Manjaro 25.0 Zetar Release Review

[philm]

Beginning of February after Lunar New Years we started our developement cycle of Manjaro 25.0 we code-named Zetar. Most likely the stable installer ISOs will be available in Mid-March featuring Plasma 6.3, GNOME 48 and XFCE 4.20.

So far we released already two preview releases. Another might come end next week (CW9), to align with Plasma 6 release schedule. For GNOME mid March (CW13) based on their release schedule.

In this topic we will discuss and reveal the changes we intend to do within this development cycle. And this time the stable branch is going along with it. So what does this mean? Most people avoid to use testing and unstable branches, therefore we get most of our needed feedback from the stable branch users. So more users, more feedback.

The distro itself is still tested as best as we could within our development team, however we have not all the configurations of hardware on our end you might use.

So issuing pacman -Q manjaro-release might reveal your current release you are on. Example: manjaro-release 25.0.0preview-1. When you however call some like lsb_release -r you will get a result like Release: 25.0.0. We chose that to not confuse people and post threads about, why I’m now on an unstable or preview release. Our numbering is only for our installation medias.

So the two current available ISOs shipped XFCE 4.20. Most users won’t even notice big changes with it. Next week we will focus on Plasma 6.3.

Another thing we will change is to change from ext4 to btrfs as the default file system. We already shipped support for btrfs in older releases. We also added automatic snapshots on btrfs with bootloader entries for these when btrfs was chosen by the user. Since our testing are all fine, why not make it now the defacto default. People can still change to ext4 or xfs in our auto-partitioning option or even format and structure their partition layout complete freely in the advanced mode of Calamares, the graphical installer we use.

So feel free to give us early feedback during this development cycle of Manjaro 25.0.

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Latest Release

• Release 202504121749 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub

XFCE 4.20

• Release 202502171051 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub
• Release 202502040706 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub

Plasma 6.3

• Release 202503050809 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub
• Release 202503180858 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub
• Release 202503240839 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub

Gnome 48

• Release 202503300425 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub
• Release 202504070755 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub
• Release 202504121749 · manjaro/release-review · GitHub

[linux-aarhus]

To avoid manually assembling the iso-parts - you can use manjaro-get-iso to download, assemble and verify it (only the latest is supported)

sudo pacman -Syu manjaro-get-iso

Then download the review by edition name - e.g. xfce

Minimal ISO

get-iso --review xfce

Full ISO

get-iso --review --full xfce

[Armus]

The language of this topic is very unclear for me. What does this mean: “So issuing pacman -Q manjaro-release might reveal your current release you are on.” Why MIGHT this command do this and why is it not clear, what it does? I really don’t understand what this is all about and why the command returns something-preview on me. It for sure feels like I’m on previews since the last two big updates.

[cfinnberg]

@philm

Another thing we will change is to change from ext4 to btrfs as the default file system.

Is it planned to update manjaro-chroot to support mounting btrfs partitions? Right now, as far as I now, it has to be done manually.

[MirceaKitsune]

Really hope with Plasma 6.3 they fix the newly introduced Wayland bugs, like desktop effects for minimize / restore randomly not working or monitor brightness being turned down when you log in. Also whatever is causing Firefox to use 100% of a CPU thread for 30 seconds whenever a Youtube tab first loads (even without video playback).

[cscs]

@Armus

What does this mean: “So issuing pacman -Q manjaro-release might reveal your current release you are on.” Why MIGHT this command do this and why is it not clear, what it does? I really don’t understand what this is all about

The next snippets go some way to explaining further…

@philm

When you however call some like lsb_release -r you will get a result like Release: 25.0.0. We chose that to not confuse people and post threads about, why I’m now on an unstable or preview release. Our numbering is only for our installation medias.

The most important part being what is echoed whenever someone asks about even mentions what ‘release’ they are using.

@philm

Our numbering is only for our installation medias.

Manjaro ‘releases’ mean absolutely nothing except for ISOs.
Nothing else. It is not useful or used for anything other than the editioning of the snapshot ISOs as they are refreshed from time to time.

There is your branch (Stable, Testing, Unstable) and whether you are up to date or not. Thats it.

[CGA]

@cfinnberg

Is it planned to update manjaro-chroot to support mounting btrfs partitions? Right now, as far as I now, it has to be done manually.

This is definitely on the top of my wish list as well.

[ehhen]

@philm

Another thing we will change is to change from ext4 to btrfs as the default file system. We already shipped support for btrfs in older releases.

We also added automatic snapshots on btrfs with bootloader entries

I agree with making btrfs the default with all the added features that come with it.

• I love reflink.
  It’s so convenient that it makes me cry tears of joy.

I think that if everyone uses a certain default FS, it will become one of the guidelines that can be called the Manjaro way. Of course, those who like XFS or appreciate the advantages of EXT4 are free to choose, so there is no problem.

Well, my main manjaro is ext4(/) and btrfs(/home).

The second and third manjaros and other distributions are btrfs(/ and /home).

Possible expectations and solutions

There are already textbooks on ext4 to btrfs migration here and there. However, it may be necessary to consider how often there will be a need to convert an existing ext4 installation to btrfs.

Of course, I’m not claiming that it’s necessary.

• Conversion, changing UUID, getting new UUID(btrfs-convert from btrfs-progs)
• mount and …
• subvolume create , setting @,@home,@…
• Change FSTAB accordingly
• And rebuild the kernel
• mkgrub and so on…

As far as I can tell from the forums, it’s very difficult to support it. It’s daunting when someone who has to start using an editor asks for it. I can’t help them, though. I am not goot at EN.

