Linux: The Ultimate Guide

Software Architecture
GNOME Shell is integrated with Mutter, a compositing window manager, 
and Wayland compositor. It is based on Clutter to provide visual effects 
and hardware acceleration. According to GNOME Shell maintainer Owen 
Taylor, it is set up as a Mutter plugin primarily written in JavaScript and 
uses GUI widgets provided by GTK+ version 3.
Features
• The changes to the user interface include but are not limited to:
• Support clutter and Mutter multi-touch gestures.
• Support for HiDPI monitors.
• A new Activities overview, which houses:
a. A dock or Dash is used for quickly switching between and 
launching applications

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GNOME Desktop Environment 
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b. A window selector, similar to macOS’s Mission Control, also 
incorporates a workspace switcher/manager
c. An application picker
d. Search
• “Snapping” windows to screen borders makes them fill up half of the 
screen or the whole screen.
• By default, a single-window button, Close, instead of three.
• The minimization option has been removed due to the lack of a panel 
to minimize. Maximization can be accomplished using the window 
above snapping or double-clicking the window title bar.
It provides core interface functions like launching applications, switching 
windows, or seeing notifications. It has the advantage of the capabilities of 
modern graphics hardware and introduces innovative user interface con-
cepts to provide a delightful and easy-to-use experience. GNOME Shell is 
the technology of the GNOME 3 user experience.
A fallback mode is offered in versions 3.0–3.6 for those without hard-
ware acceleration which offers the GNOME Panel desktop. The method 
can also be toggled through the System Settings menu. GNOME 3.8 
removed the fallback mode and replaced it with GNOME Shell extensions 
that offer a more traditional look and feel.
GNOME Shell has the following graphical and functional elements:
• Top bar
• System status area
• Activities overview
• Dash
• Window picker
• Application picker
• Search
• Notifications and messaging tray
• Application switcher
• Indicators tray

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Linux 
Extensibility
The functionality can be changed using extensions, which is written in 
JavaScript. You can find and install extensions using the GNOME exten-
sions website. Some of these extensions are hosted on the GNOME git, or 
are illegal.
INSTALLATION
The “Vanilla Gnome” version is a GNOME desktop installation.
1. To install the GNOME desktop environment, open a command line 
and use system package manager to install the GUI and gdm3 win-
dow manager.
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install gnome-session gdm3
2. If the installation prompt asks you to select your default window 
manager (because you are currently using a different one), be sure 
to select gdm3 if you want GNOME to be your default desktop 
environment.
3. After installation is complete, reboot your system, and you will be 
presented with a GNOME login.
$ reboot
4. At this point, the GUI should start. You need to select desired desk-
top flavor on the login page before you login.
Or
The other way is to install full GNOME by using the tasksel com-
mand. First ensure that the tasksel is installed on your system:
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install tasksel
Now, use the tasksel command to install GNOME desktop:
$ sudo tasksel install ubuntu-desktop

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Reboot your Ubuntu system to be presented with the GNOME desktop:
$ reboot
The first window of GNOME is given below: