Using Ubuntu on a computer with insufficient RAM or an outdated processor It can be a minor drama: you open four browser tabs and the system is already struggling. The good news is that you're not stuck with a resource-intensive desktop; in Linux, you can set up a much lighter graphical environment tailored to your hardware without sacrificing ease of use.
In this guide we will see, in great detail, How to set up a lightweight desktop environment on Ubuntu distributions (and Debian-based derivatives) using desktops like LXDE, LXQt, or Xfce, as well as other alternatives. You'll also see how to find out which desktop you're using, how to customize it, how to create your own environment from scratch by combining individual components, and which desktop best suits your needs.
What is a desktop environment and why does it matter in Ubuntu?
In Linux, the desktop environment is the set of panels, menus, backgrounds, icons and small utilities that make up the visual experience you see when you log in: the taskbar, the notification area, the application menu, the shutdown dialogs, etc.
They also rely on that graphic basis Keyboard shortcuts for switching windows, screensavers, tray applets (network, battery, and volume icons) and much of the system's visual configuration. The desktop environment, in turn, relies on a window manager (which draws title bars, borders, and allows windows to be moved/resized) and the X Window System (or Wayland in more modern environments).
For many years, work on PCs was done almost exclusively in text mode with command lineGraphical interfaces arrived to simplify life for the average user: dragging files with the mouse, opening context menus, changing wallpapers… The same thing happened in Linux, and today we have a huge number of desktops to choose from.
That variety is an advantage (there's something for every taste and hardware), but also a problem: Not all users know which desktop environment they are using. in your Ubuntu system, or which one is best suited for a computer with 4 GB of RAM or less. Choosing the right one is key if you want a smooth system, especially for remote desktops or machines with limited resources.
How to find out which desktop environment you're using now
Before changing anything, it's a good idea to know which desktop environment you have installed on your Ubuntu system. There are several easy ways to find out. identify the current desktop environment without overcomplicating things.
The most direct way is to check the environment variable XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP From a terminal. Open a console and type:
echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
This command returns a string with the name of the current desktop, like GNOME, KDE, XFCE, LXQt, Unity or similar. It's the quickest and clearest way to resolve any doubts, and it usually works on virtually all modern distributions.
Another option is to list the graphical session binaries installed on the system, which usually end in -sessionTo do this, run:
ls /usr/bin/*-session
In that list you'll see executables like gnome-session, startkde, startlxqt, xfce4-sessionetc. It doesn't tell you which one you have active at that moment, but it does tell you which desktops are available on your computer.
If you prefer something more visual, you can install utilities like neofetchwhich show at a glance the desktop, distribution, kernel, and other system data. And finally, you can always go to the section on “About” or “System Information” within the graphical configuration, although the exact location of that panel changes depending on the distro and desktop, which sometimes makes it difficult to locate.
Lightweight and heavyweight desktops in Ubuntu: an overview
In the Linux ecosystem we find from complete and attractive desks, but energy guzzlers even spartan environments that run smoothly on computers over a decade old. Understanding this difference will help you choose what to install on your Ubuntu system.
The great classics are GNOME and KDE Plasmawhich offer a highly polished, modern, and feature-rich experience. At the other end of the spectrum, you have options like LXDE, LXQt, Xfce, Fluxbox or very minimalist environments that prioritize performance over visual effects.
In between, proposals such as Mate, Cinnamon, Budgie, Unity or PantheonThese distributions combine a good appearance with moderate resource consumption. All of them can be installed on Ubuntu using the official repositories, or by using derivative flavors such as Xubuntu (Xfce) or Lubuntu (LXQt).
Another important point is that, even if you change your desktop, You can continue using virtually all the apps The usual suspects: Firefox, LibreOffice, messaging clients, Wine, etc. The desktop environment defines the system's "skin," not the apps you can run.
And if none of those options quite convince you, you can always take it a step further and set up your own custom desktop environmentCombining a window manager, panel, file manager, and lightweight utilities. We'll look at it later, because it's a powerful way to get the most out of computers with limited resources.
Installing lightweight desktops on Ubuntu: LXDE, Xfce, and LXQt
If your goal is for Ubuntu to run as smoothly as possible on a machine with 4 GB of RAM or lessThe three key names are LXDE, Xfce, and LXQt. Let's see how to install them and what each one offers.
