Manjaro Linux has become one of the most popular Arch-based distributions in recent years. Its intuitive design and easy installation process makes it an excellent choice for Linux beginners and experts alike. One of Manjaro‘s biggest strengths is the ability to choose from different desktop environments like Xfce, KDE Plasma, and GNOME.
In this comprehensive guide, I will walk you through the process of installing a pure Xfce desktop on Manjaro step-by-step. As an expert Linux user and coder with years of experience customizing Arch-based distros, I will provide unique insights and advanced configuration tips for a complete Xfce experience.
Why Choose Xfce?
Before we begin the installation, let me explain why I recommend Xfce as the ideal desktop environment for most Manjaro users:
- Lightweight – Xfce only uses about 400MB of RAM, much less than GNOME or KDE.
- Fast and responsive – Lower resource usage means better performance.
- Easy to customize – Tweak tool and theming support for personalization.
- Stable and reliable – Mature codebase actively maintained.
- Supports modern features – Despite being lightweight, Xfce still has compositing and HiDPI.
For older or lower-powered hardware, Xfce can breathe new life compared to using bloated desktops. The lean nature also results in generally fewer bugs and crashes.
Now let‘s dive into transforming your Manjaro installation into an ideal Xfce environment.
Method 1: Installing Manjaro Xfce Edition
The easiest way is to download the Manjaro Xfce ISO directly from the official website and install it fresh on your computer. This will ensure you get the intended experience that the Manjaro team designed specifically for Xfce.
As an expert, I always recommend using an official ISO when possible rather than converting an existing desktop install. This reduces likelihood of conflicts from residual configs or files from previous DEs.
However, if you wish to convert your existing KDE, GNOME, or other Manjaro desktop edition to Xfce, then skip ahead to Method 2.
Method 2: Adding Xfce to Existing Manjaro Install
The main package required is the ‘xfce4‘ group which comprises the Xfce core components and Goodies plugins:
sudo pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies
For network manager applet integration:
sudo pacman -S network-manager-applet
This will install Xfce while retaining your current Manjaro desktop environment. Next I‘ll show some optional additions to polish the Xfce experience.
Refined Xfce Customizations
To utilize LightDM display manager for seamless graphical login:
sudo pacman -S lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter sudo systemctl enable lightdm.service --force
For extra theming and customization options from Manjaro developers:
sudo pacman -S manjaro-xfce-settings manjaro-settings-manager
This enables easy access to community wallpapers, themes, icon packs tailored for Xfce on Manjaro.
Finally, copy skeleton config files to user home directory:
/usr/bin/cp -rf /etc/skel/. ~
Advanced Display Manager Config
As an expert, I always make sure to optimize the LightDM greeter for the best possible login experience:
sudo gedit /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf
And update the theme configs:
[greeter] background = /usr/share/backgrounds/breath.png font-name = Cantarell 10 xft-antialias = true icon-theme-name = Vertex-Maia theme-name = Vertex-Mai cursor-theme-name = xcursor-breeze panel-position = bottom indicators = ~host;~spacer;~clock;~spacer;~language;~session;~a11y;~power
This sets my preferred theme, background, fonts, and bottom panel layout. Feel free to customize based on your desired appearance.
Once complete, reboot and enjoy your refined Xfce Manjaro desktop!
Conclusion
Whether installing fresh or converting an existing setup, these expert guide steps will grant you an enhanced Xfce experience fine-tuned for Manjaro‘s capabilities. From leveraging official configs to deep customizations, I‘ve shared specialized techniques beyond the basic documentation.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other optimization suggestions for the awesome pairing of Xfce and Manjaro!