I finished converting all my Linux PCs to ext4 to btrfs last year. As mentioned above, EXT4 is still remaining on my main PC that is always running. (lol)

For some reason, I feel like there are a lot of users who don’t take backups, so it would be nice if btrfs snapshot could be a pseudo-alternative.I’m not saying it’s a perfect solution. It’s better than nothing at all.

A little extra note, but I still don’t trust BTRFS RAID. I only rate it highly for single NVMe. *This is my personal opinion. I’m open to dissenting opinions, of course.

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I tried installing it on KVM. It finished smoothly.

The correct Japanese design is displayed from the beginning. *Among the archlinux distributions, only Manjaro has achieved this. Thank you. *This is what I have tried.
manjaro-kde-25.0-250305-linux612.iso

It runs very smoothly even on KVM. Is it just me?

[Yochanan]

@ehhen

The correct Japanese design is displayed from the beginning. *Among the archlinux distributions, only Manjaro has achieved this

I think that may be due to @phoepsilonix helping out with the manjaro-asian-input-support packages.

[ehhen]

@Yochanan

I think that may be due to @phoepsilonix helping out with the manjaro-asian-input-support packages.

No. The manjaro-asian-input-support packages are not installed yet. I am in the process of installing them.

#KVM
$ pacman  -Q |  grep manjaro-asian
(none)

#My main manjaro
$ pacman  -Q |  grep manjaro-asian
manjaro-asian-input-support-fcitx5 20250211-1

I understand that the Manjaro Team was involved in this improvement.
So you are a contributor, aren’t you? thank you.

Support Asian kanji culture by default

I hope it’s about time that Manjaro would support Asian kanji culture by default. For example, in the case of Japanese, the following Adobe fonts (official package, extra) can be included from the beginning. Of course, “noto fonts JP” is also sufficient. If the fonts shown below are included in install media, Taiwanese and Japan people will feel less uncomfortable. In other words, it’s a little uncomfortable right now. /usr $ fd -e otf | grep JP share/fonts/adobe-source-han-serif/SourceHanSeri…

[Yochanan]

@ehhen

the Manjaro Team was involved in this improvement

@ehhen

you are a contributor, aren’t you?

Technically, yes to both–only because I’m a packager.

Realistically? No to both.

I already told you who has been a helpful contributor lately.

[xman1]

So we are approaching the end of March. Any updates or are there still issues?

[soundofthunder]

@xman1

So we are approaching the end of March. Any updates or are there still issues?

We’re all reading the same topic…

Any updates or additions will likely be added here as they become apparent. Monitor this topic to stay informed.

Regards.

[Yochanan]

@xman1

Any updates or are there still issues?

Keep an eye on the Known Issues in the second post of every Stable / Testing Unstable Announcement thread.

[ehhen]

I usually only test PLASMA, but today I tried installing GNOME with Manual partitioning.

Even at 300%, my eyes are dead. The characters are too dark and painful for me.
UHD 300% 43inch.

My eyes have been tired from overwork recently, so it may be a problem specific to me.
(There is a way to work around it, but this is the default for LIVE USBs ?)

manjaro-gnome-next-25.04-development-unstable-250405-linux612.iso

be subjective, but in the last three months, the only installer I’ve tried that I found harsh was manjaro. Maybe I’m just not feeling well today.

List: As far as I can remember.

> Calam-Arch-Installer-2025-01.iso
> MX-23.5_KDE_x64.iso
> MX-23.5_x64.iso
> Zorin-OS-17.3-Core-64-bit.iso
> cachyos-desktop-linux-250330.iso
> delinuxco-workstation-25.0.0-250228-x86_64.iso
> elementaryos-8.0-stable.20250314rc.iso
> linuxmint-22.1-cinnamon-64bit.iso
> manjaro-gnome-next-25. 04-development-unstable-250405-linux612.iso
> manjaro-kde-dev-25.04-development-unstable-250405-linux612.iso
> manjaro-xfce-25.04-development-unstable-250403-linux612.iso
> ubuntucinnamon-25.04-beta-desktop-amd64.iso
```
As far as I can remember.

This is just one user’s impression.

[Kobold]

@philm

Another thing we will change is to change from ext4 to btrfs as the default file system. We already shipped support for btrfs in older releases. We also added automatic snapshots on btrfs with bootloader entries for these when btrfs was chosen by the user. Since our testing are all fine, why not make it now the defacto default.

Btrfs is everything else, but not userfriendly.

People will run into issue from that changes… this is not a filesystem which you can blindly use without doing some research.

I have no idea why this changes are made, without asking the community first… Manjaro is still made to welcome the unexperienced people or not?

[Aragorn]

@Kobold

Btrfs is everything else, but not userfriendly.

People will run into issue from that changes… this is not a filesystem which you can blindly use without doing some research.

Sure it is. And it has lots of advantages over ext4, even though most people will only use it for the snapshot functionality.

Among other things, it is more robust than ext4. By default, it journals not just the metadata, but also the data itself. It also maintains checksums, and it is self-healing.

@Kobold

I have no idea why this changes are made, without asking the community first…

The community is on average not very well informed on such technical matters.

@Kobold

Manjaro is still made to welcome the unexperienced people or not?

Is it? Manjaro welcomes newcomers, provided that these newcomers would put in the effort to learn about GNU/Linux. People not interested in learning and only coming to GNU/Linux in order to get away from Microsoft are never going to be able to use their GNU/Linux systems productively, and Manjaro in particular is and remains a very technical distribution by virtue of its Arch origins.

Do I really have to post my essay again? Have you even read it?

• [Consideration] Is Manjaro the right distribution for you?

The fact that we’re still getting reports from people unable to update their systems because they still haven’t removed community.db from their pacman configuration, even though community.db was emptied two years ago — which was announced at the time — and has been deleted from the mirrors more than two months ago, should tell you all you need to know about just how technically savvy “the community” is.