Manjaro in a Chroot

Now you can use Manjaro in Ubuntu, OpenSuSE, Fedora, and more.

What is a Chroot?

A chroot (change root) creates an isolated environment where you can run a different Linux distribution within your current system. It's like having two distros at once without dual-booting.

Why Run Manjaro in a Chroot?

• Access Arch-based packages (AUR) from any distro


• Test Manjaro without installing it


• Use pacman package manager alongside your native one


• Run Manjaro-specific tools


• No need for VMs or dual-boot

Compatible Host Systems

This technique works on:


• Ubuntu and derivatives


• OpenSuSE


• Fedora


• Any Linux distribution with chroot support

Basic Steps

1. Download Manjaro rootfs - Get the base filesystem
2. Extract to a directory - Unpack the root filesystem
3. Mount necessary filesystems - Bind mount /proc, /sys, /dev
4. Chroot into Manjaro - Enter the new environment
5. Configure and use - Run pacman, install packages

Considerations

• Graphics and systemd services have limitations in chroot


• Network access works through the host


• Great for command-line tools and package building


• Not ideal for running full desktop sessions

Use Cases

• Building AUR packages


• Testing Manjaro/Arch software


• Accessing rolling-release packages


• Learning Arch-based systems safely

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