Difference between revisions of "The Rolling Release Development Model"

Added advantages and disadvantages
imported>Dalto
(Update to verbiage and current formatting standards)
imported>Dalto
(Added advantages and disadvantages)
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[[File:BigManjaroIcon.png|left|90px]]
[[File:BigManjaroIcon.png|left|90px]]


It would seem that some confusion has arisen due to the regular (and somewhat rapid) occurrence of new Manjaro releases. This confusion has been compounded still further by the use of version numbers (for example: 18.0.2,18.1 and so on), a custom normally associated with the ''Standard Release Development Model'', where a brand-new release of an operating system must be re-installed over an old version in order to access any new features provided.
Manjaro uses a '''Rolling Release Development Model''', whereby rather than being replaced, the same core system will instead be continually updated and upgraded. As such it is not, nor will it ever be, necessary to re-install a later release of Manjaro in order to enjoy the very latest and most up-to-date system possible. <u>By virtue of keeping an existing installation updated, it is already running the latest release</u>.




However, Manjaro uses a '''Rolling Release Development Model''', whereby rather than being replaced, the same core system will instead be continually updated and upgraded. As such it is not, nor will it ever be, necessary to re-install a later release of Manjaro in order to enjoy the very latest and most up-to-date system possible. <u>By virtue of keeping an existing installation updated, it is already running the latest release</u>.
An overview of the three repositories that Manjaro uses to manage its packages can be found [https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Manjaro:_A_Different_Kind_of_Beast#Dedicated_Repositories here]
 
=What are the advantages of a rolling model?=
* You never need to system upgrades.  Just continue to run updates as normal and you will always be on the latest version
* The latest version of all software packages is always available, there is no need to resort to snaps or flatpaks to run current software
 


=What are the disadvantages of a rolling release model?=
* The system *must* roll forward as unit so it difficult to hold any individual package at an older version without breaking your system
* Since everything is being updated when updates are available it is a challenge to run a rolling release distro in an environment where bandwidth is extremely limited
* You must update your system before installing software.  Not doing so can leave your system in an inconsistent, partially upgraded state


An overview of the three repositories that Manjaro uses to manage its packages can be found [https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Manjaro:_A_Different_Kind_of_Beast#Dedicated_Repositories here]


=Why are new versions of Manjaro being released?=
=Why are new versions of Manjaro being released?=
   
   
These releases are more accurately new snapshots of the Manjaro system. Just like photographs, these snapshots are in essence images that portray the Manjaro system at a particular point in its development. As such, one purpose they serve is to help the developers to both chart and evaluate the continued development of the Manjaro system, as it is of course easier to pick up on the finer details from a single image than from a moving picture.
It would seem that some confusion has arisen due to the regular (and somewhat rapid) occurrence of new Manjaro releases. This confusion has been compounded still further by the use of version numbers (for example: 18.0.2,18.1 and so on), a custom normally associated with the ''Standard Release Development Model'', where a brand-new release of an operating system must be re-installed over an old version in order to access any new features provided. These releases are more accurately new snapshots of the Manjaro system. Just like photographs, these snapshots are in essence images that portray the Manjaro system at a particular point in its development. As such, one purpose they serve is to help the developers to both chart and evaluate the continued development of the Manjaro system, as it is of course easier to pick up on the finer details from a single image than from a moving picture.
   
   


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