https://github.com/inhishonor/awesome-linux-desktop
An awesome list of the best desktop environments for Linux.
https://github.com/inhishonor/awesome-linux-desktop
List: awesome-linux-desktop
awesome awesome-list awesome-lists desktop-environment linux
Last synced: 3 months ago
JSON representation
An awesome list of the best desktop environments for Linux.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/inhishonor/awesome-linux-desktop
- Owner: Inhishonor
- License: cc0-1.0
- Created: 2025-02-11T22:57:16.000Z (4 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-11T17:55:40.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-11T18:37:33.878Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: awesome, awesome-list, awesome-lists, desktop-environment, linux
- Homepage:
- Size: 41 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: contributing.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
- ultimate-awesome - awesome-linux-desktop - An awesome list of the best desktop environments for Linux. (Other Lists / Julia Lists)
README
# Awesome Linux Desktop [](https://awesome.re)
This aims to showcase the best desktop environments, configurations, and display managers for Linux. Please leave a ⭐ if you like this project!
**⚠️ Currently Under Construction, Contributions Welcome! Thanks!**
## Contents
* [Desktop Environments](#desktop-environments)
* [KDE Plasma](#kde-plasma)
* [GNOME](#gnome)
* [Cinnamon](#cinnamon)
* [Budgie](#budgie)
* [XFCE](#xfce)
* [LXQt](#lxqt)
* [Mate](#mate)
* [Deepin](#deepin)
* [Cosmic](#cosmic)
* [Window Managers](#window-managers)
* [i3](#i3)
* [Hyperland](#hyperland)
* [Wayfire](#wayfire)
* [Sway](#sway)
* [Display Managers](#display-managers)
* [GNOME Display Manager](#gnome-display-manager)
* [LightDM](#lightdm)
* [Display Servers](#display-servers)
* [Wayland](#wayland)
* [X11](#x11)
## Desktop Environments
### KDE Plasma
A feature-rich medium weight desktop environment developed by KDE. It is designed to be simple by default but to have many options for customization. It also comes up with KDE's suite of apps, such as Discover, Dolphin and KDE Connect.
* [Website](https://kde.org/plasma-desktop/)
* [Source Code](https://invent.kde.org/plasma)
* [Themes](https://store.kde.org/browse?cat=104&ord=latest)
### GNOME
A very popular desktop environment that is used as the default of many linux distributions. It is more of a heavy-weight desktop environemnt, and attempts to be an easy to use and elegant. It is designed to be simple, with many options avaliable through extensions.
* [Website](https://www.gnome.org/)
* [Source Code](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME)
* [Themes](https://www.gnome-look.org/browse/)
### Cinnamon
A medium weight desktop environment developed by the team behind Linux Mint. It is designed to be user-freindly above all else. It is designed with traditional computing in mind. It is a fork of GNOME 3.
* [Website](https://projects.linuxmint.com/cinnamon/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon)
* [Themes](https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/themes)
### Budgie
* [Website](https://buddiesofbudgie.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/BuddiesOfBudgie/budgie-desktop)
* [Themes](https://www.gnome-look.org/browse?cat=135&tag=budgie)
### XFCE
A desktop environment that aims to the lightest possible desktop environment for Linux. A main focus is making the desktop enviornment modular, and giving choice back to the user. Out of the box, it is very basic, to allow the user many customizations.
* [Website](https://www.xfce.org/)
* [Source Code](https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce)
* [Themes](https://www.xfce-look.org/browse?cat=138&ord=latest)
### LXQt
A lightweight Qt desktop environment. It is designed to be out of the user's way and focus on speed over looks. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel.
* [Website](https://lxqt-project.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/lxqt/lxqt)
* [Themes](https://www.opendesktop.org/browse?cat=446&ord=latest)
### Mate
A popular continuation of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.
* [Website](https://mate-desktop.com/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/mate-desktop)
* [Themes](https://www.mate-look.org/browse/)
### Deepin
A very visually-appealing desktop environment that was built for Deepin Linux.
* [Website](https://www.deepin.org/en/dde/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/linuxdeepin)
### Cosmic
**⚠️ Currently in Alpha, may have breaking changes.** An innovative Desktop Environment that it is being built by System 76 entierely in Rust. It is designed to be useful for all users, and utilize modularity in order to allow customization that suits all users.
* [Website](https://system76.com/cosmic/.)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/pop-os/cosmic-epoch)
## Window Managers
### i3
* [Website](https://i3wm.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/i3/i3)
### Hyperland
* [Website](https://hyprland.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/hyprwm/Hyprland)
### Wayfire
* [Website](https://wayfire.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/WayfireWM/wayfire)
### Sway
* [Website](https://swaywm.org/)
* [Source Code](https://github.com/swaywm/sway)
## Display Managers
### GNOME Display Manager
### LightDM
## Display Servers
### Wayland
* [Website](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/)
* [Source Code](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland)
### X11
* [Website](https://www.x.org/wiki/)
* [Source Code](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg)
## Contributing
Please see the [contributing.md](https://github.com/Inhishonor/awesome-desktop-environments/blob/main/contributing.md) for the contribution guidelines.