Linux Kamarada

VPN: 5 services to try on Linux

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Search for VPNs has recently increased in Brazil, according to data from Google Trends. We’ve already explained what a VPN is and why someone would want to use one in another article, in which we introduced the Tor Network (a well-known free VPN) and the Tor Browser. We’ve also shown how to tunnel other apps through the Tor Network, such as Telegram. Given the recent resurgence of interest in the topic, I want to suggest 5 VPNs for you to try on Linux.

Disclaimer

The information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only and is not exhaustive. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and seek additional information before using a VPN. The author is not responsible for any actions, decisions, or consequences arising from the use of the information provided herein, including, but not limited to, illegal activities, violation of terms of service, or improper use of privacy tools. By using these tools, the reader assumes full responsibility for their actions and compliance with the law.

Proton VPN

Proton VPN is a VPN service offered by Proton (the same company behind Proton Mail), which aims to protect browsing by hiding your IP address, encrypting traffic, and preventing third-party tracking. Based in Switzerland – a country with strict data protection laws – the service does not log user activity (no-logs policy) and offers additional features such as ad blocking. Furthermore, its apps are open-source and independently audited. Proton VPN can be used for free on a device without ads and with unlimited data, making it a commonly recommended option by digital security and privacy guides such as Security-in-a-Box and PrivacyTools.io. Paid plans are also available.

On Manjaro and Linux Kamarada, it’s easy to install the Proton VPN client, which can be retrieved from the official Manjaro repositories:

$ pamac install proton-vpn-gtk-app

If you need help installing programs on these Linux distros, take a look at:

NordVPN

NordVPN is a widely used VPN service that combines security, speed and advanced features to protect online browsing by encrypting traffic and hiding the user’s IP address. It stands out for its use of strong encryption, a large global network of servers, and features such as double VPN, Onion Over VPN and obfuscated servers, which help bypass censorship and surveillance. It maintains a no-logs policy, already verified by independent audits, and is headquartered in Panama, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction with no data retention requirements. These elements make the service a popular option for those seeking more private, secure, and unrestricted internet access. NordVPN offers plans starting at US$ 3.09/month.

On Manjaro and Linux Kamarada, you can download the NordVPN client from the AUR (Arch User Repository). After enabling the AUR, install the nordvpn-bin and nordvpn-gui packages. For more information, consult the Arch Linux wiki.

RiseupVPN

RiseupVPN is a free VPN service offered by the Riseup collective, a non-profit organization funded by donations. Its focus is on privacy, anonymity, and supporting activists, journalists, and users in contexts of censorship. It encrypts traffic and hides IP addresses to protect against surveillance by providers and networks, adopts a no-logs policy and completely dispenses with registration (no email or password), using ephemeral authentication to prevent tracking between sessions. With open and auditable apps, it prioritizes simplicity and basic security over advanced features, making it an accessible and reliable option for secure communication, especially in environments with risk or restricted Internet access.

On Manjaro and Linux Kamarada, you can retrieve the RiseupVPN client from the AUR. After enabling the AUR, install the riseup-vpn package.

Surfshark

Surfshark is a VPN service known for offering a combination of low cost, ease of use, and advanced security features. It protects browsing by encrypting traffic and hiding your IP address, in addition to adopting a strict no-logs policy, already verified by independent audits. The service supports modern protocols and includes features such as a kill switch, ad and tracker blocking, and multi-hop connections to increase anonymity. It also stands out for allowing unlimited simultaneous connections and for its good speed performance, making it a popular and affordable option for those seeking online privacy without sacrificing usability. It offers plans starting at €1.99/month.

On Manjaro and Linux Kamarada, it’s easy to install the Surfshark client, which can be downloaded from the official Manjaro repositories:

$ pamac install surfshark-client

Mullvad

Mullvad is a VPN service widely recognized for its extreme focus on privacy and anonymity. Unlike most competitors, it doesn’t ask for any personal info (not even your email) to create an account, using only a random number as identifier, which prevents association between users and their online activity. The service adopts a strict no-logs policy, independently audited, and operates with RAM-only servers (without permanent data storage). Furthermore, it offers open-source apps and anonymous payments with cash or cryptocurrency. Mullvad VPN costs €5/month.

On Manjaro and Linux Kamarada, it’s easy to install the Mullvad VPN client, which can be downloaded from the official Manjaro repositories:

$ pamac install mullvad-vpn

References and further information

The VPN services listed here were taken from the digital security and privacy guides Security-in-a-Box and PrivacyTools.io. For more information on VPNs, you can consult them, as well as the Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD) guide.

These aren’t the only VPN services out there. For a table that lists and compares various VPNs, see That One Privacy Site.

Do you use any VPNs on Linux that aren’t listed in this article? Please share them in the comments!

How to use two Bluetooth speakers at the same time on Linux

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:50:00 +0000

Have you ever tried using two Bluetooth speakers at the same time on Linux? The sound only comes out of one of them, without using anything beyond what comes “out of the box” with the system. But if the system uses PipeWire as the sound server, as is the case with Manjaro and the new Linux Kamarada, you can use a patchbay app to make the same sound come out of both speakers.

A patchbay in real life is used to connect musical instruments and sound equipment. A patchbay app allows you to connect applications and devices for sound playback and recording.

Recently, I threw a party and used two Bluetooth speakers of mine, a JBL GO (indoors) and a Frahm CM 300 BT (outdoors), to play music from my laptop. Below, I’m going to show you how I did that.

The PipeWire sound server

Before we begin, let me introduce PipeWire. Perhaps, like me, you’ve heard of ALSA, PulseAudio or JACK already, but not PipeWire.

PipeWire is a sound server developed to greatly improve handling of audio and video under Linux, with support for newer technologies such as Wayland and Flatpak. It is designed for low-latency audio and video routing and processing, and is capable of connecting multiple multimedia streams to multiple clients.

Fedora Magazine presents a bit of the PipeWire history, which helps us understand exactly where it fits into Linux:

The evolution of the Linux sound subsystem happened in layers. The lowest layer is the hardware layer with various audio devices. To interact with hardware drivers, Linux has a standardized API called Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA). Another layer above ALSA, a sound server, should handle interactions with userspace applications. Initially, that layer was Pulseaudio and Jack, but it was recently replaced by Pipewire.

