If you are using Ubuntu and want to know which window manager and desktop environment you are running, you can follow these simple steps.
This guide will help you understand the differences between a window manager and a desktop environment and show you how to identify them on your system.
Understanding Window Managers and Desktop Environments
Window Manager: A window manager controls the placement and appearance of windows within a graphical user interface. It decides how windows look, how they behave when you move or resize them, and manages window borders, title bars, and more.
Desktop Environment: A desktop environment is a more comprehensive suite that includes a window manager, along with a set of integrated applications and utilities that provide a cohesive user experience. It includes things like file managers, system settings tools, panels, and more.
Popular desktop environments on Ubuntu include GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, and LXDE. Each of these environments has its own default window manager, but it can sometimes be changed.
How to Find Which Desktop Environment is Running on Ubuntu
To determine which Window Manager and Desktop Environment is running on Ubuntu, you need to the following command.
echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
The above command will output the name of your current desktop environment. For example, it might return GNOME, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, or another environment name.
How to Find Which Window Manager is Running on Ubuntu
To find out which window manager you are using, you can use one of the following commands depending on your desktop environment.
For GNOME
To determine the currently running window manager on Ubuntu, you need to use the wmctrl utility, which is often installed by default on GNOME. If it is not installed, you can install it using apt command as shown.
sudo apt install wmctrl
Once installed, run the following command, which will output a line starting with Name:, which shows the window manager in use.
wmctrl -m
For KDE Plasma
Run the following command, which will output information about the KWin window manager used by KDE Plasma.
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin supportInformation | grep "Name:"
For XFCE
Run the following command, which will output information about the XFWM window manager used by XFCE.
xfwm4 --version
For LXDE
Run the following command, which will output information about the Openbox window manager used by LXDE.
openbox --version
If these commands do not work, you may need to install the required utilities.
Checking System Information Tools
Many desktop environments have graphical tools that display system information, including the desktop environment and window manager.
Here’s how to find this information:
- GNOME: Go to Settings -> Details or About.
- KDE Plasma: Open Info Center from the application menu.
- XFCE: Go to Settings -> System -> About Me or System Info.
- LXDE: Check Menu -> Accessories -> LXTerminal and run system info commands as described above.
The other system monitor tools such as htop or System Monitor can sometimes show the running processes, which can give clues about the window manager.
For example, in htop, you might see processes like gnome-shell, kwin_x11, xfwm4, or openbox, indicating the window manager in use.
Conclusion
Determining which window manager and desktop environment you are using on Ubuntu is straightforward if you know the right commands and tools.
By using terminal commands and checking system settings, you can easily identify both the window manager and desktop environment, helping you understand your system better and troubleshoot any issues more effectively.
