GNU / Linux has a large number (over 700) of distributions and choosing the suitable one is pretty hard. Typically, users choose a distribution based on the main criteria: performance, software availability, usability, and others. In today's article, we will compare two popular and not so distro Ubuntu and Manjaro. They have enough differences, so I think this article will be useful.

We will evaluate distributions according to four main criteria. For each criterion, we choose the best, and as a result, we make a comparison table. So, let's get started.


Team and popularity

We decided to start with the team and popularity of Manjaro and Ubuntu because the sooner the team began to develop, the more experience they had. The number of people in the development team and the size of the community also play a significant role.

Ubuntu Manjaro
First edition 20 October 2004 10 July 2011
Number of employees ≈440 ≈15
Google request frequency 500-600 thousand (per month) 20-40 thousand (per month)
Update rate LTS (approximately once every two years) LTS (approximately once a year)

Thanks to a large team and a long history, Ubuntu has gained great popularity among users. Therefore, if you are just a new user in the Linux world, then you should definitely look at Ubuntu. Due to the large community, a huge amount of information is available on the Internet about solving various problems with this distro (questions will definitely be smile ). As for Manjaro, it is suitable for more experienced users.

Performance (speed)

Performance is very important for owners of old (low-performance) devices. Therefore, we have found information for you that compares the performance of various distributions including Manjaro and Ubuntu.



In almost all tests 3 out of 4, the results are approximately the same (we assume that they are equal). But the launch speed is noticeably different for Manjaro. I also want to note that the results will vary significantly depending on the desktop environment. For example, Xfce is a faster desktop environment than Gnome or Unity.

Usability

Quite a controversial parameter for an experienced user, since each desktop environment can be customized. But for the user who just installed this distribution, usability is very important.

It seemed to me the usability is more simple and understandable in Ubuntu. There is also a large number of applications available immediately after installation. But I didn't notice any particular difficulties in Manjaro. In general, if you are interested in the beauty and usability of distro, then they are both cool in this regard. But I would choose Ubuntu smirk.

App Availability and installation complexity

For Linux-based operating systems, developers are reluctant to release applications. This is due to the low popularity and policy of the OS itself. Of course, at least for the moment you will not find any good analogues of Photoshop or AutoCAD. But for example, Microsoft Word can already replace LibreOffice or WPS Office.



Ubuntu (APT - .deb) and Manjaro (Pacman) have various package management systems. APT is the most popular as it is available on many distributions. For example, when trying to download some application from the Internet for Linux, you will often see that only .deb or .rpm package formats are available. Therefore, in the case of Manjaro, you will have to search for an application in the Software Center or look for a way to install through the terminal. So I probably will prefer Ubuntu.



In this table, we compared the results for each of the criteria. As you may have guessed, the winner is Ubuntu.

Ubuntu Manjaro
Team and popularity + -
Performance - +
Usability + +
App Availability and installation complexity + -


Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to say that Ubuntu will be an ideal system for users who have not previously used Linux-based operating systems. This is due to the large community, the ease of solving problems while working with Ubuntu, and of popularity around the world. Ubuntu also works well with printers, scanners, and other additional devices, at least with new ones. Manjaro seemed to me more difficult for a beginner, and it took several hours to solve some problems. But the speed of work clearly pleased. It will be better if you try these two distributions, and even better if there are more, because there are so many of them.