PipeWire offers built-in seamless support for PulseAudio, JACK and ALSA applications, so they continue to work whether you are using those technologies or PipeWire.

How do I know if my sound server is PipeWire?

To confirm that you are using PipeWire as your sound server, open the terminal and run the following command:

$ inxi -A

Its output should mention PipeWire (Server-1: PipeWire):

Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Raptor Lake High Definition Audio
    driver: sof-audio-pci-intel-tgl
  Device-2: NVIDIA AD106M High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  API: ALSA v: k6.16.8-1-MANJARO status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.4.8 status: active

Another command you can use to test if PipeWire is being used:

$ pactl info

You should see something like Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.4.8) on its output:

Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 94
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: linux
Host Name: kamarada-pc
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.4.8)
Server Version: 15.0.0
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3-platform-skl_hda_dsp_generic.HiFi__Speaker__sink
Default Source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1f.3-platform-skl_hda_dsp_generic.HiFi__Mic2__source
Cookie: 8d7d:2813

Pairing the two speakers

Now that PipeWire has been introduced, let’s look at the problem that motivates this tutorial.

Connect the first speaker and set it as the sound output, just as you would normally do when pairing a Bluetooth speaker:

Make sure sound is coming out of that speaker.

To do this, you can, for example, open your browser and play a song on YouTube. If you want suggestions, I like to test sound with Moro No Brasil by the Brazilian band Farofa Carioca or San Disco Reggaefornia by Jason Mraz. These are songs with noticeable percussion, highs and lows.

With the first speaker already working, connect the second one:

Note that the sound continues to come out only on the first one. We’ll fix that shortly.

Combining the sound of the speakers

To make the sound from the first speaker also come out of the second speaker, we’ll use a patchbay app for PipeWire. Options include qpwgraph (Qt-based) and Helvum (GTK-based). Since Linux Kamarada uses the GNOME desktop, I prefer to use Helvum, although the other app should work fine as well.

To install Helvum on Manjaro or Linux Kamarada, install the helvum package from the official Manjaro repositories. This can be done with:

$ pamac install helvum

If you need help installing programs on Manjaro, please refer to:

After installing Helvum, launch it:

This is the Helvum screen, showing which connections are made between apps and devices for both audio output and input:

In this example, we can see that the Firefox browser’s audio outputs (output_FL and output_FR) are connected to the JBL GO speaker’s audio inputs (playback_FL and playback_FR) and sending sound to be played. Try pausing the music in the browser and you’ll see this line become dashed, indicating that the connection exists but is not sending sound.

It’s possible that not all devices and apps will fit on the screen. In that case, you can scroll up or down, or zoom out so that more items fit on the screen:

Now it is possible to see the second speaker (BT-Frahm).

To make the JBL GO and BT-Frahm speakers play the same sound simultaneously, connect the sound outputs of the first (monitor_FL and monitor_FR) to the sound inputs of the second (playback_FL and playback_FR). To do this, you can drag one to the other and the app will draw the line:

Note that now the same sound comes out of both speakers at the same time.

You can drag and drop apps and devices on the screen and rearrange them as you prefer to improve your view:

Controlling the volume of the speakers

You may have noticed that the desktop volume control only affects the volume of the first speaker. To adjust the volume of both speakers, we’ll use another app, which is PulseAudio’s Volume Control. To install it, install the pavucontrol package:

$ pamac install pavucontrol

After installing Volume Control, launch it:

Switch to the Output Devices tab and adjust the volume of each speaker as desired:

Conclusion

When I had the idea of using two Bluetooth speakers at the same time and searched to see if it was possible, I couldn’t find any up-to-date how-tos. What saved me was Google’s AI Overview. Therefore, I decided to write this tutorial sharing how I did it. If you have any questions, suggestions on how to do it better, tips to add, or ideas for a future tutorial, please write in the comments. I hope it was helpful. See you!

Manjaro: how to install software from the terminal with the pamac command

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:30:00 +0000

We’ve seen how to install software on Manjaro using the Pamac graphical interface, but it also has a command-line interface. Therefore, you can install programs on Manjaro using the terminal and the pamac command, either because you prefer to use the terminal, or a graphical interface isn’t available (e.g. you’re maintaining a server or your desktop system is broken).

On Linux Kamarada, you can easily launch the terminal; it’s one of the apps pinned to the dock (more precisely, the app called Console):

In this article, I’m going to assume you know how to use the terminal.

For instance, I’ll show you how you could use pamac to install Telegram. In case you don’t know it yet, Telegram is a messaging app available for computers, smartphones, and tablets. It’s WhatsApp’s closest competitor in terms of features and popularity. Just like in the previous tutorial, here Telegram is also just an example; you don’t need to actually install it if you won’t use it.

To search for an app or package, you can use the pamac search command. For example, to search the repositories for packages containing the word telegram:

$ pamac search telegram

After identifying the packages you want to install, you can install them using the pamac install command. In this example, we see that the Telegram app is provided on Manjaro by the telegram-desktop package. To install it, we can use:

$ pamac install telegram-desktop

Note that the recommendation is to run pamac as a regular user, without sudo. pamac requests elevated privileges only when needed.

To search for packages, pamac did not ask for a password, but it is now asking to install packages. Enter your password and press Enter to continue.

To confirm the installation, type y and then hit Enter.

pamac starts to download and install the packages, which may take more or less time depending on the speed of your Internet connection and your computer:

pamac will tell you when the installation is complete:

Done: now you can use the program you just installed.

Manjaro: how to install apps using the Pamac package manager

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:20:00 +0000

“How to install apps” is the first question everyone trying out a new Linux distribution asks themselves, just as I did when I started using Manjaro. And the answer is: it’s possible to install software in several ways, just like it is on Windows, for example. But it can be as simple as installing apps from the Play Store (or the App Store, or the Microsoft Store) for those who are used to Android (or iOS or Windows). Manjaro has the Pamac package manager.

