Ubuntu graphical shells. The best Linux graphical shells

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions developed by Canonical. By default, this distribution uses its own graphical shell - Unity. It is applied on top of the Gnome 3 desktop environment and looks quite nice.

But Unity has one significant drawback - it has too few settings, and there are still some errors and shortcomings. In addition, not everyone likes this shell. But you don't have to use it, you can install any of the available desktop environments for Linux. Here your choice is limited only by your taste. In this article, we will look at the best graphical shells for Ubuntu 16.04, as well as how to install them on this system.

1. GNOME Shell

Gnome 3 or GNU Network Object Model Environment is part of the GNU Project and is developed by the Gnome Project team. This Ubuntu desktop environment is similar to Unity, but quite different from it. Gnome is used as the default Ubuntu desktop for the Ubuntu Gnome edition.

Main features:

Composite Manager Mutter or Compiz;
View Mode "Actions" allows you to see all open windows on one screen, move them between desktops, search and much more;
There is a desktop notification system;
Extensions are supported, with which you can change the appearance and functionality of the environment. You can install them from extensions.gnome.org;
By default windows cannot be minimized, it is recommended to use desktops and display mode to replace this feature "Actions". But minimizing windows can be enabled;
Dynamic number of desktops. You can open them as many as you need.

To install:

$ sudo apt install ubuntu-gnome-desktop

2.Xfce

Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. The environment consumes very few system resources, looks beautiful and is user friendly. Along with the environment itself, several additional applications, panels and plugins are supplied, and it also uses its own window manager Xfwm.

In addition to the standard components, this Ubuntu desktop environment includes additional programs with the xfce prefix. To install the xfce desktop environment on Ubuntu run:

$ sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

3.KDE Plasma

KDE is another very powerful and beautiful desktop environment, similar in functionality and resource consumption to Gnome. But unlike Gnome, there are a lot of settings and you can configure the environment as you want. KDE has a Windows-like appearance, which is very useful for beginners.

Main features:

You can configure a huge number of parameters and literally any aspect of the behavior of the working environment;
Panels can be placed on the edges of the screen and can be used as launchpads or taxbars;
You can launch programs from the menu, through the launcher, or using shortcuts;
You can place Plasma widgets on your desktop;
Action mode allows you to switch between desktops and spaces.

To install the desktop environment and all additional packages, run in a terminal:

$ sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

4. LXDE

LXDE is another very lightweight desktop environment that focuses on minimal resource consumption and maximum performance. Openbox is used as a window manager. But besides this, the environment set includes several utilities with the LX prefix - these are system settings, application loader, panel, session manager, audio player, terminal and much more.

Main features:

Consumes little CPU and memory;
Looks simple and beautiful;
There are many settings you can use to make your environment look just the way you want it to;
Environment components can be used independently of each other.

To change the ubuntu desktop environment, run the following command:

$ sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop

5. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a fork of Gnome 3 developed by the Linux Mint distribution team. The environment uses its own shell, which makes the Gnome 3 interface similar to Gnome 2. It uses new software, while at the same time you get a modern interface and the ability to install extensions. The environment has a familiar panel at the bottom of the screen, a familiar application launch menu, and the ability to add widgets to the desktop.

To install:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:embrosyn/cinnamon
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install cinnamon blueberry

6. MATE

MATE is a fork of Gnome 2, which was created right after the announcement of the release of Gnome 3. Many users did not like the new version and wanted to keep the same appearance. The environment looks exactly like the traditional Gnome 2 interface.

Key Features:

Has a traditional Gnome 2 look and feel;
Comes with older versions of some Gnome 2 applications;
All conflicts between MATE and Gnome 3 have been resolved, so both environments can be installed on the system without any problems.
GTK2 and GTK3 applications are supported.

To install use this command:

$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-mate-desktop

7. Pantheon

Pantheon is a graphical front-end for Gnome 3, developed as part of the Elementary OS project. But it can be installed on Ubuntu as well.

Peculiarities:

The top panel is called WingPanel, it mixes the best of Gnome 2 and Gnome Shell panels;
The Slingshot launcher is used to launch applications;
At the bottom of the screen is the Plank dock;
The Cerebere utility runs in the background and monitors the operation of all other components, and also restarts them in case of an error;
You can choose which environment modules to use on your system.

To install, run the following commands:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:elementary-os/daily
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install elementary-desktop

8. GNOME Flashback

This is a version of the classic Gnome desktop environment, ported to new technologies such as GTK3 and others. This is its main difference from MATE. It's almost the same Gnome 2, just slightly updated, something between Gnome 2 and 3. It runs better on older hardware.