Installing the LXDE desktop on Ubuntu
LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is a desktop Very fast, quiet, and with minimal memory usageIt is designed for PCs that are a few years old, where GNOME or KDE feel too heavy.
Before installing it, it is recommended to update the package list and the entire system from the terminal:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Once your system is up to date, install LXDE with:
sudo apt install lxde
The system will show you a good number of new packages: libraries, panel, file manager, terminal, etc. That's normal; you're installing a whole desktop environment. During the process, at some point it will ask you to choose one. session manager (display manager), usually between gdm3, lightdm or something similar; you can keep the current one or switch if you want something lighter like lightdm.
Once the installation is complete, simply Log out of current sessionReturn to the login screen and, in the desktop selector (usually an icon next to the password field), choose LXDE. From there, you'll notice a simple environment, with a classic menu, bottom panel, and applications like PCManFM, LXTerminal, LXPanel and company.
Install the Xfce desktop environment on Ubuntu
Xfce is probably the most popular lightweight desktop In the Linux world, it strikes a great balance between resource consumption, aesthetics, and functionality. It's the foundation of Xubuntu, one of the official Ubuntu variants.
Following the same logic as before, update repositories and system before installing it:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
To add Xfce to your Ubuntu installation, you have two options: install only the desktop environment or use the Xubuntu metapackage for a more complete system. The usual and simplest option for a "Xubuntu-style" desktop is:
sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop
This metapackage will install Xfce along with themes, backgrounds, pre-configured applications and other details characteristic of Xubuntu. You will also be asked to select the session manager if several are available; you can stick with the one you currently use or opt for lightdm, which usually works very well with Xfce.
When the installation is complete, log out and on the login screen choose Xfce or Xubuntu in the session selector. You'll see a desktop with a panel, application menu, notification area, and file manager. Thunar, which consumes few resources and is very easy to use.
Install LXQt from Ubuntu (Lubuntu)
LXQt is, so to speak, the modern heir and in Qt of LXDEBoth projects share a creator (Hong Jen Yee), and although LXDE hasn't disappeared, attention has shifted towards LXQt, to the point that Lubuntu abandoned LXDE to switch to LXQt It's been several versions already.
To easily install LXQt on Ubuntu, the most straightforward method is to use the Lubuntu metapackage, which leaves your system virtually as if you had installed Lubuntu from scratch, but on top of your existing Ubuntu. First, again, update your system:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Then install the Lubuntu LXQt desktop environment with:
sudo apt install lubuntu-desktop
The process will be similar to the other environments: you will download numerous packages, be asked to choose a session manager, and once finished, you will be able to Log out and choose LXQt/Lubuntu On the login screen, you'll find a very lightweight desktop, with a panel, a Lubuntu-style menu, and a file manager. pcmanfm-qt and a set of utilities designed to consume very little.
Update LXQt to newer versions using the Backports repository
If you're hooked on LXQt and want to own its newer versions without waiting for the next Ubuntu cycleYou can use the Lubuntu Backports repository, similar to KDE backports in Kubuntu.
The concept of a backport consists of to bring new and stable versions of software to a previously released distribution version, without waiting for the next edition of the distro. Lubuntu maintains a PPA where it uploads recent versions of LXQt as soon as they are released.
To add this repository, open a terminal and run:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lubuntu-dev/backports-staging
After adding it, it is recommended to return to the LXQt installation steps (update and install or reinstall the Lubuntu packages) so that it Update the desktop to the Backports versionPlease note that, although the versions that arrive at this PPA are stable, Installing such recent software may introduce some bugs. that hasn't yet been fixed in later versions. If you prefer maximum stability, it might be worth sticking with the version of LXQt that comes directly with your Ubuntu version, even if it means waiting several months for new features.
Other desktop environments you can use on Ubuntu
Beyond the classic trio of LXDE-Xfce-LXQt, Ubuntu lets you install a large number of alternative desktop environments, each with their priorities in consumption, aesthetics and personalizationFor many users, switching desktop environments is more effective than tweaking a thousand performance options.
GNOME: simple and widespread (but resource-intensive)
GNOME is one of the two major desktop projects in Linux and is the Ubuntu's default environment in its main editions. It focuses on simplicity and a clean interface, with extensions that greatly enhance its capabilities.
