Know which are the 10 most popular desktop environments in Linux

Mar 17, 2022 · 10 min read

The 10 best desktop environments for Linux that you can have.

GNU/Linux is a fairly complete and complex operating system, it is not made up of one, but of several distributions and each one of them is different from the other.

One of the things that matter most when choosing a Linux distribution is the desktop environment to use. The performance you are going to have will depend a lot on this. Some desktop environments are lighter than others, so they can be easily used on low-resource computers.

On the other hand, others are much heavier but have a greater number of features. Surely you do not know which one to choose, but do not worry, since we are going to talk to you about the best desktop environments for 2022.

This is the list of the 10 best desktop environments in GNU Linux

Before starting to list the best desktop environments, it is important to mention that this list is made based on our criteria. That is, maybe for some people other environments are better or deserve to be higher on the list.

If you think a distro deserves to be higher or we're missing one that you think should be, feel free to share it in the comments.

1. KDE Plasma

KDE Plasma is a nice environment and very well optimized.

The Linux Plasma desktop environment from the KDE software community is one of the most customizable graphical desktop environments available today. Compared to other desktops, this one has a modern look and we could say quite similar to Windows.

This desktop includes several tools and features known as KDE applications. It contains several notable programs like the default and most advanced file manager, Dolphin, and the Okular document viewer.

With the latest version of Plasma 5.19, you can preview the image file directly from the KDE Konsole terminal by default. This feature-rich and powerful desktop environment hosts many desktop widgets. It gives users the freedom to add multiple panels on the desktop.

Jump Lists are another addition to the task manager that allows you to access the main options of a program by right-clicking on its launch icon.

KRunner is the launcher for this premium Linux desktop, which acts as a mini command line. In addition to opening and closing applications, you can also run shell commands using the launcher.

KDE Plasma comes as the default Linux desktop environment in various Linux distros like OpenSUSE and Manjaro KDE. Additionally, there is also an official flavor of Ubuntu with KDE called Kubuntu.

2. Cinnamon

This is the default environment of Linux Mint is extremely attractive.

Cinnamon is a fairly young desktop environment and, unlike other environments, it is not used in different distributions. This desktop environment was designed from Gnome by Linux Mint engineers for their operating system.

It is a fairly simple and polished system that moves in a fairly fluid manner. Although a few years ago, this was not exactly the most beautiful environment of all, today it has evolved a lot.

Such has been this evolution that it has become the favorite of many, not only because of its appearance but also because it has great stability. It has a moderate resource consumption, very similar to those of KDE Plasma.

It is not an ideal environment for low-resource computers, as there are better options, however, it will give you a very good experience on computers with at least 4 GB of RAM.

3. GNOME

GENOME is one of the most popular desktop environments and is used by many distributions.

GNOME is the initials of GNU Network Object Model Environment. This popular desktop environment is somewhat younger than KDE and is made up of only free and open-source software (FOSS).

It is designed to provide simplicity, ease of access, and reliability to users. These things have contributed to the popularity of GNOME and to placing it alongside KDE as the best desktop.

The GNOME Project develops GNOME and is based on the GTK+ toolset with a focus on productivity according to the GNOME Human Interface Guidelines. This customizable desktop environment uses the X Window System display server and supports the modern Wayland display protocol.

Like KDE, GNOME also includes a set of native GTK-based applications. The best part of GNOME is the extension that allows you to extend your desktop functionality to the next level.

With the latest version of GNOME 41, a lot of improvements have been added to make this system more and more stable and improve performance.

One of the reasons behind the popularity of GNOME is its choice in major Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, Manjaro, Red Hat, and Debian.

4. Matte

This is a pretty polished and straightforward desktop environment.

Mate is an environment that was born after the appearance of GNOME 3, and it is that users did not like the blush that this project had too much. That is why Mate is based on GNOME 2 and is a community-maintained version.

The main objective of this distribution is to have a much simpler, lighter, and more functional desktop. Aesthetically, you might think this desktop is a thing of the past, but it's a highly customizable and versatile environment.

One of the best things about this environment is that it can be quite light and on some distributions, it is very polished. It has very good stability and many users prefer it.

This desktop environment can be found in a large number of distributions, including Ubuntu Mate, Arch Linux, Fedora, Debian, or Manjaro.

