Differences in the types of desktop environments on Linux

Many people choose GNOME 2, MATE or switch to Cinnamon and Unity. So, what's the difference between these desktop environments?

GNOME

GNOME is a desktop environment that has been around since 1998. The name GNOME stands for the GNU Network Object Model Environment and is often pronounced Guh-nome.

GNOME uses the GTK toolkit. The GNOME Project still uses GTK today, but the programming languages ​​have begun shifting to the GNU Image Manipulation Program, also known as the GIMP. Many Linux applications today use GTK.

The desktop environment is more than just an interface. GNOME includes a range of applications, a collection of technologies, and a community of software users.

GNOME Shell

Early versions of GNOME had an interface similar to previous versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS. Since version 3.0, the Gnome team has decided to take a different path and introduce a new design called Shell Gnome.

GNOME Shell has Activities Overview that shows the open program windows, including running programs and makes the virtual desktop a core experience. Also, GNOME Shell is more focused on search. You can open or install applications, find files, view time and perform many other tasks by typing directly in Activities Overview.

GNOME is one of Linux's most widely used desktop environments. Ubuntu, the most popular distribution of Linux used a version of GNOME as default.

GNOME Classic

If you like the traditional GNOME experience but still want to keep the most modern feel possible, you don't need to switch to a new desktop environment. You just need to log out, on the login screen choose to change the icon from GNOME to GNOME Classic.

Unity

With the popularity of Ubuntu, Canonical encountered a big problem when not replacing GNOME 3.0. Instead, the company developed its own Unity interface, which has a dock on the left side of the screen and focuses more on search than GNOME. In Unity there is a feature called HUD (Heads Up Display), HUD can not only run the app but also allow you to search the menu bar by typing. If you want to navigate an application with the mouse, you can find it right at the top of the window.

In 2017, Canonical stopped supporting Unity and made GNOME the default desktop environment on Ubuntu again. However, UBPorts developers continue to work with Unity8, but nothing has appeared on Ubuntu except for the demo. As for Unity7, this is a popular software, was released with Ubuntu 20.04.

MATE

MATE is a continuation of the GNOME 2 series. Most MATE desktop defaults have two parts, above and below. You can run the application, open the file manager and install the system through the options on the left. System and cloud icons are on the right.

MATE requires a system much lower than modern versions of GNOME, so MATE will run smoother on older or low-profile devices. MATE can be installed on most Linux distributions.

Cinnamon

When GNOME 3.0 was released, the interface was not the only thing innovated. GTK 2 has given way to GTK 3. Cinnamon retains its traditional look while still applying the new GTK 3. Before becoming a separate desktop environment, Cinnamon was an extension of GNOME.

Cinnamon is probably the only version of Linux. Linux Mint created Cinnamon, so this desktop environment can be run on Ubuntu, Fedora or Arch Linux, etc.

Pantheon

Pantheon is the desktop environment that appeared on Elementary OS, first released in 2011. Pantheon's design focused on minimalism. Its interface has an application menu to open software, a dock to control running programs and system icons on the right corner. Like GNOME, it does not have a window minimize button, though zooming is still there.

You can find Pantheon on distributions like Fedora or Arch Linux.

summary

GNOME 3.0 has controversial designs. Microsoft's Windows, Apple's macOS, and Google's Chrome OS all have buttons to minimize and maximize the screen. They all have taskbar or dock. Not surprisingly, if people are used to these features.