Programs can be installed on Manjaro using Pamac, Manjaro’s own package manager. In the Linux world, packages can be understood as “pieces” of software that make up the system. When you want to add a feature to the system, you usually look for the corresponding package and install it. There are packages for programs (such as the gimp package), but there are also packages for fonts (e.g. noto-fonts), icons (papirus-icon-theme), and so on.

The Pamac package manager can be used via both the graphical interface and the command line, and can retrieve packages from the official Manjaro (and Linux Kamarada) repositories, as well as from the AUR and Flatpak.

But let’s take it step by step. Most of the time when you want to install an app on Manjaro (or Linux Kamarada), there will be a package for it in the official Manjaro repositories, and you can easily install it using Pamac on your desktop (graphical interface). Let’s see how to do it.

For instance, I’ll show you how you could use Pamac to install GIMP. In case you don’t know it yet, GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is a free and open-source image editor that can be seen as an alternative to Photoshop (which you’ve probably heard of).

I picked GIMP just as an example, you don’t really need to install it, if you don’t actually need it. What I’m doing here is just to show you how to install apps on Manjaro using Pamac. Learn how to do it and install install whatever apps you want this way.

To start Pamac, click Show Apps, on the bottom-left screen corner, and then click the Add/Remove Software icon:

This is the Pamac home screen, showing some suggestions of popular apps to install:

Click the search button, on the upper-left corner of the window, and type the name of the app you are looking for (following our example, gimp):

On this screen, you can check the package for installation by clicking the corresponding button by the right.

Or you can click its name (GNU Image Manipulation Program) to see more information about it and, on the next screen, click the Install button:

If you want, you can check more packages to be installed. When you are finished, click the Apply button at the bottom of the window:

There may be packages that add functionality to the app, but are not essential for it to work (what Pamac calls “optional dependencies”):

You can also check those packages to be installed, if you want (in doubt, select all, or none). When finished, click the Choose button.

Pamac displays a summary of what is going to be installed. Click Apply:

Pamac starts downloading and installing the packages, which may take more or less time depending on the speed of your internet connection and computer:

It will notify you when the installation is finished:

If you are not going to install any more packages, you can close Pamac now.

You can now launch and use the app you just installed:

Pro Tip: what about an even shorter way to install apps? Next time, try opening the apps list and searching for the app you haven’t installed yet but want to. The desktop itself will suggest it. Just click the desired app to open the Pamac package manager with all the information about it.

I’m going to use another application that does not come out-of-the-box on Linux Kamarada as an example: Inkscape. In case you didn’t know it yet, Inkscape is also a free and open-source image editor, but it works with a different kind of image: vector graphics. GIMP compares to Photoshop as well as Inkscape compares to CorelDRAW.

Look at this:

In upcoming articles, we’ll explore other ways you can install software on Manjaro. Follow us on social media so you don’t miss them!

Update (Jan 9, 2026):

Continue reading here:

Manjaro: how to install software from the terminal with the pamac command

Tip: command to list photos (just their numbers)

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:20:00 +0000

I moved many photos to a folder and needed to list them, but I needed only their numbers. The photos were named as they came out of the camera: IMG_7565.JPG, IMG_7568.JPG, IMG_7571.JPG… I needed just the numbers: 7565, 7568, 7571… They were just 30 photos; I could easily have typed the numbers one by one in a few minutes. But as a good Linux user who knows how powerful this system is, I spent a few minutes searching for a terminal command that could do this for me automatically, accurately, without the risk of typos. I found it and want to share it.

TL;DR: for those in a hurry, here’s the command I used in the photos folder:

find . -type f -name "*[0-9]*" | grep -o '[0-9]\+' | sort

How did I come up with that command? That was actually very simple. I already knew the find command, which allows one to search for files in folders. So I searched on Google:

linux find print just the number

The AI overview gave me some command suggestions, including:

To print only numbers from the output of the find command in Linux, you can combine find with other tools like grep, sed, or awk. This allows you to filter or extract numeric values from the file paths or other information provided by find.

1. Extracting numbers from filenames:

If filenames contain numbers and you want to extract them:
1
find . -type f -name "*[0-9]*" | grep -o '[0-9]\+'
find . -type f -name "*[0-9]*": This finds all regular files (-type f) in the current directory and its subdirectories that have at least one digit in their name (-name "*[0-9]*").

grep -o '[0-9]\+': This pipes the output of find to grep. The -o option tells grep to print only the matching parts of the lines, and '[0-9]\+' is a regular expression that matches one or more digits.

That was exactly what I needed. Using the Files app, I opened the folder containing the photos, then I opened that folder in Console (terminal), and ran the command suggested by Google’s AI. The result was almost perfect:

I realized the numbers were out of order. Luckily, I also knew the sort command, so I just added a pipe to it, arriving at the complete command I presented at the beginning:

find . -type f -name "*[0-9]*" | grep -o '[0-9]\+' | sort

Now the listing is perfect:

Linux can be a very powerful system if you know how to use it. Of course, nobody knows everything, just as I didn’t know about the combination of commands I ended up using to solve my problem. But today we have artificial intelligence that can help us discover what we don’t know yet; our limitation nowadays becomes knowing how to ask the right question. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to study, at least minimally, how to use the terminal and its main commands, so we can ask AI great questions and get great answers.

Have you ever solved a problem creatively using scripts or terminal commands? Please, share your story in the comments!

End of 10. Ten reasons to switch from Windows to Linux on your desktop

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:59:59 +0000

Today, Microsoft is ending official support for Windows 10. This leaves users who want to continue using the operating system with few alternatives – especially if they have an old PC that is not compatible with Windows 11’s demanding hardware requirements – other than buying a new PC.

If you’re tired of struggling with your operating system instead of getting work done, it might be time to reconsider your setup. Linux isn’t just for servers and developers; it’s also a viable alternative to Windows for desktop use. Whether you’re looking for better performance, greater privacy, or a more intuitive user experience, Linux is the answer.

Here are 10 reasons why switching to Linux is a good idea:

No Forced Updates. Windows often interrupts your work with updates and sometimes restarts your system without permission. With Linux, you have full control over when and how you update. No surprises. No more restarts during a Zoom call!
It’s Really Free. Linux costs zero in any currency. Most distributions are open source, meaning you can download, install and use them for free forever, with no licence fees or activation keys. There are also no “Pro” versions that hide features which are only available for a fee.
Speed and Performance. Linux is generally faster than Windows, particularly on older PCs. It starts up faster, uses less RAM, and does not slow down due to background processes. Your old PC will be given a new lease of life and will continue to function well for years to come.
Privacy Built In. Unlike Windows, Linux does not track users, collect data about your connection or send your data to the cloud for “diagnostics”. What you do on your PC stays on your PC – as it should be with all operating systems.
No Useless Software. Windows comes with pre-installed software that you never asked for, such as games, shopping apps and trial versions. Microsoft also suggests Edge as if it were the only browser available. In contrast, Linux distributions allow you to choose exactly what to install, based on your needs.
Security Without Issues. Linux is less targeted by malware because it has more robust user authorisation systems, meaning that an antivirus is not always required. It is more secure from the outset, especially for experienced users.
You Own Your System. Linux enables you to customise every aspect of your desktop, from the user interface to the kernel. Windows locks you into its ecosystem, whereas Linux puts you in control.
Easy Application Management. Linux uses package managers that enable you to install and update apps from trusted sources with a single command. This makes it much cleaner, safer and faster than Windows.
Freedom of Choice. The fact that not all Linux systems are the same is a good thing, as it allows you to choose the distribution that best suits your needs. While Windows offers a single version, Linux offers dozens.
Community Matters and Helps. Linux boasts a global community of passionate users who love to help others. Stuck on something? Chances are someone has already solved your problem. The support is genuine and is often superior to that offered by Microsoft’s official channels.

In conclusion, Linux isn’t perfect. No operating system is perfect, but Linux is an interesting choice for users who want speed, privacy, control, and freedom from Big Tech’s impositions. It has come a long way since its days as a system for geeks, and is now more intuitive than ever.

If you’re ready to step outside your Windows comfort zone, Linux is certainly worth considering.

Note from Linux Kamarada:

This is a copy of the article originally written by Italo Vignoli and published at the LibreOffice blog on October 14, 2025 under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Linux Kamarada is moving to Manjaro

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 03:15:00 +0000

Last week, openSUSE Leap 16.0 was released. I didn’t give it the attention it deserved, in part because I’m also working on another project, that I want to share today: there will be no “Linux Kamarada 16.0”. Instead, Linux Kamarada is moving its base from openSUSE Leap to Manjaro.

Based on the wallpaper by PharaohSD/DeviantArt

Manjaro is a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, which is known for its rolling release (continuous updates), minimalistic, and flexible design. However, Manjaro is designed to be easier to use and more stable than pure Arch Linux, making it more accessible to a wider audience, ideal for those who want the power of Arch without the complexity of configuring it from scratch. Developed in Austria, France, and Germany, Manjaro is suitable for both newcomers as well as experienced Linux users.

Just as openSUSE Leap provides binary packages in the rpm format, both Manjaro and Arch Linux provide binary packages in the pkg.tar.zst format. In addition to their official binary package repositories, they also have the Arch User Repository (AUR), a community repository of build scripts called PKGBUILDs. Instead of providing ready-to-use binary packages, the AUR provides instructions that the system follows to build and install packages locally. You can install everything from the most popular to the most unlikely programs from the AUR.

Software can be installed on Manjaro using Pamac, Manjaro’s own package manager, which has both graphical and command line interfaces, and can retrieve packages from the official repositories, but also from the AUR and Flatpak.

Pamac: Manjaro's package manager

One of Manjaro’s distinguishing features is its Manjaro Hardware Detection (MHWD), which is especially useful for those who need to manage hybrid graphics cards on newer desktops and laptops.

Manjaro Settings Manager (analogous to YaST) allows you to adjust various system-wide settings, such as language, kernels and drivers, user accounts, date and time, and keyboard layout.

Manjaro Settings Manager

How I met Manjaro

I started using openSUSE in April 2012. Back then, there was no distinction between Leap and Tumbleweed (nor the many other openSUSE flavors that exist today); it was just “openSUSE.” To test the distribution upgrade, I installed version 11.4 and then immediately upgraded to 12.1 (upgrading from one version to another was something I couldn’t do with the distribution I used before, Ubuntu. This is easy on Debian, which I also used for a while, especially when working with servers).

The colleague who introduced me to openSUSE soon switched to Arch Linux, but I didn’t feel like trying it. From what he told me at the time, it seemed a bit “Spartan”. But every now and then, googling how to solve a Linux problem, I’d come across the Arch wiki, a valuable source of information. Half a dozen articles on this site cite the Arch wiki, the most recent of which, from March, is about WSL.

Years later, another colleague spoke highly of Manjaro, but it wasn’t my turn to try it yet. I first met Manjaro while experimenting with the Raspberry Pi and PinePhone. Manjaro was one of the first Linux distributions to fully support both devices, surpassing openSUSE Tumbleweed.

As time passed by, I gradually became annoyed with some aspects of openSUSE Leap. For instance, this website is built with Jekyll, which depends on Ruby and other libraries. From openSUSE Leap 15.5 to 15.6, Ruby was not updated. But Jekyll and its dependencies are constantly updated. At one point, I couldn’t keep up with these updates because of the obsolete Ruby version, and I had to stick with that version of Jekyll. Updating Ruby wasn’t an option because of YaST, an essential system tool that also depended on Ruby.

When using regular releases distros, like openSUSE Leap and Debian, at some point you start having to tweak your system configuration and worry about which version of which software works with which version of other software – a hassle you wouldn’t have if you simply used the latest version of everything. There comes a time when you can no longer update the tools you need because your operating system’s core does not allow it. And then their very concept of “stability” becomes questionable. Because for those distros, “stable software” often mean “old software”, but newer versions also bring security fixes and performance improvements.

I don’t like that feeling of “fighting the computer”, I like things that “just work.” openSUSE used to be like that, but it’s not anymore. I could have tried openSUSE Tumbleweed, but remembering my experiences with the Raspberry Pi and PinePhone, I decided to give Manjaro a try.

And I liked it; it was a no return path. I installed Manjaro on my previous laptop, an Acer Aspire E15, initially besides openSUSE Leap. As that didn’t work, I ended up removing openSUSE and leaving only Manjaro. I had Bluetooth issues too, but I had the same issues when I installed openSUSE on that laptop, so I blame the computer, not the distros. That was August last year.

In November, almost a year ago, I changed my laptop. Today I have an Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, which has a hybrid Intel and NVIDIA graphics card, and configuring the graphics card was made much easier by Manjaro Settings Manager. This new laptop didn’t know openSUSE; just Manjaro.

openSUSE Leap versus Manjaro

Summarizing the differences between openSUSE Leap and Manjaro that caught my attention the most and made me migrate from the first to the second:

Software repositories: in addition to the official repositories, and Flatpak, which is supported by both distributions, Manjaro has the AUR and openSUSE Leap has the OBS. However, it is much easier to find packages in the official Manjaro repos and in the AUR than in the official openSUSE Leap repos and in the OBS. Therefore, in Manjaro, most programs can be installed in a way that’s more natural to the system, and Flatpak is a last resort. The variety of software available in the AUR is truly impressive.
Newer software: this is due to the different nature of the two distros – openSUSE Leap releases regular versions (usually one new version per year), while Manjaro is a rolling release, meaning there are no different versions of Manjaro, but just the latest version. In this aspect, Manjaro is similar to openSUSE Tumbleweed, which is also rolling release. For those like me who come from a history of regular release distros (Debian, Ubuntu, openSUSE Leap), the idea of using a rolling release distro may seem daunting at first, but these distros are now mature enough so that the frequent updates don’t usually break the system.
Live images: in my opinion, live images are one of the main features that distinguish Linux from other operating systems such as Windows and macOS. They allow you to use Linux without having to install it on your computer. This can be useful for those who want to test the system and/or learn how to use it before installing it, or for troubleshooting issues with the installed system when it is not able to boot, among other use cases. In this sense, Manjaro is more similar to other distributions like Ubuntu: they have always offered live images for download on their official websites. In the case of openSUSE, this has always been a back-and-forth: until openSUSE 13.2, live images could be downloaded from the distro’s official website. With the launch of openSUSE Leap, they stopped making live images (that’s when I started Linux Kamarada, to fill that gap). Then, they went back to making live images and making them available for download on the website. With Leap 15.6, the links to the live images were removed from the website, but they could still be found on OBS. Now, with Leap 16.0, they’ve apparently stopped making them again. Linux Kamarada has always been more similar to Manjaro, Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions at this point.
Hardware support: as already demonstrated with the Raspberry Pi and PinePhone examples, Manjaro appears to take less time than openSUSE to offer support to new devices. Desktops and laptops with NVIDIA graphics cards are another example: Manjaro has included NVIDIA’s proprietary drivers in its ISO images since at least 2019, simplifying and improving the experience for their users from the very first contact with the system. Even before that, since at least 2013, installing those drivers has been facilitated by MHWD. In openSUSE, installing these drivers has always been a manual procedure.
Bigger community: I have the impression, from what I see on news websites, forums and groups, that Manjaro has received more attention than openSUSE Leap. (This is just my impression; I don’t have statistics to support this perception.)
Git-only development: here’s a more technical breakdown of how things work behind the scenes. openSUSE development takes place primarily on OBS, while it is possible to integrate it with GitLab (or GitHub, or other Git hosts). Manjaro development, on the other hand, takes place primarily on Git. The Manjaro ISO image is built using GitHub Actions. The AUR is a Git host, with each “package” having its own Git repository. I understand that when OBS was created, there was no such thing as GitHub Actions, and in that respect it has its merits. But using Git to manage source code and GitHub Actions to build it makes development much more fluid. Even openSUSE is migrating from OBS to Git, but it’s “late to the party”.

Of course, this is just my humble opinion, based on my own experience using both Linux distros. Don’t take this comparison as a verdict or a scientific fact. You may disagree and think that openSUSE Leap is better than Manjaro, and that’s fine.

Goodbye, openSUSE

So, I used openSUSE for 12 years, from April 2012 to August 2024. I allowed myself to use and test Manjaro for a year to make sure it was what I wanted. I released another openSUSE Leap based version of Linux Kamarada, even though I was using Manjaro already, to say goodbye to openSUSE Leap with a current and supported version. With the openSUSE Leap 16.0 release, this is no longer the current version, so I think it’s fair to announce that there will be no “Linux Kamarada 16.0”. Since openSUSE has decided to make major changes in the new Leap release (for example, discontinuing YaST), I thought it would be an opportune time to also make major changes to Linux Kamarada. Following the same philosophy that led me to create Linux Kamarada – to show people “Linux as I see it” – since now I use and recommend Manjaro, from now on Linux Kamarada will be based on Manjaro.

I thank the openSUSE Project for all the good things it has given me over those years, especially the excellent distribution, and the infrastructure and knowledge I needed to build my own Linux distro. But now I’ve decided to go in a different direction.

Manjaro: the future of Linux Kamarada

From now on, articles on the website will use Manjaro as the reference Linux distribution. I may occasionally talk about openSUSE, but that won’t be the focus.

I plan to release a Manjaro-based version of Linux Kamarada by the end of the year. For now, I’ve updated the Download page with an ISO image that you can download and test to get a preview of what you’ll find in the final release. This version is not ready for daily use yet; it’s still in development phase, at a very early stage, I would call it alpha.

GRUB theme

Plymouth theme

openSUSE Leap 15.6 will receive updates and support until April 2026. Therefore, Linux Kamarada 15.6, which is based on openSUSE Leap 15.6, will receive updates and support for the same period. Until then, Linux Kamarada 15.6 users will have to choose one of two possible paths:

stay on the openSUSE Leap base, and upgrade from Linux Kamarada 15.6 to openSUSE Leap 16.0; or
if you want to continue following Linux Kamarada, which will change the base to Manjaro (incompatible with openSUSE Leap), you will need to format your Linux Kamarada 15.6 partition to install the new Manjaro-based Linux Kamarada when its final version is released.

Please note that Linux Kamarada 15.6 is free (libre) software and its source code is available on GitLab and on the openSUSE Build Service. There’s a tutorial on how to build the ISO image yourself on your own computer, as well as a whole series of tutorials on how to build an openSUSE-based Linux distribution. Anyone who wants to fork Linux Kamarada 15.6, upgrade it to openSUSE Leap 16.0, and continue working on it, is welcome. Of course, I ask to change the name and the artwork.

The Linux Kamarada infrastructure is also going to change. I’m migrating the Git repositories back to GitHub. Even though I personally prefer GitLab’s interface, this is a market decision: GitHub has more users than GitLab (150 million versus 50 million, respectively, according to estimates from both) and this should give the project more visibility and facilitate potential contributions. Of course, if self-hosting is ever considered concretely, GitLab would be a good option.

Packages for the new Manjaro-based Linux Kamarada are currently hosted at kamarada.github.io/repo, but I plan to move them to somewhere like repo.linuxkamarada.com. When that happens, I’ll let you know.

You can get the source code for any package typically by accessing the GitHub repository with the same name as the package. For example, the source code for the kamarada-gnome-settings package can be found in the kamarada-gnome-settings repo on the Linux Kamarada GitHub.

That’s all for now. And what great news! To stay up-to-date on upcoming Linux Kamarada news, follow the project on social media. See you next time!

Specs

To allow comparing Linux Kamarada snapshots, here is a summary of the software contained on Linux Kamarada 25.10 Alpha:

Linux kernel 6.16.8
X.Org display server 21.1.18 (with Wayland 1.24.0 enabled by default)
GNOME desktop 48.5 including its core apps, such as Files (previously Nautilus), Calculator, Terminal, Text editor (gedit) and others
LibreOffice office suite 25.2.6
Mozilla Firefox 143.0.3 (default web browser)
Chromium 141 web browser (alternative web browser)
VLC media player 3.0.21
Evolution email client 3.56.2
Brasero 3.12.3
CUPS 2.4.14
Drawing 1.0.2
GParted 1.7.0
HPLIP 3.25.6
Java (OpenJDK) 21.0.8
KeePassXC 2.7.10
PDFsam Basic 5.3.2
Pidgin 2.14.14
Python 3.13.7
Samba 4.23.0
Tor 0.4.8.18
Transmission 4.0.6
Vim 9.1.1734
Wine 10.15
Calamares installer 3.4.0
Flatpak 1.16.1
games: AisleRiot (Solitaire), Chess, Mahjongg, Mines (Minesweeper), Nibbles (Snake), Quadrapassel (Tetris), Reversi, Sudoku

That list is not exhaustive, but it gives a notion of what can be found in the distribution. Please note that Linux Kamarada is now a rolling release distribution, meaning there are no different versions of Linux Kamarada, only the latest version. The number “25.10” does not indicate a version; it’s just a reference, and means “October 2025”.

Using KeePassXC integrated into the browser

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’ve seen that KeePassXC is the most secure way to save usernames and passwords. But many people store passwords in their browser for convenience: when you register on a website, the browser itself offers to save your username and password. Likewise, when you come back to that website, the browser itself fills in the login form with the saved username and password. Let’s face it, copying and pasting usernames then passwords from KeePassXC to the browser, as we saw in the first article, is cumbersome. Fortunately, there’s an extension you can install that simulates the browser’s natural behavior but retrieves passwords from KeePassXC.

The KeePassXC browser extension is available for the following browsers:

Today, you’ll learn how to install, set up and use the KeePassXC browser extension. For reference, I’ll be using Firefox, the default browser for Linux Kamarada, but the extension can be installed and used in a similar way on other browsers, as well as on other systems, such as Windows or macOS.

Note: according to the KeePassXC documentation, Flatpak and Snap based browsers are generally not supported. Firefox Snap is currently the only known exception.

Installing the browser extension

To install the KeePassXC extension in your browser, click the corresponding link:

On the page that opens, click the button to install/add the extension to the browser. For example, if you are using Firefox, click the Add to Firefox button:

Optionally, make the extension always visible to make it easier to use:

Setting up KeePassXC

Browser integration is disabled by default in KeePassXC.

To enable it, after opening the KeePassXC app, go to Tools > Settings:

By the left, select Browser Integration:

By the right, check the Enable browser integration option. Then check the browsers for which you downloaded the KeePassXC extension.

Finally, click OK.

Setting up the browser extension

Now let’s set up the communication between the browser and KeePassXC through the extension.

Ensure your password database is unlocked, then open (or restart) your browser.

On your browser, click the KeePassXC extension icon:

On the pop-up window that appears, click the Connect button.

KeePassXC opens and asks you to enter a unique name to identify the connection between this browser and this database:

Enter a unique name in the text field (e.g. firefox-kamarada-pc) and click the Save and allow access button.

Note: if you set up another extension connection to this same database in the future and reuse this name, the previous connection will be overwritten and this first browser will lose access to KeePassXC.

Using the KeePassXC browser extension

Now that we’ve installed and configured the KeePassXC browser extension, let’s see how to use it in everyday life.

Start by opening KeePassXC and unlocking your password database. Then, open your web browser.

On your browser, go to a website. For example, facebook.com.

If you have a password for this site stored in your database, KeePassXC will display the Browser Access Request dialog box:

Make sure the credentials you want to use are selected. Optionally, check the Remember option to prevent this dialog from appearing again. Finally, click Allow Selected.

Back to the website, the KeePassXC icon will appear in the username field of the login form. Click the icon to fill in the username and password fields with your stored credentials. A menu will appear for you to choose the credentials you want to use:

Username and password fields filled in by the KeePassXC extension, just Log In:

In the future, if you log into that same website with a different username and password combination (perhaps because you changed your login and password, perhaps because you created a new account), the KeePassXC browser extension will offer to save that combination as a New entry or Update the existing one, just as the browser would do if those credentials were managed by it:

Troubleshooting

If you followed the steps outlined here, the integration between KeePassXC and your browser should work just fine. Below, I have outlined some possibilities for what might happen differently.

