Lesson 5.1: XFCE Desktop

XFCE (XForms Common Environment) is a lightweight, fast, and highly customizable desktop environment. It's perfect for older hardware or users who want a snappy, traditional desktop experience without unnecessary bloat.

Why XFCE? XFCE follows the Unix philosophy: "Do one thing and do it well." It provides a complete desktop experience while consuming minimal system resources.

Installing XFCE

On Ubuntu 24.04, you can install XFCE with a single command:

$ sudo apt update $ sudo apt install xfce4

For a more complete XFCE experience with additional goodies (recommended):

$ sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies

The xfce4-goodies package includes:

Additional panel plugins
Extra applications and utilities
More themes and customization options
Task manager and system monitor

Switching to XFCE

After installation, switch to XFCE:

Log out of your current session
On the login screen, click the gear icon (usually in the bottom right)
Select "Xfce Session" from the list
Enter your password and log in

First Login: The first time you log into XFCE, you'll be asked if you want to use the default configuration or start with a blank panel. For beginners, choose the default configuration.

XFCE Desktop Components

Let's explore the main components of the XFCE desktop:

Panel

The panel is XFCE's taskbar, usually located at the top of the screen:

Application Menu: Access all your applications
Launcher: Quick launch buttons for favorite apps
Window Buttons: Shows open windows
System Tray: Background applications and notifications
Clock: Time and date display

Thunar File Manager

Thunar is XFCE's default file manager:

Fast and Lightweight: Quick startup and navigation
Bulk Renaming: Rename multiple files at once
Custom Actions: Create custom right-click menu items
Network Support: Browse network locations
Plugin Support: Extend functionality with plugins

Xfwm4 Window Manager

Xfwm4 handles window management:

Compositing: Window transparency and shadows
Workspaces: Multiple virtual desktops
Keyboard Shortcuts: Navigate with keyboard
Tiling Options: Snap windows to screen edges

Desktop Manager

The desktop itself is managed by xfdesktop:

Desktop Icons: Show files, folders, and shortcuts
Right-Click Menu: Quick access to settings
Multiple Backgrounds: Different wallpapers per workspace

Key XFCE Applications

XFCE comes with a suite of lightweight applications:

Mousepad Text Editor

Simple, lightweight text editor for quick edits:

Syntax Highlighting: Basic code highlighting
Fast Startup: Opens instantly
Search and Replace: Find text quickly
Tab Support: Multiple documents

Ristretto Image Viewer

Fast and minimalist image viewer:

Slideshow Mode: Browse images automatically
Thumbnail Bar: Preview multiple images
Zoom Controls: Quick image scaling
Full Screen: Distraction-free viewing

Terminal Emulator

XFCE's terminal is fast and feature-rich:

Tabs and Splits: Multiple terminal sessions
Transparency: See-through background
Drop-down Mode: Quake-style terminal
Custom Colors: Personalize appearance

Task Manager

Monitor and manage system processes:

Process List: See running applications
CPU/Memory Usage: Monitor resources
Kill Processes: Stop unresponsive apps
System Information: View hardware details

Panel Customization

XFCE's panel is highly customizable:

Adding Panel Plugins

Right-click the panel → Panel → Add New Items

Popular plugins include:

CPU Graph: Visual CPU usage monitor
Weather Update: Current weather conditions
System Load Monitor: CPU, memory, and network
Disk Performance: Monitor disk activity
Notes: Quick desktop notes

Panel Properties

Customize panel behavior:

# Right-click panel → Panel → Panel Preferences

Options include:

Position: Top, bottom, left, or right
Size: Adjust panel height/width
Autohide: Hide when not in use
Transparency: Adjust opacity
Multiple Panels: Create additional panels

Appearance Settings

Customize how XFCE looks:

Appearance Manager

Access via: Settings → Appearance

GTK Theme: Change window and widget style
Icon Theme: Change icon appearance
Fonts: Adjust system fonts
Toolbar Style: Icons, text, or both

Window Manager Settings

Access via: Settings → Window Manager

Style: Window border appearance
Keyboard: Keyboard shortcuts
Focus: How windows receive focus
Advanced: Fine-tune window behavior

Desktop Settings

Access via: Settings → Desktop

Wallpaper: Set desktop background
Icons: Configure desktop icons
Menus: Right-click menu options
Per Workspace: Different wallpaper for each workspace

Workspaces

XFCE supports multiple virtual desktops (workspaces):

