Comparison of X Window System desktop environments: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:19, 30 September 2019

Revision as of 19:11, 14 October 2019

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== Technical elements of a desktop environment ==

{{see also|Elements of graphicalgraphial user interfaces}}

A [[desktop environment]] (DE) can be broken up into several components that function independently and interact with one another to provide the look and feel and functionality of the desktop environment. A fundamental part of a DE is the [[window manager]] or WM. A window manager creates a certain way for application windows to present themselves to the user. It manages the various application windows, keeping track of which ones are open and providing features to switch between them. Another important element of a DE is the [[file manager]]. This application manages files/ folders and presents them in a way that the user finds convenient. It provides file operations like viewing, copying or moving, changing [[File system permissions|permissions]] and deleting. DEs usually provide utilities to set wallpapers and screensavers, display icons on the desktop, and perform some administrative tasks. They may optionally include word processors, CD/DVD writing applications, web browsers and e-mail clients.