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Today, in this article, we show How to Customize the Linux Desktop. Linux is closely modeled on UNIX, another widely used multi-user operating system. It is the main operating system used in servers, supercomputers and mainframes around the world. It is less common on desktop computers, but its popularity in this area has increased significantly in recent years.
Linux is an open source technology, which means it was created by developers who make the original source code freely available for distribution and modification. The software itself is an operating system, like Windows or Apple OS for Mac computers. It was created in 1991 by Finnish student and developer Linus Torvalds, whose goal was to develop a free operating system core for personal computers. He managed to do that, and that kernel has grown, modified and added over the years and used by thousands around the world.
When you decide to use Linux, whether on a desktop computer or on a larger system like a server, you often have to choose what is called a Linux distribution. Linux distributions are operating systems based on a combination of the Linux kernel and a package management system. Some of the most well-known examples of distributions are Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora and openSUSE. Using one of these or any of the many other distributions simplifies the Linux deployment process as you can save yourself the step of assembling and configuring all the necessary components. Below are the steps in Customize the Linux Desktop.
Customize the Linux Desktop
Tune Linux Desktop Utilities
Change the look and feel of your Linux desktop by changing the main desktop utilities. There are several such applications, but we will look at the three most common ones: the file manager, the window manager, and the sidebar or control panel.
File manager
Window Manager
It is also possible to change windows in your Linux distribution. Positioning and appearance can be customized with a new window manager. Choose from Compiz, Metacity, Kwin, Mother and many others.
Dock
While a new window manager lets you tweak your panel, you can also try a macOS-style dock. This can be implemented using Plank (this comes with several dock themes) or Cairo-Dock (aka Glx-Dock).
Change the desktop theme
Other changes can be made on your Linux desktop. One of the built-in options is to change the desktop theme. For example, you can easily change your desktop background or wallpaper. On Ubuntu, you use the “Appearance” setting to do this. After that, you can also change the icons and fonts.
However, that the way you change your desktop can affect your mood and, consequently, your productivity. While a bright desktop theme can put you in a good mood, darker themes are better suited for gaming PCs.
Install new icons and fonts
Many replacement icon packs are available for Linux, usually themed to give a specific feel. For example, if you want to replicate the feel of Android Material Design, you can insert similar “flat” icons like the Luv icon theme.
Finding the right icon pack can take some time. Often times, the first icon pack you come across doesn’t quite fit your planned desktop theme, despite looking amazing on its own. Get it right, though, and you’ve got a stunning new look for your Linux desktop.
How to Add new fonts to Linux
Step 1: If you’re changing the way your PC looks, switching to a new font is a good idea. But it doesn’t always work. A new desktop font should be clear, subtle, and barely noticeable. Flashy fonts often leave you with an ugly, overcrowded desktop.
Step 2: You can find new fonts online at sites like fontsquirrel.com, a free and open source font library. Wherever you go, be sure to download your fonts to the /.fonts/ directory, which you should create in your Home directory.
Step 3: After extracting the TTF file to the /.fonts/ directory, you can select the new font by right-clicking on the desktop. Select Change Desktop Background > Fonts and choose the new font from the drop-down menu and click Close to confirm.
Reskin your desktop with Conky
Although Conky is ostensibly a system monitoring program, it also supports a number of awesome themes and widgets. This lets you transform your desktop by adding awesome new elements for a truly personalized Linux environment.
Step 1: Installation is simple. Just open a Terminal and type:
sudo apt updatesudo apt install conky-all
Step 2: To run Conky, enter the command:
conky
Step 3: This will reveal the plain, “naked” version of Conky, which you can remake to beautify your desktop. By editing the ~/.conkyrc file, you will end up up with awesome desktop elements like this clock:
Replace your desktop environment
If Conky doesn’t bring you the fresh look you need, it’s probably time to install a new desktop environment. There are many of them, but you may have problems with some of them; not all are compatible with all versions of Linux.
The solution isn’t as daunting as you might think. There was a time when moving to a new desktop environment was fraught with difficulties; today is much easier. As long as there’s a desktop version for your distribution, you shouldn’t have any problems. Please note that you need to do a web search to find out the specific details of each desktop environment
Final Words
We hope you like our article on How to Customize the Linux Desktop. Like Windows and MacOS, Linux is an open source operating system. Currently, it is used as a platform to operate desktops, servers and embedded systems, so it is not restricted to the operating system alone. Being open source and having a modular design, it offers a variety of distributions and customizations. A crucial component of the Linux system is the kernel.