Peculiarities:

Has a classic application menu and panel;
The panel is configured in the same way as in Gnome 2, only you need to press Alt;
Overall stability has been improved, applets can no longer be moved, and vertical panels work better.

To install, type the command:

$ sudo apt install gnome-session-flashback

9. Awesome

Awesome is not really a desktop environment, it's a tile-based window manager. By default, it comes with a panel where you can place your application applets, desktop switchers, and widgets. There are also several widget libraries that you can add to your desktop.

Tiling allows you to automatically switch the arrangement of windows without overlapping so that they fill the screen evenly, but you can make windows float, as is done in regular environments.

Peculiarities:

Don't waste screen space;
There is no need to select the location of windows using the mouse or touchpad;
Setting up window snaps;
There is mouse support.

To install, just do:

$ sudo apt-get install awesome

10. Enlightenment (E)

Enlightenment environments focus on beautiful appearance while using minimal resources. It has a set of its own applications, as well as its own window manager. There is a dock panel at the bottom of the screen, and you can add widgets to the desktop. To install:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:enlightenment-git/ppa
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install e20

11.i3wm

i3wm is another great and simple tiled window manager. The developers have focused on maximum simplicity of both use, code and configuration.

Peculiarities:

Multiple monitor support;
UTF-8 support;
Easy to set up (no programming language required);
Create layouts for window placement dynamically;
Processing floating and pop-up windows;
Various modes, like in Vim.

To install:

$ sudo apt-get install i3

12.Deepin DE

The Deepin Linux distribution uses its own specially designed desktop environment, integrated with applications such as Deepin Video, Deepin Music and others. A characteristic feature of this environment is the side settings panel, like in WIndows 8.1, only much more convenient.

Installing the Ubuntu environment is done with the command:

$ sudo sh -c "echo "deb http://packages.linuxdeepin.com/deepin trusty main non-free universe" >> /etc/apt/sources.list"
$ sudo sh -c "echo "deb-src http://packages.linuxdeepin.com/deepin trusty main non-free universe" >> /etc/apt/sources.list"
$ wget http://packages.linuxdeepin.com/deepin/project/deepin-keyring.gpg
$ gpg --import deepin-keyring.gpg
$ sudo gpg --export --armor 209088E7 | sudo apt-key add -
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install dde-meta-core python-deepin-gsettings deepin-music-player deepin-software-center deepin-movie deepin-game-center

13. Budgie

Budgie is a desktop environment based on Gnome and developed by the Solus distribution team. The developers focused on creating the most beautiful interface possible. This ubuntu graphical shell is used by default in the Ubuntu Budgie edition, which recently became official.

Peculiarities:

Integrates with the Gnome stack;
There's a Raven sidebar where you can quickly access settings;
All settings are made through the Raven panel.

To install, type the following commands:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:budgie-remix/ppa
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install budgie-desktop

14.Openbox

Openbox is a highly customizable window manager. It has a minimalistic appearance and is very highly customizable. You can change almost any aspect of the shell. You can customize the look as you log in, and use KDE or Gnome applications.

To install this Ubuntu desktop environment follow.

This is a question for a newbie Linux not idle, but rather necessary, because V Linux, Unlike Windows or MacOS X, there are many distributions, with different desktop environments. Whether this is good or bad, I don’t presume to judge, and the article is not about that, but about work environments, since there are several of them in Linux.

First of all, let's figure out what it is "Desktop" or "Desktop Environment", which is also simply called "Shell"?

Graphical desktop environment(eng. desktop environment) is a type of graphical user interface based on the desktop metaphor.

This environment provides a space called the desktop on which windows, icons, panels, and other elements appear. Mechanisms that combine different parts of the environment are usually supported, for example, drag-n-drop (transferring data between windows using a pointing device/mouse). The purpose of the work environment is to create an intuitive way for the user to interact with the computer.

Desktop environment comprises Window manager(For example, Metacity) The most common desktop environments are Explorer(Microsoft Windows OS) and Aqua(Apple OS X). IN Linux-like operating systems, the most popular are work environments GNOME, KDE, Xfce, LXDE, MATE And Cinnamon.

GNOME desktop

KDE Plasma desktop

Xfce desktop

LXDE desktop

MATE desktop

Cinnamon desktop

The desktop environment consists of a window manager (for example, Metacity or Kwin), file manager (for example, Nautilus or Dolphin), a set of themes, programs and libraries. Most environments use settings that suit most users.

Desktop environments, or simply shells, are divided into heavy and light.
The heaviness or lightness of the shell largely depends on the window manager.

Window manager- an application running “on top” X Window System and defining the interface and user experience.
Window managers may differ in the following ways:

Possibility to customize appearance and functionality.
- ways to launch various applications;
-environment settings and management tools;
-presence and interaction with several desktops or virtual desktops.
Consumption of RAM and other computer resources.
Degree of integration with the desktop environment, providing a more complete set of tools for interacting with the operating environment and various user applications.

Window managers in shells.

1. GNOME Desktop uses a window manager Mutter.
Mutter- the window manager was developed as an alternative Metacity. Mutter combines the functions of a composite and window manager, based on dense fundraising OpenGL and uses library functions in its work Clutter.

Window management logic in Mutter completely inherited from the window manager Metacity. Significant improvements include a flexible system for expanding functionality by connecting plugins that can completely change the logic of window management and the organization of screen design.

2. KDE Plasma desktop uses a window manager Kwin.
Kwin- composite window manager for X Window System. It is integrated into K D desktop E environment ( KDE) and is used KDE Plasma 5. Responsible for the design, management and movement of windows. Kwin supports three-dimensional effects when rendering windows.

3. Xfce desktop uses a window manager Xfwm.
Xfwm includes its own composite window manager.

4. LXDE desktop uses a window manager Openbox.
Openbox designed to be a lightweight, fast and simple solution for use with or without a desktop environment. Despite its simplicity, Openbox has many settings, by manipulating which the user can change almost any aspect of the window manager’s functioning in accordance with his needs.

5. MATE desktop uses a window manager Marco.
Marco- fork Metacity GTK 2 from the developers Mate. Comes with MATE Desktop Environment default.

6. Cinnamon desktop uses a window manager Muffin.
Muffin- fork Mutter, which in turn is a fork Metacity.

Cinnamon- free shell for desktop environment GNOME, which is a fork from the codebase GNOME Shell. The main direction of development is to provide the user with a more familiar, traditional style environment GNOME 2, convenient for desktop and laptop users. Initially developed by a team of programmers Linux Mint.

So let's summarize which shells are heavy and which are light.

1. To heavy shells, i.e. consuming the largest amount of computer resources are shells that use window managers Mutter And Kwin, accordingly this GNOME desktop And KDE Plasma desktop.

2. The lightest shells that can be used to work even on old machines include: LXDE desktop, Xfce desktop And MATE desktop.

3. I would classify him as a light heavyweight Cinnamon desktop even though it uses a window manager Muffin- fork Mutter.

Conclusion.

Returning to the question "Which desktop should a Linux newbie choose?", there is no definite answer, because everything will depend on the technical capabilities of your computer.
Distinctive feature Linux(in a good way) is that almost any distribution can be pre-run on your computer directly from a flash drive in live mode, without installing it on an HDD. And if you think that a particular distribution works without delays or visible glitches in live mode, you can install it on your computer.

From my own experience I can say that for a beginner, this Linux Mint with environments MATE, Xfce or Cinnamon. Especially Linux Mint "Cinnamon". Its interface is more understandable, especially for those who have just switched from Windows and surroundings Cinnamon practically does not require additional settings.
9 years ago, I started my journey in Linux exactly with Linux Mint 9 And Ubuntu 9.04, but then both of these distributions used a lightweight shell GNOME 2 and window managers Metacity And Compiz, respectively.

Which distribution and shell should you choose? I can only say one thing - TRY IT and you will find your distribution Linux.

P.S. If you have questions about this article, you can discuss them on our forum.

Variety is one of the best things about the Linux community, as users can try out different options and see which one suits them best. But sometimes this can create confusion. If you're new to the world of Linux, you'll be overwhelmed by the number of options available. There are no exceptions regarding the desktop environment. But trying out every desktop environment is not an easy task.

This article summarizes the best Linux graphical shells available for various distributions, along with their pros and cons.

1.KDE

KDE is not just a desktop environment, it is a set of programs, including the desktop shell - Plasma. The latest version of KDE is called KDE Frameworks and comes in two editions - Plasma Desktop and Plasma Netbook. KDE is the most customizable and flexible Linux desktop environment.

Unlike other graphical environments, where you need various utilities to configure the environment, in KDE all the parameters are available in a special System Settings utility. You can customize the graphical environment according to your taste without third-party tools. You can also install themes, widgets and wallpapers without even opening your browser.

