Category:Desktop environment: Difference between revisions

Linux desktop environments are a GUI for a PC, manage windows, edit settings and have default applications.

Contrary to other Linux distributions it is very easy to install and change desktop environments in NixOS. For the default settings its only needed to use a few lines of code. It will install the desktop environment with all default applications:

services.xserver.enable = true;
services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;
services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;

Changing the desktopManager and selecting a suitable displayManager is required to change the desktop environment (and a reboot). Only some desktop environments require more configuration options than the default environment. Because of the way NixOS works, the system will not become bloated when experimenting with different desktop environments: The default applications of a desktop environment are only available when it is active.