The two most popular desktop environments in Linux are arguably KDE and Gnome. But which one suits your needs and which one should you choose?
Although there are quite a few desktop environments in Linux with some being particularly lightweight, such as LXDE or XFCE, the scepters are held by the two most famous, the KDE and Gnome and not necessarily in that order.
Both provide beautiful and rich programs that allow you to get the most out of your machine. Many Linux distributions give you the option for both (such as Debian), and you can choose which to use during the initial installation phase.
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What are desktop environments?
For the novice users let us explain that a desktop environment is a graphical user interface (GUI) that sits on top of the Linux kernel.
It includes elements such as a taskbar, windows, start menu, etc., as well as overall workflow management.
Linux can work well without a desktop as it has a “Terminal” application that accepts and executes written commands. But in the age of windows and sophisticated graphics, a graphical environment is clearly easier to use, especially on home computers.
But what are the differences between KDE and Gnome and which one is right for you? Let's do an analysis.
Appearance
If we are talking about a home computer then we start with the most basic. How the screen will look on a desktop. An unattractive environment can prevent you from doing the tasks you need to do, while a pleasant one can inspire you to do even more.
In terms of appearance, KDE Plasma provides in our opinion a sleeker and more detailed desktop compared to Gnome. For example, the taskbar in KDE comes with a small docklet where background programs can notify you without breaking its aesthetics.
This is an aesthetic similar to modern Windows systems, and this approach allows KDE Plasma to create user interface elements that are both elegant and information-rich.
On the other hand, Gnome approaches aesthetics through the lens of simplicity and accessibility. Just like with macOS systems, it does this by presenting intuitive user interface elements with little to no additional detail.
As a result, Gnome often looks cleaner compared to KDE. Although this makes Gnome easier to use for beginners, some experienced users may find it "too simple".
In conclusion, KDE Plasma is a great choice if you are looking for a beautiful desktop that is similar to modern Windows systems and at the same time extremely user-friendly.
Meanwhile, Gnome is a good choice for users who want a desktop that is extremely affordable and user-friendly with a focus on simplicity, something like macOS.
Completeness of applications
Applications are the lifeblood of any desktop environment. They allow you to have full management of your machine but also to explore new and innovative ways of using it.
Both KDE Plasma and Gnome provide a handy App Store where you can search for third-party programs from your distribution's repository. However, KDE Plasma extends this basic feature by integrating its desktop store.
Because of this, it is much easier to install any utility in KDE Plasma since you can search for it immediately without opening the system app store.
For example, typing “chrome” in the KDE Plasma search bar automatically brings up the KDE Store with any utilities that match that query.
Not that you can't find Chrome from Gnome as well, but you'll need a few more clicks.
In conclusion, however, in terms of the completeness of applications, both are equal, with KDE having easier management.
Utilities
The utilities that come built into your desktop often dictate what kind of work you can do with your computer. To that end, both KDE Plasma and Gnome come with everything you need for basic computing tasks.
These include powerful document readers like Okular, as well as media players and web browsers. In addition to this, KDE Plasma also includes additional third-party programs such as LibreOffice as part of its default installation.
Of course there is no problem to install libreOffice on Gnome as well, but this means that as a novice user it is easier to start using KDE as a desktop compared to Gnome.
In conclusion, KDE Plasma is the best choice if you are looking for a desktop with a large library of applications already available out of the box. Gnome is a good choice for users who want to be flexible with what kind of programs they install on their computers, or who prefer a lighter distribution.
That is, if you are interested in having a computer that will do a specific job, for example an ftp server, then you clearly do not care about having LibreOffice pre-installed.
Ease of use
Another important element for a work environment is its ease of use. While Gnome arguably excels over KDE as it focuses more on ease of use.
Every part of Gnome ensures that any action you take is intuitive and self-explanatory. A good example of this is Gnome's file manager. By default, the program will only present features directly related to file and directory manipulation.
Unlike Gnome, Plasma emphasizes the abundance of user options. This means that most of the UI components and utilities that come with KDE Plasma will always give you every possible option right away. For example, KDE's file manager automatically displays your system's free disk space as well as a zoom slider for file thumbnails.
In conclusion, Gnome is the best choice if you want a desktop that prioritizes ease of use and intuitive user interface elements. KDE Plasma can be a great choice for users looking for a more detailed and "choice-oriented" environment.
