Linux is a versatile and customizable open source operating system. You can make the Linux distros as per your requirements. Ubuntu is one of the best Linux distros out there, and it comes pre-packed with Ubuntu Gnome, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Cinnamon, etc. There are some other distros that are based on Ubuntu but come with a different Desktop Environment, i.e., Elementary OS, Linux Mint OS, Lubuntu, Kubuntu, and much more.
So, if you are running a default desktop environment and want to get the taste of another desktop, what should you do? Will you install all the desktops one by one? The answer is no. You can try all but one by one. This will save your Linux system and time as well.
Best Linux Desktop Environments
Keeping this in mind, I am going to share a list of the Best Desktop Environments and shells that can be installed on different Ubuntu versions or any other Linux distros through Terminal.
1. GNOME Desktop Environment
The Gnome desktop is used by officially supported Ubuntu Gnome flavor and was developed by the Gnome Project. Gnome Shell is a powerful desktop environment that allows hardware acceleration. This shell has a powerful extension store, which enhances the utility of the desktop. The Gnome shell does not offer any minimized functionality of the window. Instead, it emphasizes an active overview and workspace to manage open windows.
2. Xfce
Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment that takes fewer resources and does not demand hardware acceleration to run. It’s basically made for a Unix-like distro. Xfce is very fast and user-friendly. This handy desktop environment comes with some unique apps and panel extensions, which increases the utility of the system.
3. KDE Plasma
After Gnome, KDE Plasma is the most used and customized desktop environment. It’s highly customizable, and the range of options is just incredible. It demands accelerated hardware for a smooth run.
4. LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment)
LXDE is an incredibly lightweight desktop environment that focuses on high performance by using fewer resources. It does not need any hardware acceleration, rather it can be run on a very old machine. It’s very fast, has huge customization, and takes less memory.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a very popular desktop environment. It’s the default DE on Linux Mint. This desktop environment comes from a Gnome shell. Thus, it demands high hardware acceleration and a 3D environment. This desktop is helpful to those users who come from Windows OS. With the help of an extension manager, cinnamon can do lots of productivity tasks.
6. Pantheon Desktop
Pantheon is the lightweight and modular desktop environment used in elementary OS as the default user interface. The GUI is similar to Apple’s Mac OS. This DE can be installed on any machine running Ubuntu.
7. GNOME Flashback (aka Classic GNOME)
Gnome Flashback is a basic and classic desktop environment that gives a pure taste of Ubuntu. It’s lightweight and fast. Basically, it’s based on an early version of the Ubuntu.
Install Classic GNOME Flashback
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gnome-session-flashback
8. MATE Desktop Environment
MATE is a forked version of Gnome 2. When Gnome 3 was created, many users wanted to stay with the old version of Gnome 2. Thus, this desktop environment is being made to fit the old taste. This DE can be used on an old laptop.
Install MATE Desktop Environment
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment-extras
9. Unity Desktop Environment 22.04
We all know that Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu Linux, discontinued Unity desktop environment development in 2017. But you still have the option to use Unity desktop now. This project is now supported and maintained by a dedicated community. The interface is modern and offers lots of customization.
Install Unity Desktop
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-unity-desktop -y
10. Budgie Desktop Environment
Budgie is a regular and flagship DE made for Solus OS. This DE provides customization of desktop widgets, themes, icon themes, dark theme modes, and in-depth panel features.
11. Enlightenment Desktop – E25
Enlightenment Foundation has developed the Enlightenment Desktop—E25, which provides a complete set of desktop components, including widgets, icons, menus, etc. This desktop shell is used in many modern mobile devices, smartphones, and multi-core desktops and laptops.
12. LXQt – Lightweight Qt Desktop Environment
LXQt is another lightweight Qt-based Linux desktop environment that comes as a result of merging two popular projects – Razor-qt and LXDE. This desktop shell takes fewer resources like xfce and E25, which makes it viable for old machines, but the interface is modern and provides GUI tools to customize the options.
13. Awesome Window Manager
Awesome is less power-hog desktop environment, which gives a lot of control over the system. To install this environment, just run the following command in Terminal
sudo apt-get install awesome
14. Sugar Desktop Environment
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation has developed a Sugar desktop environment based on the Gnome stack. It was made keeping in mind children’s access to education. Thus, it provides a set of settings specially designed for educational purposes. It also helps educational institutions and teachers create and manage students’ profiles that can be maintained remotely.
15. Trinity Desktop Environment
If you like to enjoy a classic-style desktop environment, then the Trinity desktop environment is the right fit for your desktop. it’s developed based on the KDE 3 framework, which provides a set of pre-installed apps. This DE also offers a large set of themes.
Final Thought
Remember not to install too many desktop environments at once, as this can damage your Ubuntu or any Linux system. Before installing any desktop environment, you must understand the procedure and how to uninstall or revert back to an earlier system. Many DE versions change frequently, so if you find any desktop environment listed here is old, then let me know.
Did you install any DE from here? Which one did you like most? Share your experiences and suggestions in the comment section.
