How To Install Distrobox on Manjaro

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Distrobox on Manjaro. Distrobox is an open-source project that simplifies the creation and management of Linux containers. It enables you to run different Linux distributions alongside your Manjaro system, providing a seamless integration between the host and the containers. With Distrobox, you can easily install and use applications from other distributions, test software compatibility, and explore new Linux environments without the need for virtual machines or dual booting.

This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple and assumes you are running in the root account, if not you may need to add ‘sudo‘ to the commands to get root privileges. I will show you the step-by-step installation of the Distrobox on a Manjaro Linux.

Prerequisites

• A server or desktop running one of the following operating systems: Manjaro, and other Arch-based distributions.
• Basic familiarity with the command line interface (CLI).
• SSH access to the server (or just open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• A stable internet connection is crucial for downloading and installing packages. Verify your connection before proceeding.
• Access to a Manjaro Linux system with a non-root sudo user or root user.

Install Distrobox on Manjaro

Step 1. Update Your System.

Keeping your system up-to-date is crucial for security and stability. Begin by updating your system’s package database and upgrading installed packages:

sudo pacman -Syu

This command synchronizes the package databases and updates the system, ensuring you have the latest software versions and security patches.

Step 2. Installing Distrobox.

• Method 1: Installing Distrobox via Snap

Snap is a universal package manager that allows you to install applications across different Linux distributions. To install Distrobox using Snap on Manjaro, follow these steps:

sudo pacman -S snapd

Start and enable the snapd service:

sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket

Install Distrobox from the Snap Store:

sudo snap install distrobox

Verify the installation by running the following command:

distrobox --version

If the installation was successful, you should see the version number of Distrobox.

• Method 2: Manual Installation

If you prefer a more hands-on approach or want to install the latest development version of Distrobox, you can opt for manual installation from the GitHub repository. Here’s how to do it:

git clone https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox.git

Navigate to the cloned directory:

cd distrobox

Run the installation script with sudo privileges:

sudo ./install

Add the following line to your shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc):

export PATH=$PATH:~/.local/bin

Reload your shell configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Verify the installation by running:

distrobox --version

If the installation was successful, you should see the version number of Distrobox.

• Method 3: Using AUR (Arch User Repository)

Manjaro users can also install Distrobox using the AUR, which provides a convenient way to install packages that are not available in the official repositories. To install Distrobox from AUR, follow these steps:

Install an AUR helper, such as yay, if you haven’t already:

sudo pacman -S yay

Use yay to install the distrobox-git package:

yay -S distrobox-git

Once the installation is complete, you can start using Distrobox on your Manjaro system.

Step 3. Configuring Distrobox.

After installing Distrobox, you may want to customize its configuration to suit your needs. Here are a few important configuration options:

• • Container Engine: Distrobox supports both Podman and Docker as container engines. By default, it uses Podman. If you prefer Docker, you can set the DISTROBOX_CONTAINER_MANAGER environment variable to docker.
  • Configuration File: Distrobox looks for a configuration file named .distroboxrc in your home directory. You can create this file to specify custom settings, such as default container image, volume mounts, and network configuration.
  • Customizing Container Settings: When creating a new container, you can pass additional options to customize its behavior. For example, you can specify the container name, image, and volume mounts using the --name, --image, and --volume flags, respectively.

Step 4. Creating Your First Distrobox Container.

Now that you have Distrobox installed and configured, let’s create your first container. Follow these steps:

1. Choose a base image for your container. Distrobox supports a wide range of Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux. For this example, we’ll use Ubuntu 20.04:

distrobox create --name ubuntu-container --image ubuntu:20.04

2. Once the container is created, you can enter it using the following command:

distrobox enter ubuntu-container

This will open a new shell inside the container, where you can run commands and install packages specific to the Ubuntu environment.

3. To exit the container, simply type exit or press Ctrl+D.
4. You can manage your containers using various Distrobox commands, such as:

• distrobox list: List all available containers
• distrobox stop <container-name>: Stop a running container
• distrobox remove <container-name>: Remove a container
• distrobox upgrade <container-name>: Upgrade the packages inside a container

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Distrobox. Thanks for using this tutorial to install the latest version of the Distrobox on the Manjaro system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Distrobox website.