Content
Introductory
XFCE is a lightweight, modular desktop environment developed for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Its purpose is to ensure fast and energy-saving operation, while remaining easily customizable and user-friendly. XFCE is an ideal choice for older machines or for those looking for a minimalist but fully featured desktop environment.
The XFCE project was started in 1996 by Olivier Fourdan. The name was originally an abbreviation of XForms Common Environment, which referred to the XForms library. However, XFCE has been transformed and is now based entirely on the Xfce Toolkit (GTK), which provides a modern and flexible foundation.
The importance of XFCE lies in the fact that it combines the advantages of lightness with the functionality of modern desktop environments. It is especially popular among those looking for a stable, highly configurable and low-resource desktop environment.
Installation and configuration
Installation of XFCE is available for several popular Linux distributions through the distribution's own package manager. Here are some examples of installation commands:
Ubuntu and Debian based systems:
sudo apt install xfce4
fedora:
sudo dnf install xfce4-session
Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S xfce4
These commands install the XFCE base packages, which include the basic elements of the desktop environment.
Basic settings and customization
After installing XFCE, we need to use "Settings Manager" under "Applications Menu" -> "Settings" for basic settings. Here you can choose from a number of modules to customize your desktop environment, including:
- appearance: Here you can change the theme, icon pack and font settings.
- Window manager: Fine-tuning window decorations and behavior.
- Panel: Add, remove and configure panel elements.
- Table: Manage desktop wallpaper, icons, and other desktop settings.
These settings allow us to customize the user interface according to our own preferences.
Elements of the User Interface
Panels
XFCE's panels are highly customizable and modular. In the default setting, there are two main panels: one at the top of the screen, which contains the menu launch button, desktop toggle buttons, notification icons and the clock, so the usual taskbar elements; the other panel is located at the bottom of the desktop, where the desktop icon, terminal, file manager, web browser and other quick launch icons are located. Both panels are customizable Applications -> Settings -> Panel menu, where you can add or remove applets, or modify the size, position and behavior of the panel.
Menu system
The default menu system of XFCE is a simple, efficient and easy-to-use menu:
Whisker Menu
Many users, on the other hand, choose to install the whisker menu, which is a modern, search-based app launcher that extends functionality. To install Whisker Menu, we need to run the following commands:
Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin
fedora:
sudo dnf install xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin
ArchLinux:
sudo pacman -S xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin
Follow the steps below to activate the menu.
Enter the Panel settings window already shown above Applications -> Settings -> Panel using the menu.
Here we go Eliminate tab:
Click here addition button. A list of all applications will then appear. Here, scroll down to the bottom, where you will find the Whisker Menu option:
Then click the add button. In this case, apparently nothing happens in the window, because we can add any number of copies, but the menu button appears at the end of the row on our top tray (or on the bottom panel, if we just added it to that).
Then close this list window, and in the Panel settings window that is open below it, "push" the newly inserted element upwards with the small up arrow until it is in the right place for us. In the picture, I set it to the first place:
Then, if we no longer need the original menu, we can remove it from the list:
Of course, the menu can be selected again later, it will only be removed from this list or from the panel.
After we are done with the settings and the old Applications menu opening widget has also been removed, then the appearance of the Whisker menu looks like this:
The Whisker Menu is a much more efficient and feature-rich menu system than the default one.
You can even fine-tune the appearance of the menu panel: for this, right-click on the Whisker Menu launcher icon and select Properties option. The settings panel of the Whisker Menu will then open:
Here we get a lot of setting options. For example, if we want to set the category buttons on the left side and the elements in it on the right side, click on Appearance tab, then check the "Place categories next to the panel button" option there:
After that, we can see the categories and their elements in a more logical order:
Of course, there are many more settings here, but an overview of them is beyond the scope of this topic, so we will now continue with the other elements of the desktop environment.
In the meantime, I changed the panels, because I'm more used to having the tray at the bottom, and put the 2nd launch panel on top:
So, we continue here with this arrangement.
Management of virtual desktops
XFCE allows you to use multiple desktops, which helps you organize your tasks better. By default, 4 work tables are set, which can be seen on the right side of the tray (the tray is just below the table in the picture) with the help of the darker gray thumbnails, which you can use to switch between them.
To configure the desktops, enter the Main menu -> Settings -> Workspaces to the menu item. If you use the Whisker Menu, if you start typing "workspaces" into the search engine, it will narrow down the results and come up sooner.
So here we can set everything related to workspaces or virtual desktops:
Here you can set the number of workspaces, and on the Margins tab, the margin zones of the workspaces where no windows can appear.
As mentioned at the beginning of the description, XFCE is a lightweight desktop environment, in this area it does not have a lot of settings, but it contains the necessary settings that are needed to use virtual desktops.
Window manager
Xfwm (Xfce Window Manager) is the default window manager for the XFCE desktop environment, responsible for managing, positioning, and decorating windows. Xfwm is a lightweight yet feature-rich window manager that provides optimal performance without demanding too many resources.