KDE has an excellent set of applications and also supports other applications even if they are not built using the KDE development platform. Some KDE applications don't even have alternatives in other environments.

If you want a desktop environment that works out of the box and at the same time want to be able to customize everything, you can confidently choose KDE.

OpenSUSE and Kubuntu distributions use the KDE desktop environment by default.

Pros:

The most powerful, multifunctional
Modern and beautiful user interface
Highly customizable and flexible
Wide range of application compatibility

Minuses:

Consumes more resources than lightweight environments
Some things may seem too difficult to use

2. MATE

The MATE desktop environment is based on a codebase not currently supported by Gnome 2. It was originally developed for users who were disappointed with the latest version of the Gnome 3 shell. Using code from a previous version does not mean that the shell runs on outdated technologies. This means that MATE developers took what already works and continue to improve it using modern technologies.

MATE is a traditional desktop environment with a touch of modernism. It is based on what has been fine-tuned and tested over the years. It works without problems. MATE supports a panel system with various menus, applets, indicators, buttons, etc. All this can be customized the way the user wants.

MATE comes with a standard set of applications, most of which are taken from Gnome 2. Another great feature of MATE is that it consumes only a very small amount of memory and therefore can run on older and less powerful computers.

Only Ubuntu MATE uses MATE as its default desktop environment. MATE is also used in editions of several other distributions.

Pros:

Intuitive interface
Simple and easy
Highly customizable

Minuses:

The interface may seem outdated

3. GNOME

GNOME is, if not the most popular, then one of the most popular Linux desktop environments. Many distributions use GNOME as the default Linux desktop. Gnome also has several popular forks like Unity, Cinnamon, etc. GNOME is designed to be easy to use and highly customizable. The latest version of GNOME 3 features a modern and attractive user interface and the best support for touch devices.

GNOME has almost everything a modern desktop environment should have. For those who don't want to use the modern interface and prefer Gnome 2, there is a classic mode, as well as a main menu, system-wide search, powerful default applications, many themes, support for extensions, and that's not all its features.

However, to customize this environment, additional utilities are required, such as the Gnome Tweak Tool. Version 3.18 introduced some interesting features, such as Google Drive integrated into the file manager.

One of the disadvantages of GNOME is that it consumes a lot of memory due to its heavy GUI.

Gnome is used in many large distributions, for example: Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Ubuntu Gnome.

Pros:

Modern, touch-ready interface

Shell extension support
Beautiful interface

Minuses

Resource intensity
Extension management is poorly implemented

4. Cinnamon

The article on the best graphical Linux shells would be incomplete without this shell. Cinnamon, a fork of GNOME 3, was originally developed as a desktop environment for Linux Mint. It is known for its user interface similarity to Windows, which helps new Linux users get rid of the discomfort of an as-yet-familiar system.

Cinnamon contains various customizable elements such as panels, themes, applets and extensions. The panel is located at the bottom of the screen, it contains the application launcher, a list of open windows and the system tray.

Cinnamon comes pre-installed with a large number of applications, most of them coming from Gnome 3, but some developed by the Linux Mint team.

Pros:

Sleek, Professional Look
Familiar interface
Quite customizable

Minuses:

Sometimes glitchy

5. Unity

Technically, Unity is a Linux graphical shell that runs on top of the GNOME 3 desktop environment. It comes with a large number of GNOME applications. Unity was developed by Canonical for use on Ubuntu, and is based on GNOME 3.

Unity is a simple and pleasant environment that integrates well with applications. New technologies such as the search lens, launcher and HUD have been implemented within this skin to improve the workflow. One of the strengths of Unity is that it implements the concept of interaction between the user and the computer using a mouse, keyboard, touchpad, or even a touch screen. The panel in Unity and the application launcher is located at the top of the screen. The panel also contains the main menu of the currently active application.

Some people find Unity bloated and slow, while others are fans of it. But despite much controversy, Unity has a large number of users as it is the default desktop environment on one of the most popular distributions - Ubuntu.

Pros:

Easy and intuitive
Beautiful interface

Minuses

Lack of customizability
Not available for other Linux distributions

6. LXDE

LXDE is a very fast and lightweight Linux desktop environment. It is designed to be lightweight and convenient while using a minimum amount of resources. It uses a modular approach, so each of its components can be used separately from each other. This feature makes it easier to port LXDE to other distributions, as well as BSD and Unix.

LXDE comes with various applications such as configuration utilities, file management applications, audio and video players. It is used as the default desktop environment in Lubuntu.

