Desktop Environments in Linux
Desktop Environment is a very basic term in the world of Linux.
Still, many are unaware of it, so what is it?
A desktop environment is the total of all packages, graphics, icons, toolbars, widgets that make up the whole UI of the system providing you mouse support to use Linux, like a Windows interface.
Why so? Because Linux is just a kernel, without a Desktop Environment, it will be the same as a DOS, you will be limited to a terminal interacting with our using commands only.
Meaning NO GUI without a Desktop Environment.
There are various Desktop Environments available to us.
Can we change our Desktop Environment? Yes...
Can we remove the one shipped with our installed distro? Yes, why not...
The most commonly used Desktop Environments are -
GNOME
Xfce
KDE (Plasma)
LXDE
Budgie
Mate
Cinnamon
No matter which Linux you use, if it has GUI then it has a Desktop Environment.
So can I use any Desktop Environment in any installed Distro? ..... absolutely that's what a flavor is called in a distro.
A Flavor refers to an official distro made by the vendor shipped with a different Desktop Environment, applications, and settings than the original one.
Various Ubuntu flavors are -
Kubuntu – shipped with KDE Plasma
Lubuntu – shipped with LXQt (replaced by LXDE as default Desktop Environment)
Xubuntu – shipped with Xfce
Ubuntu Budgie – shipped with Budgie
Ubuntu MATE – shipped with GNOME 2
The Default Ubuntu uses GNOME 3 as its default Desktop Environment.
Fedora, Kali Linux also uses GNOME desktop by default.
As the endnote, there are many flavors of the same distro, you do not need to install a new Desktop Environment after setting up a distro. Many Linux distributions ship ready-to-install ISO images available for different desktop environments.
About me, my preferred Desktop Environments are Budgie and GNOME. :3
Conclusion
A Desktop Environment = GUI of your Linux system.
It can be customized and replaced with different DE, and also can have multiple DE installed on one system.
Rather than customizing your Linux after installation, prefer ready-to-use distros shipped with that desktop environment.
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