Using Workspaces

Switch: Ctrl + Alt + Arrow keys
Move Window: Shift + Ctrl + Alt + Arrow keys
Workspace Switcher: Panel plugin for quick access

Configure Workspaces

Settings → Workspaces

Set number of workspaces
Name each workspace
Configure workspace margins

Keyboard Shortcuts

XFCE comes with useful default shortcuts:

Essential Shortcuts

Alt + F1: Open application menu
Alt + F2: Run application dialog
Alt + F4: Close window
Alt + Tab: Switch between windows
Ctrl + Alt + D: Show desktop

Window Management

Alt + F5: Maximize window
Alt + F6: Maximize vertically
Alt + F7: Move window
Alt + F8: Resize window
Alt + F9: Hide window

Workspace Shortcuts

Ctrl + Alt + Arrow: Switch workspace
Shift + Ctrl + Alt + Arrow: Move window to workspace

Custom Shortcuts

Create your own shortcuts:

# Settings → Keyboard → Application Shortcuts

Power Management

XFCE includes comprehensive power management:

Settings → Power Manager

Display: Screen blanking and sleep settings
Battery: Battery level actions
System: Suspend and hibernate options
Brightness: Screen brightness controls

Session and Startup

Control what happens at login:

Autostart Applications

Settings → Session and Startup → Application Autostart

Add programs to start automatically
Enable/disable startup programs
Control login behavior

Session Management

Save Session: Restore windows on login
Session Lock: Lock screen after idle time
Logout Options: Configure logout dialog

Customization Tips

Make XFCE your own with these tips:

Themes

Install additional themes:

$ sudo apt install arc-theme adapta-gtk-theme $ sudo apt install papirus-icon-theme numix-icon-theme

Plugins

Add useful panel plugins:

$ sudo apt install xfce4-goodies $ sudo apt install xfce4-weather-plugin $ sudo apt install xfce4-systemload-plugin

Compositor Settings

Enable visual effects:

# Settings → Window Manager Tweaks → Compositor

Options include:

Shadows: Window drop shadows
Transparency: Window opacity
Zoom Desktop: Magnify screen areas

XFCE vs Other Desktops

How does XFCE compare?

XFCE vs GNOME

Resource Usage: XFCE is significantly lighter
Customization: XFCE is more traditional and customizable
Interface: XFCE feels more like classic desktops
Learning Curve: XFCE is familiar to Windows users

XFCE vs KDE

Resource Usage: XFCE is lighter
Features: KDE has more built-in features
Simplicity: XFCE is simpler and faster
Configuration: Both are highly configurable

When to Choose XFCE

XFCE is ideal for:

Older Hardware: Computers with limited resources
Speed Enthusiasts: Those who want instant responsiveness
Minimalists: Users who prefer simplicity
Traditional Desktop: Those who like classic desktop paradigms
Stability: Users who value rock-solid reliability

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Panel Disappeared

If your panel disappears:

$ xfce4-panel --restart

Settings Not Saving

If settings don't persist:

Check file permissions in ~/.config/xfce4
Ensure xfconf-daemon is running
Try logging out and back in

Performance Issues

If XFCE feels slow:

Disable compositor (Settings → Window Manager Tweaks)
Reduce number of panel plugins
Use lighter themes
Check for background processes

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Basic XFCE Setup

Install XFCE and xfce4-goodies
Log into XFCE session
Add a CPU graph plugin to the panel
Change the GTK theme
Set up 4 workspaces with different names

Click for hints

Right-click panel → Panel → Add New Items
Settings → Appearance for themes
Settings → Workspaces to configure

Exercise 2: Advanced Customization

Create a custom keyboard shortcut to open terminal
Set different wallpapers for each workspace
Configure the compositor for window transparency
Add a weather plugin to your panel
Create a second panel at the bottom of the screen

Click for hints

Settings → Keyboard → Application Shortcuts
Settings → Desktop → Background (configure per workspace)
Settings → Window Manager Tweaks → Compositor
Right-click panel → Panel → Panel Preferences → New Panel

What's Next?

Now that you understand XFCE, let's explore KDE Plasma, which takes a different approach with more features and modern polish!

Continue to KDE Plasma

Key Takeaways

XFCE is lightweight, fast, and highly customizable
Perfect for older hardware or speed enthusiasts
Traditional desktop paradigm familiar to most users
Extensive panel customization with plugins
Multiple workspaces for better organization
Balance of features and minimal resource usage