A simple Bash script that lets you choose and install one of dozens of popular desktop environments or window managers on Debian, Ubuntu and related distributions.
| No | Name | Package | Description | System Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i3 | i3 | Tiling window manager, keyboard‐driven | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 2 | Awesome | awesome | Highly configurable tiling WM | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 3 | BSPWM | bspwm | Scriptable BSP tiling WM | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 4 | Openbox | openbox | Fast stacking window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 5 | Fluxbox | fluxbox | Lightweight stacking window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 6 | IceWM | icewm | Classic X11 window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 7 | WindowMaker | windowmaker | NeXTSTEP‐style window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 8 | Blackbox | blackbox | Minimalistic C++ window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 9 | JWM | jwm | Joe’s lightweight window manager | ≥256 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 10 | Xfce | task-xfce-desktop | Lightweight GTK2/3 desktop | ≥1 GB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 11 | LXDE | task-lxde-desktop | Ultra‐light GTK2 desktop | ≥512 MB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 12 | LXQt | task-lxqt-desktop | Lightweight Qt5 desktop | ≥1 GB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 13 | MATE | task-mate-desktop | Traditional GNOME2‐style desktop | ≥1.5 GB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 14 | GNOME Flashback | gnome-session-flashback | Fallback GNOME3 session | ≥1 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 15 | Pantheon | pantheon-shell | elementary OS UI | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 16 | Unity | ubuntu-unity-desktop | Classic Unity 7 desktop | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 17 | Sway | sway | Wayland tiling window manager | ≥1 GB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 18 | River | river | Minimal Wayland tiling WM | ≥512 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 19 | Lumina | lumina-desktop | Qt‐based modular UI | ≥512 MB RAM, minimal CPU |
| 20 | UKUI | ukui-desktop-environment | Ubuntu Kylin UI | ≥1 GB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 21 | GNOME | task-gnome-desktop | Full-featured modern GTK3/4 desktop | ≥4 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 22 | KDE Plasma | task-kde-desktop | Highly customizable Qt desktop | ≥3 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 23 | Cinnamon | cinnamon | Modern GNOME fork with effects | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 24 | Budgie | budgie-desktop | Elegant, Solus-based desktop | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 25 | Deepin | deepin-desktop-environment | Slick, eye-candy desktop | ≥3 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 26 | Enlightenment | enlightenment | Eye-candy lightweight window manager | ≥1 GB RAM, single‐core CPU |
| 27 | Kali XFCE | kali-desktop-xfce | Official pen-test distro (XFCE) | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 28 | Kali Full | kali-linux-full | Complete Kali penetration testing suite | ≥4 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 29 | Parrot Security | parrot-desktop | Debian-based security & pen-test desktop | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
| 30 | BackBox Linux | backbox-desktop | Ubuntu-based penetration testing desktop | ≥2 GB RAM, dual‐core CPU |
- A Debian-based system (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, etc.)
- Root (or sudo) privileges
- Internet connection to fetch packages
-
Copy or download the script:
wget https://example.com/install-gui.sh -O install-gui.sh chmod +x install-gui.sh
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Run the script as root:
sudo ./install-gui.sh
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Select the number corresponding to the desktop environment or window manager you want to install.
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Wait for the script to update apt and install the chosen meta-package.
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When complete, log out and choose your new session at the login screen.