The successor to LXDE is a project that combines two projects - LXDE and Razor-Qt - LXQt. Currently, this environment is still at a low stage of development and development. It aims to be lightweight, fast and convenient and is available for many distributions.

Pros:

Fast and easy
Supports almost all distributions

Minuses:

The user interface may seem unattractive

7. XFCE

Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux distributions among new users. It is easy to install and use, comes with all the necessary software, and has fewer errors and bugs than Ubuntu, which is why many users choose this system. Linux Mint comes with several desktop environments. The default is Cinnamon, but there are versions with MATE and XFCE. For a beginner, this article will help you decide which one to choose: Linux Mint Mate or Cinnamon

The system remains the same, but the environments are very different, despite being based on Gnome. We'll look at the main differences between these distributions.

As I said, both Cinnamon vs Mate environments are based on Gnome. But they are developed by different teams.

Cinnamon

In those distant times, when Ubuntu switched to Gnome 3 and then to Unity, the Linux Mint developers wanted to maintain a convenient and familiar interface for users. They created a set of extensions that brought back the panel and menu in Gnome 3, as well as other familiar features. But they soon saw that Gnome 3 was going in the wrong direction, and forked the Gnome Shell and several other components from Gnome 3, including the Mutter composite manager. Then they began to develop their shell called Cinnamon. It is currently the default in Linux Mint and is being worked on by the Linux Mint team.

MATE

The MATE environment appeared around the same time. And it was a fork of the final state, no longer supported by Gnome 2. Many users didn't like the new Gnome 3 and wanted to keep the old interface. For this purpose, a fork was created. This was announced by one of the ArchLinux users, and then several more people joined him. The team currently has about 10 active developers.

2. Appearance

Although both shells are based on Gnome, they have a different look and feel.

Cinnamon

The Cinnamon shell maintains a more Windows-like appearance. Here the panel is located at the bottom, there is a menu in place of the button "Start", and this is the classic Gnome 2 menu. But the shell is based on Gnome 3 and uses GTK3, so it looks quite modern. New themes are being created all the time, for example, in Linux Mint 18, the Mint-Y theme was added with a flat design that looks very nice. Among the additional features, I would like to note the support for widgets for the desktop, the so-called desktops.

MATE

MATE is more similar to Gnome 2, although recently the developers have abandoned GTK2 and rebuilt almost everything in GTK3. In terms of the interface, it remains the same Gnome 2: the panel here is also located at the bottom. Widgets like Cinnamon are not supported. In general, both shells are not very different in terms of appearance, excluding the menu: in MATE it is wider and more beautiful, you can add your own applications; at Cinnamon, the menu simply lists the categories. For many users, appearance is a very important parameter when choosing "Linux Mint Cinnamon or Mate".

3. Performance

The environments are approximately the same in terms of performance. According to tests from Phoronix, Cinnamon is faster in some cases, and at the same level as MATE in most cases. In terms of resource consumption, Cinnamon loses, however, this is normal, given that it is based on Gnome 3. Cinnamon consumes 100-150 megabytes of RAM more than MATE. This comparison of Mate and Cinnamon wins for MATE.

4. Community

Over the past few years, Cinnamon has become one of the most popular desktop environments among Linux users. It has a large team of active developers: the system is constantly improving. A huge number of people use Cinnamon - LinuxMint is one of the most popular distributions, and this shell is installed by default. You can find solutions to possible problems on numerous Linux Mint forums.

Most MATE users are Gnome 2 enthusiasts, some of whom migrate to other shells over time. The number of MATE developers is not as large as that of Cinnamon, so new features are added more slowly and there are fewer forums.

conclusions

In this article, we looked at the main differences between Cinnamon and MATE. As you can see, there are not many of them, and the shells are generally very similar. But your choice will depend only on your personal preferences. What do you think, which one should I choose: linux mint mate or cinnamon? Write in the comments!

The desktop (PC) is the most important point of contact between the user and his Linux distribution. The desktop is the collection of all the graphical elements you see on the desktop, such as windows, toolbars and icons - as well as the Window Manager, which is responsible for the appearance of windows in the GUI.

All popular desktop distributions offer one of the most robust desktop environments, such as Gnome, KDE or Mate. The desktop is such an integral and important part of any Linux distribution that some distributions are often defined by their choice of desktop (PC). Fedora, for example, is considered a Gnome distribution, despite editions with other PCs, such as KDE. But despite the importance of the PC's role in our daily computing use, many users rarely move beyond their distribution's default desktop.

And that's unfortunate, since many desktops work wonderfully and are incredibly reliable, while established projects like Gnome and KDE are considered clunky and slow. The need for a fast, lightweight desktop that's attractive and enjoyable to work with has given birth to a new generation—specifically, the desktops that make up our selection.

How we reviewed Linux desktops

In our review, we look at desktop projects that are not so popular yet. We needed a neutral testing base, so we started with Fedora. Apart from the Deepin desktop, we were able to install all the projects on our list in Fedora. Since we ran DDE on Ubuntu, we decided it would be best to install the rest of the desktops and compare them on both distributions. Until the latest release, Ubuntu put all its power into Unity, but has now returned to Gnome as the default desktop, and also offers an edition with Budgie. Where possible, we also tried these PCs in their native environment.

We are looking for a desktop that is stable and easy to use. Bonus points are awarded if the project is not very resource-hungry and allows for fine-grained customization of the desktop.

Linux desktops

Budgie

Budgie was written from scratch for the Solus OS distribution, and has come a long way. Many desktops have an invitation window these days, but the Budgie invitation window is elegant and simple in design. Click the Recommendations button to view a list of recommended programs. Keep in mind that this list depends on the OS you're using and will contain different tools depending on whether you're on Ubuntu or Solus.

Contrary to the traditional desktop metaphor, Budgie does not support creating desktop icons by default. You must manually enable this option in the Raven sidebar. Although it doesn't offer as many widgets as established PCs like Gnome, the project is constantly improving and the developers are constantly offering smart and interesting interactions, with a strong focus on improving Raven.

Deepin

Originally developed for Deepin Linux, it is a robust desktop. DDE works well on Deepin Linux and Ubuntu, but we were unable to install it on Fedora despite trying different builds of sorts. It's a shame that this project isn't being used by other Linux distributions yet, because it's great. Plus, it comes with a ton of built-in apps that complement its design and appearance.

Unlike Raven in Budgie, which sometimes feels a little cluttered, the Control Center is spacious and well laid out. You can use it to customize your mouse and trackpad, hotkeys, change default apps, etc.; Customizable hot corners will allow you to access the application menu and control panel. Although DDE loads a little slower than other projects on our list, it is incredibly responsive.

Enlightenment

The Enlightenment project is already 21 years old; it first appeared in 1996. Its longevity is evidence of its popularity among users. The project is ideal for low-power computers, since it does not require a large amount of RAM, and simply offers an attractive experience to the end user. Enlightenment is no slouch compared to the rest if you take the time to take a closer look at its clever design.

When you first boot up, you'll be asked a series of questions so you can customize the environment to your liking. This, for example, concerns the default language and the size of the top toolbar of windows. You can also customize the shell bar at the bottom of your desktop - but again, all this will require you to be patient and willing to try different options and learn what each one does.

LXQt

LXQt is available on many Linux distributions, but its performance can be described as capricious at best. His eccentric behavior does not allow me to recommend this project with a clear conscience, especially to novice users who will be greatly upset by its oddities. The minimalist yet fully functional desktop offers several customization options.

There are no apps at the bottom, which is a stark contrast to the panels on other desktops. Instead, LXQt offers a placeholder on the left side of the panel where you can drag and drop your favorite apps. 8 menu contains a list of applications Categories [Categories]. You will find all customizable elements of LXQt in a separate list located inside the menu Preferences\u003e LXQt settings [Preferences\u003e LXQt Settings],

Pantheon

Pantheon is another minimalist yet stylish desktop. Its intuitive design promotes a pleasant user experience. Although it doesn't come with any out-of-the-box customization options, it's easy to fix by installing the Elementary Tweaks tool. Desktop offers a bar at the top with an application launcher in the left corner. Unlike most other desktops, Pantheon doesn't allow you to customize the top bar.

By default, the launcher doesn't offer a list of apps by category, and just lists all the apps in the list, not much different from Gnome. If you want applications to be grouped by type, click the View applications by categories button. Instead of having to scroll through menus to find the app you're looking for, simply type its name and the launcher will automatically filter the results.

Installation and support availability

Is it easy to get a new desktop?

Despite the abundance of internal components such as wallpapers, icons and themes, the G desktop environment is still nothing more than a program. This means you can use your distribution’s program management tool to install it, just like you would for any other program - for example, a media player or web browser.

However, installing another accessible desktop environment is only the first step. Next, you will need to install a display manager that will allow you to choose which desktop to load.

Unfortunately, some display managers - for example, GDM, the Gnome display manager - do not provide such a choice. LightDM is a popular alternative to GDM and is available in the software repositories of almost all popular Linux distributions. If you're on Ubunlu like we are, you won't have to install LightDM since LightDM is the default display manager on that distro.

Since our Comparison looks at alternative desktops, it is inevitable that they will not all be officially supported by popular distributions. In fact, with the exception of LXQt and Enlightenment, you will be hard pressed to find the other three in your distribution's software repositories. But don't despair!

Budgie is an internal development for the Solus OS distribution and the default offering for this project. Since the latest release 17.04, there is a Budgie edition of Ubuntu, and Manjaro Linux also supports Budgie. If you have Fedora, you can install Budgie using the community-created Sort build, but be prepared for some issues, such as the inability to load wallpapers.

Elementary OS is an Ubuntu-based distribution designed specifically for Windows and MacOS users. offers its own Pantheon desktop. Unfortunately, Pantheon is not currently officially supported by any other distribution. However, you can install it on Fedora using Corp or on Ubuntu via the PPA repository

Deepin Desktop Environment, or DDE, is one of the newest desktops and is the default environment in Deepin Linux. Like Pantheon, DDE is not yet officially supported by other distributions, but you can use the PPA repository to install the project on Ubuntu. Although the Corp build is available, we were unable to install DDE on Fedora during our tests.

In the traditional sense, a window manager is just a desktop component, but it offers enough functionality to stand alone as a PC. Combined with the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL), a collection of graphics libraries, Enlightenment qualifies as a desktop application and is therefore worthy of a place in our review.

Application support

Will your favorite apps work with these PCs?

With the exception of LXQt and Enlightenment, all of our PCs will run applications designed for other desktops. Moreover, desktop environments are also known to offer their own applications and utilities. Some of the projects on our list offer a decent selection of applications. A good example would be Deepin Desktop Environment: it offers its own image viewer, audio and video recorder, terminal application and file manager.

Enlightenment also offers a file manager and a terminal, but that's about it. However, there are several EEL-based applications, such as the Rage video player, the Epour torrent client, and the Elbow browser. It's only a matter of time before they and many others become part of Enlightenment.

LXQt was the result of the merger of LXDE-qt and Razor-qt. And as such, it does a great job rendering Qt applications. Budgie is also built on Qt and works great with these applications. But you can use all your apps on any of these desktops.

In fact, all of the projects on our list do a pretty good job using the application package installed on your distribution. At least these PCs understand the art of good integration, and we had no problems running a variety of applications.

User interaction

Which desktop is the most pleasant to work with?

While tools like System Monitor Sopku cater to those looking to add bells and whistles to their desktop, most Linux desktops have traditionally had a plain look. But a few years ago this changed. Linux now not only supports touch devices, but developers are actively working
over providing its users with the most attractive appearance.

When developers at big-name projects like Unity and Gnome made a conscious decision to change their way of working to be more suited to touch devices, it angered many of their regular users. This and the ever-increasing demands
to system resources to support all sorts of beauties prompted some users to look for an alternative,

All of the designs on our list are highly functional and modern, and are also highly regarded for their ability to be customized. They manage to do everything they're supposed to do without consuming system resources.

User documentation

The Arch Linux Wiki is one of the best information resources for almost all Linux projects, and desktops are no exception. In fact, the Arch Wiki contains more practical desktop information from our slip than their own sites!

Surprisingly, Pantheon, an internal development of the EIementary OS distribution, does not even have a website. It is only briefly mentioned on the website and blog of the parent project. The official documentation offers a brief introduction to features like hot corners and workspaces, but that's about it.

Apart from the About page, which serves as an introduction, Enlightenment doesn't boast much documentation. Of course, there's a lot to learn from the project's website if you're a developer eager to get involved with the project or EFL: but if you're a user just trying to get your head around Enlightenment's customization options, then the Internet
will be a much better source of information for you.

The LXQt Wiki offers basic information on issues such as installation and themes, but that's about it.

Budgie now has its own website, but so far there is no content posted there other than a blog with messages about new releases.

Although Deepin Desktop Environment is mentioned in the Deepin wiki, it only discusses the basics, such as creating files and folders.

Performance

External attractiveness is an important criterion when choosing a work stop. In this area, all the projects on our list have performed well, offering animation and other effects to your delight - but all these offerings are carried out at the expense of system resources. Bulky desktops like Gnome, KDE and Unity require faster graphics and huge amounts of RAM; but the projects on our list are not so demanding.