If you launched the browser first and then KeePassXC, they probably didn’t connect. In this case, click the KeePassXC extension icon and then click Reload:

It could also be the case that the database is locked. In this case, click the KeePassXC extension icon and then click Reopen database:

It’s worth paying attention to the KeePassXC extension icon, which will change based on its connection state:

A) KeePassXC has not been started or is disconnected;

B) KeePassXC is running, but the browser extension is not connected to the current database;

C) connected to KeePassXC, but the database is locked;

D) connected to KeePassXC and ready to use. If the icon is shown with a number, it indicates the number of credentials found for the current site.

If none of the tips presented here helped you solve your issue, you might want to check out the KeePassXC browser extension’s Troubleshooting Guide.

If you have any questions, you can also share them here in the comments.

Importing passwords from browsers into KeePassXC

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:10:00 +0000

If you have just started to use KeePassXC but already have passwords saved in your browser, you don’t need to add them individually. You can export your passwords from your current browser to a CSV file, which can then be imported into KeePassXC. Here’s how.

How to export passwords can vary from browser to browser. That’s why here I will provide instructions for Mozilla Firefox and Chromium, which are the browsers that come out of the box on Linux Kamarada. If you use another browser, the procedure may be more or less similar, refer to your browser’s documentation.

Exporting passwords from Firefox

To export all your saved passwords from Firefox, open the Firefox menu by clicking the hamburguer icon at the upper-right corner of the window and then click Passwords:

As an alternative to this menu path, you can access the about:logins page.

The next screen shows all the passwords you have saved in Firefox.

Open the menu by clicking the three-dot icon at the upper-right corner of the window and then click Export Passwords:

Carefully read the warning and then click Continue with export:

Choose a file Name and location, then click Export:

That’s it. Now that you have generated the CSV file with your passwords, the next step is to import them into KeePassXC.

It’s not necessary, but just in case you are curious, you can open the CSV file with LibreOffice Calc. Note that anyone with access to this file could open it and check your passwords (hence the Firefox warning before exporting):

Remember to delete this file after importing your passwords to KeePassXC.

Exporting passwords from Chromium

To export all your saved passwords from Chromium, open the Chromium menu by clicking the three-dot icon at the upper-right corner of the window and then go to Passwords and autofill > Password Manager:

The next screen shows all the passwords you have saved in Chromium.

Click Settings by the right, and then by the left, where it reads Export passwords, click Download file:

Choose a file Name and location, then click Save:

That’s it. Now that you have generated the CSV file with your passwords, the next step is to import them into KeePassXC.

Remember to delete this file after importing your passwords to KeePassXC.

Importing passwords into KeePassXC

Once you have exported your browser passwords to a CSV file, to import them into a KeePassXC password database, go Database > Import:

On the Import Wizard, make sure that the Comma Separated Values (.csv) option is selected (it is selected by default):

Next to Import File, click Browse and indicate where the CSV file is.

Under Import Into, select Existing Database, then open the menu by the right and select the password database that will receive the imported passwords.

Finally, click Continue.

The next screen shows a preview of what will be imported:

KeePassXC offers the opportunity to adjust which columns of the CSV file are going to which KeePassXC fields. CSV files generated from both Firefox and Chromium don’t have some column to match the Title field, so I mapped it to the url column.

When you are ready, click the Done button to complete the import.

The passwords will be imported into a new group:

Renaming the group

Optionally, you can rename the group to something more meaningful to you. To do this, right-click the group and click Edit Group:

Change the group Name and click OK:

Back to the KeePassXC main screen, notice the group with the new name:

How to delete all passwords in Firefox

Now that you’ve successfully migrated all your Firefox passwords to KeePassXC, ideally you should delete them from Firefox. To do this, from the same screen as before (Firefox menu > Passwords or about:logins), open the menu and click Remove All Passwords. Confirm the deletion in the dialog box:

How to delete all passwords in Chromium

Now that you’ve successfully migrated all your Chromium passwords to KeePassXC, ideally you should delete them from Chromium. To do this, from the same screen as before (Chromium menu > Passwords and autofill > Password Manager > Settings), where it reads Delete all Password Manager data, click the Delete data button. Confirm the deletion in the dialog box:

Conclusion

Don’t forget to delete the CSV file, which is no longer needed, so that others don’t get unauthorized access to your passwords. And make good use of KeePassXC. In the next article, we’ll see how to integrate it with your browser.

Update (Oct 5, 2025):

Continue reading the new article about KeePassXC:

Using KeePassXC integrated into the browser

Keep your passwords with you safely and easily with KeePassXC

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:00:00 +0000

In this increasingly connected world, you probably already have usernames and passwords for multiple websites, services and social networks. Ideally, you should create unique strong passwords for each service and memorize them, but who does that? Many people end up insecurely writing down their passwords on paper notebooks or Excel (or Calc, or Google) spreadsheets. Others store their passwords in their browser. However, if they are not synchronized with the cloud, they can be lost in the event of a system fault or formatting. On the other hand, if they are synchronized, they can be vulnerable to leaks.

Therefore, the recommended way to save passwords is to use a password manager, which is a program specifically designed for this purpose. The one I use and recommend, which comes installed by default on Linux Kamarada, is KeePassXC.

KeePassXC lets you store all your passwords in an encrypted file that acts as a password vault (you only need to memorize and remember the password for this file to access all your others). This file is, in principle, offline; you don’t need to be connected to any service to use it, but you can keep it synchronized across multiple devices using a service like Dropbox, if you want. KeePassXC works on Linux, Windows and macOS and can be combined with compatible mobile apps (such as KeePassDX on Android or Strongbox on iOS). It’s an ad-free free and open-source software.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a KeePassXC database and how to use it on a daily basis. I will be using Linux Kamarada as reference, but KeePassXC can be used in the same way on other Linux distributions, as well as on Windows or macOS.

Installing KeePassXC

Linux Kamarada already comes with KeePassXC installed out of the box since version 15.2, released in September 2020. Therefore, if you use Linux Kamarada, KeePassXC is probably already installed on your computer, and you can jump to the next section of this article. However, if you use openSUSE Leap or openSUSE Tumbleweed, or for any reason you want to install KeePassXC on your computer, continue reading.

You can install KeePassXC from the openSUSE official repositories using one of two ways: from the graphical interface using 1-Click Install or from the terminal using the zypper package manager – choose whichever method you prefer.