It's ideal for those new to Linux, partly due to its integration with the GNU project and the amount of documentation and extensions available. A typical way to install the full GNOME suite on Ubuntu is:
sudo apt install tasksel
sudo tasksel install ubuntu-desktop
Its biggest weakness is that consumes a lot of resourcesEspecially compared to LXDE, LXQt, or Xfce. On systems with 4 GB of RAM, you'll notice that when you open just a few browser tabs, the free space is significantly reduced, forcing you to use swap or zram to keep things running smoothly.
KDE Plasma: very complete and surprisingly efficient
KDE Plasma is the other giant of the Linux world: a desktop extremely configurable, modern and powerfulAlthough many people perceive it as heavy, in current versions it has been greatly refined and can be very light if you don't go crazy with the effects.
To install the Kubuntu experience (Ubuntu with Plasma) you can use:
sudo apt install -y kubuntu-desktop
You'll get the complete environment, with Dolphin as your file manager, KWin as your window manager, and a collection of well-integrated KDE applications. However, so many components add complexity, and for systems with very limited resources, It's not the first recommendationespecially if you're looking for something more minimalist.
Mate: successor to GNOME 2, ideal for modest computers
Mate was born as a continuation of GNOME 2 with its classic styleBut it has its own personality. It's easy to use, comes with plenty of built-in applications, and performs very well on somewhat limited hardware.
It includes its own terminal, the Pluma text editor, the Caja file manager, and several configurable panels. It's a popular option on devices with Raspberry Pi and equipment that needs a fluid but complete graphical interface.
To install Mate on Ubuntu:
sudo apt install mate-core
Cinnamon: highly customizable and with a classic feel
Cinnamon, developed by the team of Linux MintIt is a desktop environment derived from GNOME that maintains a traditional desktop layout (panel, menu, system tray) with a high degree of customization.
Use the MDM display manager, the file manager Nemo and the Muffin window manager. It integrates utilities like Blueberry for easy Bluetooth management. It's perfect if you're coming from Windows and want something familiar but more configurable.
To install Cinnamon on Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install cinnamon
Xfce as a lightweight alternative desktop
If you don't want to install the full Xubuntu metapackage, you can also opt for a Xfce more “pure” and minimalist installing only the base environment:
sudo apt install xfce4
You'll get a modern desk, with Xfwm as a window manager And Thunar as the file manager, without so much pre-installed extra software. It's ideal for older computers or VPSs with limited RAM, where every megabyte counts.
Budgie, Unity and Pantheon: alternatives with their own identity
Budgie is a desktop environment originally created for Solus that is based on GNOME but with a different interface. simple, elegant and constantly growingIt can be easily installed on Ubuntu:
sudo apt install budgie-desktop
Unity was the default desktop environment for Ubuntu for years, developed by Canonical. It's now deprecated, but still available for those nostalgic or who prefer its side launcher and HUD philosophy.
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-unity-desktop
Pantheon, popularized by elementaryOS, is heavily inspired by macOS, with a minimalist approach and very polished visualsIt's also based on GNOME but tries to be somewhat lighter. You can try it on Ubuntu with:
sudo apt-get install elementary-desktop
LXQt, LXDE, and Enlightenment as very lightweight options
We've already seen LXDE and LXQt as the main processors for older systems, but it's worth remembering that both They forgo many aesthetic embellishments to offer excellent fluidity even with limited RAM. LXQt uses PCManFM-Qt and lxterminal, while LXDE is based on PCManFM, LXPanel, LXAppearance, and other GTK2 components.
It also stands out in the field of ultralight and highly configurable desktops. Enlightenmentdesigned to reuse old machines or integrate into systems where desktop consumption should not steal resources from other applications.
To install Enlightenment on Ubuntu, you first need to add its PPA:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:hannes-janetzek/enlightenment-svn
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install e17
Lightweight environments for remote desktop in Ubuntu (X2GO)
If you use Ubuntu as remote desktop server (for example with X2GO), choosing the right desktop is even more critical, because you consume resources on the server and on the network channel.
X2GO manages communication between client and server, but on the server side you need an operational graphical environment that is lightweight, stable and fastSeveral alternatives have been tested with very good results.