Enlightenment and LXQt function perfectly fine on computers at the lower end of the spectrum. Both desktops load quickly - but while Enlightenment works as promised, LXQt on Ubuntu and Fedora reports frequent errors and is prone to occasional freezes.

The current release of Budgie is also not particularly resource-hungry, but this should change in future releases. Its developers have already announced plans to expand Budgie's feature set, which may be overwhelming for computers with 2GB of RAM.

Pantheon demonstrates the highest speed in its native distribution. But on Fedora or Ubunlu it starts to slow down a little.

Dee pin Desktop Environment is certainly fast and responsive as such, but it is the slowest on our list. For optimal performance, it requires a dual-core computer with more than 2GB of RAM.

LXQt loads quickly, but its unreliable behavior lands it in last place in our test.

Extensions

Budgie, developed by the Solos OS project, does not support extensions. The same can be said about LXQt and DDE, developed for the Deepin Linux project. However, recent developments and announcements from the Budgie camp may lead one to conclude that the project is looking to move beyond its minimalist confines and lightweight specs. It is likely that the project will use extensions in future releases as it gains more users and becomes available for other distributions.

Like Budgie and DDE, Pantheon was designed for a specific Linux distribution, in this case Elementary OS. However, unlike Budgie and DDE, Pantheon is easily extensible using the Elementary Tweaks tool available in the PPA repository. Driven by a love for the simplicity and elegance of Elementary OS, some users in the community have developed third-party decorative elements, such as themes and icons, to complement their Elementary OS installation. Once installed, you can use the Elementary Tweaks tool to change the appearance of your desktop, customize fonts, control animations, and more. The PPA repository also hosts several user-created topics. The Elementary Tweaks tool even lets you define the number of rows and columns to display in the app launcher, and you can also customize icon size, themes, and the position of the dock on the screen. But no matter how wonderful all this is, Elementary Tweaks is not installed on distributions without direct Pantheon support.

Many third-party extensions for Enlightenment are available on the project website. In addition to those panel backgrounds, there is also an animated background that reacts to mouse hover.

Customizability

All the projects in our review support basic customization options and allow you to change the wallpaper, customize window themes, define fonts, icons and cursors,

To customize all of the above elements in Pantheon, use the Customize Look and Feel tool. Similarly, you can use the Appearance Configuration Tool in LXQt to change the cursor, window themes, etc. If you want to configure the Panel, right-click and click Configure Panel. From here you can configure the panel's position and size, and even set the background color. Even some widgets on the panel are customizable. Click on the Widgets tab on the left sidebar. Then select the widget and click on the Configure button to play with the different options available. You can also set the Panel to be always visible or automatically hidden. LXQt uses Open-box as its window manager, which offers its own OpenPox Configuration tool. You can use this tool if you want to change the windows theme on your LXQt desktop.

Deepin configuration options can be accessed from the Control Center. Despite its name, the Control Center in Deepin Desktop Environment is not a window like in other Linux distributions. This is a sidebar from where you can control almost any aspect of the Deepin Environment. Move your mouse to the bottom right corner of the screen and click. The hot corner will be activated and the Control Center will open. Now click on the Personalization button to access customizable options.

Like Deepin DE, Budgie offers customization options from the panel. You can access these settings from the Raven sidebar. Click on the square button at the top right of the panel at the top of your desktop to access the Raven sidebar. Budgie also allows you to create additional panels, like the one at the bottom of your desktop, right from Raven. You can then add widgets to this new panel and customize them.

conclusions

In our review, we tested a couple of old, distribution-independent desktops and three new ones, each of which was designed for a specific distribution. And even we were surprised by the end result. Logically, distribution-independent desktops like LXQt and Enlightenment should have surpassed the new varieties, but this did not happen. Part of the reason for this is internal code and the complexities it inherits.

Enlightenment has been around for over two decades; although it has continually evolved, it needs to be almost completely rewritten if it intends to compete with newcomers.

Despite its strong heritage, LXQt has failed to find its niche. Unless this project is used by a major distribution or has the support of a dedicated group of developers, it is unlikely to last long. Although it is offered in the software repositories of many distributions, it is poorly implemented and produces errors on Fedora and Ubuntu.

In general, it was not easy for us not to award Enlightenment a prize. It is a largely independent project, supported only by a group of dedicated developers and a strong user community. Enlightenment itself isn't particularly problematic, but it falls short of the simplicity and design philosophy of other PCs.

We've already mentioned that Pantheon works best on its native Elementary OS distribution. However, the slight performance loss is not a reason not to try it on other distributions. Budgie beats out Pantheon with its customization options and Raven sidebar tool.