To install KeePassXC using 1-Click Install, click the following button:

1-Click Install

To install KeePassXC using the terminal, run the following command:

# zypper in keepassxc

Starting KeePassXC

You can start KeePassXC just as you would start any other app. If you are using the GNOME desktop (the default for Linux Kamarada), you can do this through the Activities menu:

This is the KeePassXC home screen, currently without any databases created or open:

Creating a new password database

To create a new password database, on the KeePassXC home screen, click the Create Database button. Alternatively, you can open the Database menu and click New Database:

KeePassXC features a wizard to create a new database:

On this first screen, give the database a name and, optionally, a description, and click Continue.

On the next screen, you can adjust the encryption settings:

The default settings should be fine for most people. Unless you know what you are doing, leave everything as is and click Continue.

On the wizard’s last screen, set a password for the database:

Note: once all your passwords are saved in the KeePassXC database, this will be the only password you will need to remember. Make sure you set a password you can remember!

When finished, click Done.

Save the password database file in a safe location:

Please note that a KeePassXC database file by default has the .kdbx extension (e.g. My Passwords.kdbx).

Once the database is created, KeePassXC opens it, for now without any passwords:

Storing a password in the database

To store a password in the database, click the Add a new entry button:

Alternatively, you can use the Entries > New Entry menu or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + N:

Fill out the form with relevent information about the password you’re saving (provide a descriptive Title to make it easier to find it later, you can click the eye icon to see the password as you type):

When finished, click OK.

KeePassXC updates the password list, showing the new password selected:

Note that, by default, the database is automatically saved every time a password is added or modified.

Modifying a saved password

Please note that storing or modifying passwords in KeePassXC does not change the passwords on your actual accounts. Your KeePassXC password database is not connected to your online accounts. Therefore, KeePassXC only stores what you write and save in it, nothing more.

If you changed a password of an online account and want to update the corresponding entry in the KeePassXC database, double-click it. Alternatively, select the entry in the list and use the Entries > Edit Entry menu or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E.

The editing entry screen is similar to the adding entry screen.

When you’re done modifying what you want, click OK to save your changes.

Tip: in the entries list, if you double-click a URL, it will be opened in your default browser.

Using a password stored in the database

Let’s say you accessed a website and need a password that is stored in the KeePassXC database.

On the KeePassXC screen, locate the password in the list. To do this, you can use the Search text field in the upper-right corner of the screen. It can be conveniently accessed with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + F.

Right-click the password and click Copy Password:

Alternatively, you can select the password and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C.

On the website, paste the password copied from KeePassXC:

As a security measure, the copied password doesn’t stay in the clipboard for long. By default, you have 10 seconds to paste the password before KeePassXC clears the clipboard. If you don’t paste the password within that time, you’ll have to copy it again.

Note that KeePassXC also allows you to copy the username (Ctrl + B).

This isn’t the most practical way to use KeePassXC. We’ll look at how to integrate it with your browser later. But realize how flexible KeePassXC is: you don’t need a browser to use it, so you can store passwords not only for websites, but also for apps, computers, credit cards – in short, whatever passwords you want. And you can also use KeePassXC with different browsers (normally, you wouldn’t be able to access Chrome saved passwords on Firefox, and vice versa, for example).

Locking and unlocking the database

As a security measure, when your computer screen gets locked, KeePassXC also locks the password database by default. When you unlock your computer, you must enter the database password to access it again:

If you want, you can also lock the database manually by going to Database > Lock Database (Ctrl + L).

Regardless of the screen lock, you can configure KeePassXC to automatically lock the database after a certain period of inactivity.

If you want to do this, go to Tools > Settings (Ctrl + ,):

Select the Security section by the left. Enable the Lock databases after inactivity option and set a delay in seconds for this to occur:

When finished, click OK.

Grouping passwords

You can group passwords if you want, just like you group files into folders. You can even insert one group within another.

To create a new group, right-click on a free area of the Group Panel by the left and click New Group:

On the next screen, give the new group a Name and click OK:

Back to the KeePassXC main screen, the newly created group appears in the Group Panel by the left. You can move existing passwords into it by simply dragging them. Managing passwords and groups is very similar to managing files and folders.

Closing the database

If you are no longer working with the database, you can simply close KeePassXC. Or, if you just want to close the database but keep KeePassXC open (perhaps to use another database), you can close the currently open database by going to Database > Close Database (Ctrl + W).

Opening an existing password database

If you close KeePassXC, the next time you start it (as we saw previously, through the Activities menu), it will automatically open the last database you used, but locked, asking you the password to access it again (in the same way as we saw in a screenshot above).

You can also open a database by going to Database > Open Database (Ctrl + O).

Depending on how you closed KeePassXC, if there were no databases open, the next time you start it, the home screen will list the last databases you opened, so you can open them from that list as well:

Synchronizing passwords across multiple devices

If you save your password database on a service like Dropbox, you can access your passwords on other computers (with KeePassXC, which, again, is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS) and even on mobile devices (with apps like KeePassDX on Android or Strongbox on iOS).

Just note that the password database is a file, and it is synchronized in its entirety. A service like Dropbox won’t handle each password individually. How could this be a problem? If you often modify your password database on both your computer and your phone, you might end up with conflicted copies of the database, or you might lose a password.

If you want to store your password database in the cloud, what I do and it has never given me any problems – and that’s why I recommend it – is to modify the database only on the computer, so that synchronization always happens in one direction only: from the computer to the phone.

Conclusion

Using a password manager like KeePassXC is the safer and recommended way to store your passwords and carry them with you wherever you go. KeePassXC is an excellent program, which I have been using daily for several years now.

I plan to write a few more articles about KeePassXC. While you’re waiting, if you’d like to read more about KeePassXC, I recommend:

Official KeePassXC documentation
KeePassXC article on the Security in a Box digital security guide

Update (Oct 5, 2025):

Continue reading the following articles about KeePassXC:

But by no means, even with those future articles, do I intend to end the subject. KeePassXC is a feature-rich program, but it also has a simple and intuitive interface. You can explore its interface and features on your own.