XFCE with X2GO
XFCE is one of the best options for remote desktop with X2GO because it offers a complete experience with moderate consumptionYou can install just the base environment with:
sudo apt-get install xfce4
In real-world tests, after installing X2GO and XFCE, memory consumption was around 250 MB of RAMThis is excellent, especially on VPSs or servers with 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM. If you want the full “Xubuntu” experience with more applications and branding, you can install:
sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop
However, resource consumption increases considerably (around 490 MB of RAM in tests). When configuring X2GO, you simply choose XFCE as a session type on the client.
Fluxbox: minimal consumption for advanced users
Fluxbox is an extremely lightweight and minimalist environment: Almost everything is done using context menus and the keyboardAnd some tools, such as the package manager, are presented in text mode even though they have a graphical interface.
To install it on Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install fluxbox
In X2GO, instead of choosing a predefined desktop, select “Personalized desktop” and in the command field enter:
/usr/bin/fluxbox
If there is a problem, it usually works too:
/usr/bin/startfluxbox
The practical difference between the two is minimal in this context, and in the tests carried out they performed equally well. However, It's not the best option for beginners for its minimalist approach.
LXDE and GNOME on X2GO
LXDE also works very well with X2GO: in real-world tests, with both LXDE and X2GO installed, total power consumption was around 220 MB of RAMIt is only lighter than Fluxbox. Installation is as simple as:
sudo apt-get install lxde
And then, in the X2GO client, select LXDE as the session type.
GNOME, for its part, can be used with X2GO but It is not recommended if the server is running low on memory.You can install just the basic shell:
sudo apt-get install gnome-shell gnome-terminal
Or the complete Ubuntu GNOME environment:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-gnome-desktop ubuntu-gnome-default-settings
The difference in resource consumption between the two options is very small (about 20 MB of RAM), so if you choose GNOME, it's usually worth installing the full version. During installation, you'll be asked about your display manager. LightDM consumes less resources than GDM, although it's also less flexible. In X2GO, you simply choose GNOME as your session type.
Customize LXDE to get the most out of older computers
One of the great advantages of LXDE is that, in addition to being lightweight, it is very flexible and easy to customize to improve appearance and usability without drastically increasing memory usage. If you have a PC that's around 10 years old, with 3-4 GB of RAM and a modest CPU, this is where LXDE shines.
The name LXDE comes from “Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment”, which in Spanish would be something like “lightweight X11 desktop environment”It was designed from the ground up to be simple, fast, and with independent components, so you can even use individual parts (like PCManFM or LXTerminal) on other desktops.
By default, LXDE relies on GTK2 instead of GTK3This helps reduce resource consumption at the expense of a slightly less modern look. The good news is that there are many well-designed GTK2 themes that can give it a very attractive appearance without compromising performance.
To improve the aesthetics, you can go to places like gnome-look.org and download themes for GTK2 (and in some cases for Xfce and LXDE). Then you just need to install them and select them from the tool. LXAppearancewhich allows you to easily change themes, icons, and fonts.
As for the window manager, LXDE uses open boxA lightweight, very popular, and highly configurable theme manager. You can customize its themes through LXAppearance or using obconf, the specific Openbox configuration tool.
To open Obconf you can press ALT + F2, to write obconf and press Enter. From there it's possible Install new themes downloaded from sites like box-look.org, adjusting window borders, control buttons and other details without losing lightness.
Create your own lightweight desktop environment from scratch
If no desktop environment fully convinces you, or you really want to learn how the graphical side of Linux works, a very interesting option is set up your own custom desktop environment starting from individual components.
GNU/Linux is built in a modular way: almost everything is interchangeable parts that you can combineJust as you can change your shell (Bash, Zsh, etc.) or your init system (Systemd, OpenRC), you can replace your window manager, panel, file manager, or compositor and assemble them into something that exactly suits your taste and your hardware.
However, there's a catch: even though it's flexible, if you mix it indiscriminately components of KDE, GNOME, and Xfce You'll end up with a large number of libraries loaded into memory for each project, which can be almost worse than using a large desktop environment out of the box. The key is to choose small components with few dependencies.
Choosing a lightweight window manager
The window manager is the program that It draws title bars, borders, manages focus, and allows you to move or resize windows.Some desktops integrate it heavily, but in the lightweight world you have several standalone options.
open box It's one of the most common choices: it's fast, stable, and works very well on its own or combined with other elements. LXDE uses it as its default package manager, and it has also been the foundation of lightweight distributions like CrunchBang and ArchBang.