5. XFCE

XFCE is a fairly lightweight and customizable desktop environment.

Xfce is another desktop environment that is especially aimed at machines with limited hardware resources. This lightweight desktop environment is designed according to the standards proposed by freedesktop.org. Adhering to its purpose, Xfce lacks animations and special effects. But it is still packed with all the necessary components and features one would expect from a popular lightweight desktop environment.

Although it consumes fewer system resources, it still has a graphical interface that is visually appealing and easy to use. Furthermore, Xfce also provides numerous applications and plugins that you can use to extend your desktop in any way you like.

In the app store, you will find everything you need to be able to carry out your daily activities. From office applications, design, development, and many other things.

6. LXDE

Another extremely light desktop, ideal for low-resource computers.

This is a fairly light desktop environment, probably the lightest of all the ones we will mention. It is primarily designed for computers with limited resources but can be installed on any computer.

It has a simple and polished interface, although this may vary depending on the distribution you choose. This desktop environment is also quite customizable and you can have a great user experience on almost any computer.

One of the greatest exponents of this environment is Lubuntu, a low-resource version of Ubuntu that consumes less than 500 MB of RAM.

Although it lacks many things to achieve a light and efficient environment, you should not be fooled. LXDE has everything necessary to be an option to consider.

7. Unity

Unity is one of the prettiest desktop environments, but it's quite heavy.

Unity is a very popular desktop environment and it is the one that comes with Ubuntu by default. This distribution has been using Unity since 2010 after it abandoned GNOME 3.

This is a pretty polished and nice interface that many people love. However, she also has a lot of people who hate her.

This has a very important negative aspect and that is that it is one of the heaviest, so it is something that you should take into account. If your computer is quite limited with resources, then it is recommended that you choose another desktop environment.

However, it should be noted that this environment is really beautiful and includes many interesting features. If you are one of those who are looking for a desktop in the purest MacOS style, this is an alternative to take into account.

It has a large number of tools that are responsible for making this desktop environment unique. If you have a computer with good resources, you can try this desktop environment that you will surely love.

8. deepin

Deepin is one of the most beautiful Linux environments, but it consumes a lot of resources.

If you are looking for an attractive desk, this is a very good alternative. Deepin is a really beautiful desktop environment that we could compare with MacOS. The name of this environment is usually known as DDE, which is the acronym for Deepin Desktop Environment.

This desktop is mainly available in the distribution of the developer company itself. However, this can also be found in other distributions such as Ubuntu DDE, Arch Linux, or Fedora.

This desktop environment is really beautiful and it is worth getting to know it since you are surely going to have a very good experience. However, you should know that you are going to need a fairly powerful computer since it has a fairly high resource consumption.

9. Pantheon

Pantheon is one of the most beautiful desktops and its resource consumption is moderate.

If you've ever heard of the Ubuntu-based elementary operating system, which is often called “the prettiest Linux distro,” you might be familiar with its default desktop environment, Pantheon.

Its core apps (written in Vala and C) are designed from the bottom up or find their roots in Gnome apps. Pantheon's design follows the philosophy of minimizing the need for the command line.

Just like the Deepin desktop, it is also considered a stylish and macOS-like desktop. The bottom of the desktop screen features a macOS-style dock where users can dock their favorite apps.

This is a desktop environment that has a medium resource consumption, although it has animations and elegant design, the development team has done a great job in optimization.

The plus point of elementaryOS is the low demand for hardware resources. If you want a lightweight desktop environment without compromising on looks, Pantheon might be a good choice.

10. Budgie

A very attractive and customizable desktop environment.

This desktop environment is the face of the Solus family maintained by the Solus Project. It is a very interesting distribution that can attract the attention of many.

However, this is not exactly a desktop environment for beginners. So, if you come from Windows or Mac, other environments can be much more friendly.

Budgie's USP is Raven, a combined area for notifications, widgets, and various customization options. It allows easy access to the calendar and different control options for volume, audio playback, power options, etc. Apart from Cinnamon, Budgie is another of the most popular desktop environments today.

Ubuntu Budgie is an official Ubuntu flavor that comes with the Budgie desktop by default. But like other desktop environments, not many major distributions support Budgie natively. So if you want a Budgie desktop, you should probably use Ubuntu Budgie or Solus OS.