An important feature of Xfwm is the management of window decorations, including window labels, borders, and buttons (minimize, maximize, close). The appearance of the windows can be customized using different themes that can change the visual style of the windows. There is a wide variety of themes created and maintained by the XFCE community that you can easily download and install.
Xfwm supports compositing, which allows you to use transparency, shadows, and other graphical effects to display windows. Compositing improves the visual experience, especially when using modern hardware. However, Xfwm provides an option to turn off compositing, which can be useful for older or lower performance hardware.
Applications and integration
XFCE's default applications
The XFCE environment provides a number of essential applications that help the user perform everyday tasks without the need to install third-party software. These include, for example:
Thunar
Thunar is the default file manager for XFCE, characterized by a user-friendly interface and customization.
Mousepad
Mousepad is a simple text editor that is fast and easy to use, ideal for taking notes and editing simple text files.
xfce4-terminal
A terminal emulator for XFCE that supports tabs, customizable looks and settings.
Parole Media Player
Parole Media Player is a simple media player that supports the most common media formats and allows you to create playlists.
Ristretto
Ristretto is an image viewer that manages image files quickly and efficiently in the XFCE desktop environment.
These applications are integrated into XFCE by default, so users can get started seamlessly in the new desktop environment.
Install additional applications
Although XFCE provides many basic functions, many users want to expand the capabilities of the system by installing additional applications. Applications can be installed through the package manager of the given Linux distribution. For example:
- Using the software center (Ubuntu Software Center, Fedora Software, etc.)
- Installation from the command line, using the apt, dnf, or pacman commands.
One of the main advantages of XFCE is that it is extremely lightweight, so it uses less resource-intensive applications. While other desktop environments such as GNOME or KDE offer their own integrated applications, XFCE allows users to choose lightweight alternatives that do not overload the system.
Customization and Extensibility
The XFCE desktop environment stands out for its customization and extensibility. Users are given many options to customize the user interface and add additional features to further increase their productivity and improve the user experience.
Desktop Environment allows users to easily change the look of their desktop environment using themes and icon packs. Themes change the color of the interface, window decorations, and the style of controls, while icon packs update the icons of application icons and file systems.
- Themes can often be installed via the distribution's package manager or downloaded directly from the theme's official website.
- Appearance customization is available through the "Appearance" settings, where you can select a new theme or icon pack.
XFCE's panels can be extended with additional applets and plugins that add extra functionality to the user interface. For example:
- Weather forecast: Displays current weather conditions and forecasts.
- System monitor: Tracks system resource usage like CPU and RAM usage.
- Network monitor: Provides information about network activity and speed.
These plugins can be installed through the package manager and then added in the panel settings.
For advanced users, XFCE offers many advanced settings such as:
- Window manager settings: The behavior and appearance of the windows can be further refined.
- Keyboard shortcuts: You can assign your own key combinations to frequently used functions.
- Desktop widgets: Possibility to add desktop elements such as clocks, calendars or to-do lists.
With the help of these customization options, users can fully customize the desktop environment to their own needs, thereby increasing its functionality and efficiency.
Future Developments and Community
XFCE developers are constantly working on improving the desktop environment to make it even more stable and user-friendly. Developments often include new features, fixes, and performance optimizations designed to improve the speed and usability of the desktop environment. To follow updates, visit the project's official website and view the release notes.
We ourselves can actively participate in the XFCE community in several ways. We have the option to submit bug tickets if we find an error or help with translation if we speak multiple languages. By participating in community forums, we can ask for or give advice and help other users. If we have development skills, we can even contribute directly to the code. With these activities, we not only help the XFCE project, but also gain a deeper insight into the workings of the desktop environment and develop our own technical skills. The XFCE community is friendly and supportive, so feel free to get involved and participate in the development of the project!
Summary
XFCE is a lightweight, modular desktop environment specifically designed to be resource-efficient while providing users with a high level of customization and functionality. Basically, it stands for XForms Common Environment, which refers to the original objectives: to provide an efficient and easy-to-use interface for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. XFCE's philosophy is "speed without slowness", which means it offers fast operation without overloading the system.
XFCE features include a customizable panel that supports the integration of various widgets and app launchers, and the Whisker menu, which provides a modern and easy-to-navigate app launcher interface. Other elements of the desktop environment include the Thunar file manager, known for its user-friendly interface and fast operation, and the xfwm4 window manager, which offers efficient window management and excellent customization. XFCE supports the use of multiple workspaces and offers many graphical tools to customize the desktop background, icons and other elements of the interface.
In order to minimize power consumption and optimal use of system resources, XFCE is a particularly popular choice for older machines or less powerful hardware.
Overall, XFCE is an ideal solution for those looking for a stable, customizable and lightweight desktop environment that can meet the needs of modern users without compromising on performance.
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