Ease of customization
Both KDE Plasma and Gnome provide a standard set of customization options, such as the ability to change the desktop wallpaper and theme. However, each has a different adaptability.
One unique feature of KDE Plasma that you won't find in the others is custom widgets. These are always-on widgets that can provide additional information right on your desktop. For example, you can add an analog clock widget as well as a comic widget that can display a variety of websites specializing in comics.
Instead, Gnome only offers a shell extensions site where users can create and submit utilities that extend Gnome's core feature set.
Although not as powerful as the KDE Plasma widgets, you can install custom features such as new menus, workspaces, and various system functions.
From its large theme library to powerful third-party widgets, KDE Plasma is the clear choice if you want a fully customizable desktop. Gnome is a good alternative if you want to install small tweaks and features to your desktop.
Community
The KDE community is huge and active with a reputation for innovation and continuous development. This team is particularly known for their commitment to desktop environments that push boundaries and bring something new.
They have a lot of documentation, tutorials, forums, etc. on the web, which can be used for troubleshooting, as well as tips for customization or getting more out of KDE.
On the other hand, GNOME also has a large and active community that contributes to the development and maintenance of GNOME Shell along with its applications. The main focus behind this project is to create an environment where everything looks clean and user-friendly so that people find it easy to use.
If you need help or want to learn more about anything related to GNOME, there are many support resources such as full documentation or even just browsing some forums will give you a good insight into what's going on in the GNOME world.
Resource consumption
Another key consideration when choosing a desktop environment is the amount of resources it consumes when idle. This is because a busy desktop can slow down other programs running on your computer.
After all, you chose Linux because one of the reasons was that you didn't want heavy Windows. We agree that resource consumption also has to do with how many services you have enabled, but let's assume you have both environments with the same services or if you want just installed without any plugins.
While both environments take up more or less the same amount of idle memory, Gnome takes the lead due to lower CPU usage. This makes it a good choice if you are looking for a "laptop friendly" environment. KDE's higher CPU requirement means it is more suitable for desktop computers.
To test this, I ran both KDE Plasma and Gnome on a Debian 12 build in virtualbox giving both 2 virtual cores and 2GB of RAM each.
At idle, KDE Plasma needs about 1016 MB of system memory. It also uses about 15-20% of both CPU cores without widgets.
On the other hand, Gnome wants 1100MB of system memory, while only taking about 3-6% on both CPU cores.
Performance and responsiveness
How a desktop environment responds to your actions can either make or break your experience when using it. A slow desktop will make even simple tasks frustrating and annoying.
In this regard, both KDE Plasma and Gnome were able to load within 4-5 seconds on an initial boot. In addition, both environments are also fast enough to respond when you first connect to their desktop computers.
However, one of the biggest disadvantages of Gnome is its slowness with long-term use. While it takes a similar startup time to KDE Plasma, it will get progressively slower the more you use it. You'll know this after about four to six hours of continuous use.
KDE Plasma outperforms Gnome in terms of performance and responsiveness. This is because it is more consistent in large demands.
Which desktop environment to choose
What is KDE?
For Linux desktops, the open source KDE (K Desktop Environment) project offers a powerful graphical user interface (GUI). The fact that themes, layouts, and even the behavior of the program can be customized makes it ideal for people who enjoy personalization. Due to its many features, vibrant developer community, and inventive nature, KDE is very popular with distributions like Kubuntu.
What is Gnome?
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment), on the other hand, is a free software characterized by its simplicity and attractiveness. The developers tried to pay attention to details such as font rendering or icon design. Unlike KDE which allows endless customization options for power users or enthusiasts, GNOME goes for simplicity.
That's why the Gnome shell offers a minimal but sufficient number of extensions that improve the basic functionality. By default Ubuntu uses Unity, but it has also adopted Gnome since version 18.04 LTS.
Ultimately, choosing between KDE Plasma and Gnome is a matter of personal choice. Each environment has pros and cons, stands out in its strengths and falls short in certain features.
We would suggest that:
Use KDE for
- When you are already familiar with the Windows desktop.
- When you need a fast and responsive GUI.
- When you want to use KDE-specific widgets and tools for system management.
Use Gnome for
- When looking for a macOS alternative to Linux.
- When you want an easy-to-learn environment for novice computer users.
- When you want an environment that is light or suitable for weaker material.
Choosing between KDE and Gnome for your distro is just the first step to diving deep into the Linux ecosystem.