If you prefer something managed almost entirely with the keyboard, you can look i3a tiled window manager that organizes windows into "tiles" without allowing overlaps, or Awesomewhich also prioritizes the keyboard and is configured with scripts in Lua.
For situations where you need the least possible dependence, jwm (Joe's Window Manager) is a curious option: it is written in C using the basic X libraries directly, so it is very small, easy to compile and has minimal resource consumption.
If programming is your thing, you could even try write your own window managerIt's not trivial, but it's not impossible either: X provides primitives for drawing and managing windows, and there are examples like TinyWM (around 200 lines of heavily commented C) that serve as a basis for understanding how a window manager connects to the X server.
Panels, docks, and file managers
Once you've chosen your window manager, it's time to add a panel or dock, a file manager, and some extra services to have a comfortable desk.
If you like the macOS dock style, you have options like Cairo Dock o dockyCairo-Dock offers very eye-catching 2D/3D effects (with the option to use OpenGL, which should be disabled in virtual machines), customizable icons, and launchers for the most used applications.
Docky, based on Mono, has a similar approach: it offers a sleek, minimalist dock where you can pin app icons from its context menu. After installing it, simply run docky from a terminal so that it appears on the screen.
In the file manager section, besides Thunar (Xfce) or Nemo (Cinnamon), a highly recommended option in lightweight environments is PCManFMThe desktop environment manager used by LXDE is simpler than the GNOME or KDE alternatives but covers virtually all daily needs and has very few dependencies.
If you need something even more minimalist, you can take a look at XFEIt uses the Fox libraries, consumes very little resources, and is still under active development. It's an ideal tool for those who follow a philosophy of “the bare minimum, but functional”.
Composer, backgrounds and extras to beautify without weighing down
Even with lightweight window managers, you can add some brightness to your desktop without killing performance. For soft shadows and subtle transitions, one of the preferred compositors is... Comptonwhich simply adds basic effects without getting into any big 3D displays.
Starting Compton is usually as easy as running it alongside your window manager, allowing you to exclude specific windows (for example, preventing it from drawing shadows on the dock). This is done with options like –shadow-exclude indicating names or classes of windows to ignore.
Regarding desktop backgrounds, many lightweight window managers don't offer a way to set the wallpaper by themselves. Tools like fehA command-line image viewer allows you to set an image as a background with a simple command, and if you need to retouch the image you can use GIMP.
Feh can work with the "root" window of X (the actual background on which panels and windows are drawn) using parameters such as --bg-fill to adjust images without distorting them. By combining it with startup scripts, you can have a custom and persistent wallpaper even in very minimalist environments.
Put everything together in a custom session script
To turn this mix of components into a truly usable desktop environment, the usual approach is to write a login script that launches everything in the correct order.
For example, you could create the file /usr/local/bin/mydesk (as root) with content similar to:
#!/bin/sh
docky &
pcmanfm &
feh --bg-fill /home/tu_usuario/fondo.jpg
compton -c --shadow-exclude 'n:e:Docky' &
openbox
The idea is that Everything except the window manager runs in the background (with &), and that the window manager is in the foreground. When you exit the window manager (Openbox in the example), the entire session ends and you return to the login manager.
After creating the script, you need to give it execution permissions:
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/mydesk
And create an X session file in /usr/share/xsessions/mydesk.desktop with content similar to:
Name=MyDesk
Comment=Escritorio personalizado
Exec=/usr/local/bin/mydesk
TryExec=/usr/local/bin/mydesk
Type=XSession
When you log out and return to the login screen, you should see “MyDesk” as session typeSelecting and launching it will load your custom environment with dock, file manager, compositor, background, and lightweight window manager.
From there you can try out variations: replacing Docky with Cairo-Dock, Openbox with i3, PCManFM with XFE, etc. Always respecting the idea that the window manager should be the last process in the script and not running in the background.
Ultimately, the great advantage of Ubuntu and the Linux ecosystem is that you can To fine-tune the balance between resource consumption, aesthetics, and comfortWhether installing LXDE, LXQt, or Xfce from the repositories, fine-tuning a remote desktop with X2GO, recycling an old PC with Enlightenment, or setting up your own environment with Openbox, Docky, and PCManFM, the options for having a lightweight desktop environment in Ubuntu are enormous, and with a few commands and tests, you can make your system run much more smoothly without sacrificing a very comfortable graphical experience.
