others to use, study, modify and redistribute it.Read more⁠ project: Manjikaze repo on GitHub.

We consciously choose a slightly more technical approach now that Ubuntu is focusing more and more on the end user.

At 10KB over the past 12 years we have seen everything pass by. From Windows with Ubuntu in VirtualBox, to WSL, macOS, and native Ubuntu desktops, you name it and we have worked with it. That enormous variety has given us a lot of insight and delivered the best development experience, but it now also brings challenges. Our team has grown, and we are now going to tackle that fragmentation.

The evolution of our development environments

Long ago we started on Windows machines, because that at the time combined the fastest hardware with good multi-monitor support. Linux became part of the picture when we started using Ruby, first via virtual machines, then WSL, and later you saw that a lot of developers of their own accord moved to native Ubuntu.

We consciously left macOS aside long ago. Sure, Apple hardware and software have their strengths, only the closed philosophy does not fit well with our tweaker culture. We also had no appetite for expensive machines that in performance and capabilities often trailed the facts by a year or so.

Windows has developed, with WSL and Docker integration it has grown considerably as a platform. A native Linux system still remains the boss on performance though. For us that is crucial. It is also exactly why we stick to powerful desktops, no compromises on compute power, laptops simply do not lend themselves to it.

Enough years past, all kinds of systems tried, the moment has come for that step to standardisation, and Manjaro Linux is ready.

The bottlenecks of our current setup

In the current situation we drag along quite a few problems:

Outdated systems: Some developers still work on old Ubuntu or Windows versions, which does not fit our technical profile.
Inconsistent updates: There is no uniform update policy, so different machines sit at different patch levels.
Security risks: The diversity makes it hard to maintain a consistent security policy.
Inefficient knowledge sharing: Optimisations and configuration improvements are not easily shared.

We are also still aiming for ISO27001 certification. Imagine: you do not get certification if messy infrastructure is normal. We need to deal with IT in a more structured way.

Why Manjaro fits our needs

Exactly with Manjaro we embrace an approach that needs a fair bit of our own technical ingenuity. We do not run hordes after complexity, we simply know that this fits better with the technical capacities of our team.

Ubuntu bets heavily on Snap and Flatpak. That may be followable for average users, but for developers it often turns out awkward. Cohesion within the apt ecosystem crumbles, packages start more slowly and system integration is sometimes simply not as you would want.

Manjaro, which leans on Arch Linux, gives us exactly what we are looking for:

Rolling release model: Always access to the newest development tools.
Pacman and AUR: A powerful package manager with access to almost all software we need.
Technical community: A community focused on optimisation and sharing knowledge.
Free window manager choice: From the standard GNOME desktop to alternatives like i3.

Technical advantages

The gap between Ubuntu's LTS model and Manjaro's rolling Glossary · In briefreleaseA release is an identifiable software version prepared to be made available to users. It brings together one or more checked changes.Read more⁠ we feel daily. With Manjaro we constantly run the newest versions of Docker, Git and other tools, with the matching security updates and performance improvements.

The official repositories and the Arch User Repository (AUR) ensure everything is ready immediately. No more fumbling with manually adding PPAs, pulling loose .deb files from GitHub or copy-pasting binaries from somewhere in a release onto your system.

We use YubiKeys for multifactor Glossary · In briefauthenticationAuthentication is the process by which a system verifies the claimed identity of a user, device or application.Read more⁠, full disk Glossary · In briefencryptionEncryption converts readable data into encrypted data using an algorithm and a cryptographic key. Only the correct key can make the data readable again.Read more⁠ and GPG application, and that connects directly to Manjaro.

Not because it is simple, but because it is worth it.

DHH — Founder 37signals

Of course nothing is watertight, and Manjaro also has catches. The rolling release model asks that you update often, which occasionally produces package conflicts. The learning curve is also a bit steeper for those who only know Windows or Ubuntu. Still those stumbling blocks are fine to handle in proportion to the pluses, especially with good documentation and help.

Community and knowledge sharing

One of the strongest drivers to standardise on one operating system is the internal community around shared knowledge and fine-tuning. If everyone starts from the same base system, you can:

Easily pass configuration tricks around
Help each other with recurring bugs
Dive deeper into the material together

Our provisioning repository is therefore not a locked-down top-down dictate, but a joint project everyone can build on. Just as with open source we trust that the smartest ideas arise when users tackle issues themselves and spread their fix.

Future vision

The switch to Manjaro is more than a technical turn-off. It is investing in where we want to go:

ISO27001 certification: With a uniform platform we can implement and check security measures more easily.
Increased productivity: Through optimised development environments.
Stronger technical culture: Promoting continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

Conclusion

That we choose Manjaro as our developer standard is not a wave of tech enthusiasm, but a considered decision. It rests on years of practice with diverse systems and thorough internal test work. I myself (Roland) have been running this system for half a year, and Olaf has been testing it for a few months too by now.

DHH wrote about Linux at 37signals: "It is not because it is easy, but because it is worth it." That is right. It will cost time, yes, and we know that. But the gain comes, we count on that: more consistent, safer, more efficient work. That is exactly what helps our technical team forward in the coming years.

Curious about our setup?

Enthusiastic about our Manjaro setup? We embrace open source and put all configuration in our Manjikaze project. Fork the repository, experiment with it, and share your experiences. Do you have questions or suggestions? Feel free to open an issue on GitHub!

Manjikaze repo on GitHub