# Installing Gnome On Arch Linux ## Installation Two [package groups](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Package_group "Package group") are available: - [gnome](https://archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome/) contains the base GNOME desktop and the well-integrated [core applications](https://apps.gnome.org/); - [gnome-extra](https://archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome-extra/) contains further GNOME applications, including an email client, an IRC client, [GNOME Tweaks](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GNOME#Advanced_settings), a set of games and development tools. Note that this group builds on the [gnome](https://archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome/) group. The base desktop consists of [GNOME Shell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME_Shell "wikipedia:GNOME Shell"), a plugin for the [Mutter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutter_(software) "wikipedia:Mutter (software)") window manager. It can be installed separately with [gnome-shell](https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=gnome-shell). > [!NOTE] _mutter_ acts as a composite manager for the desktop, employing hardware graphics acceleration to provide effects aimed at reducing screen clutter. The GNOME session manager automatically detects if your video driver is capable of running GNOME Shell and if not, falls back to software rendering using _llvmpipe_. Unstable releases can also be used, see [Official repositories#gnome-unstable](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Official_repositories#gnome-unstable "Official repositories"). ## Starting GNOME can be started either graphically with a [display manager](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Display_manager "Display manager") or manually from the console (some features may be missing). The display manager included in [gnome](https://archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome/) is [GDM](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GDM "GDM"). **Note:** Support for screen locking (and more) in GNOME is provided by GDM. If GNOME is not started with GDM, another screen locker may be used. See [List of applications/Security#Screen lockers](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/List_of_applications/Security#Screen_lockers "List of applications/Security"). ### Graphically If you installed the [gnome](https://archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome/) group and want GNOME to start automatically on next boot, [enable](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Enable "Enable") `gdm.service`. You can then select the desired session: _GNOME_, _GNOME Classic_ (only displayed if [gnome-shell-extensions](https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=gnome-shell-extensions) is installed), or _GNOME on Xorg_ from the display manager's session menu. Wayland sessions can be enabled/disabled in the [GDM config](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GDM#Use_Xorg_backend "GDM"). If you prefer to start GNOME right away, thereby avoiding a reboot, [start](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Start "Start") the aforementioned `gdm.service` from a graphically unoccupied tty instead. ### Manually #### Xorg sessions **i dont rreally care about this** #### Wayland sessions [![](https://wiki.archlinux.org/images/0/0b/Inaccurate.svg)](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/File:Inaccurate.svg)**The factual accuracy of this article or section is disputed.**[![](https://wiki.archlinux.org/images/0/0b/Inaccurate.svg)](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/File:Inaccurate.svg) **Reason:** Executing `gnome-session` via dbus may cause issues or not work at all. Some issues include the inability to start Chrome/Chromium and the lack of a sound device. Running `gnome-session` directly may work better. (Discuss in [Talk:GNOME#Manually start a Wayland session](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Talk:GNOME#Manually_start_a_Wayland_session "Talk:GNOME")) **Note:** An X server is still necessary to run applications that have not yet been ported to [Wayland](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Wayland "Wayland"), see [Wayland#Xwayland](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Wayland#Xwayland "Wayland") for details. Applications using certain graphics libraries, such as Qt, can be forced to use Wayland by setting environment variables. See [Wayland#GUI libraries](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Wayland#GUI_libraries "Wayland") for more information. Manually starting a Wayland session is possible with: $ XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland dbus-run-session gnome-session Running `gnome-shell --wayland` directly is not recommended, because it lacks session management. Note that manual invocation of Gnome does **not** require `gdm` (consequently also the accompanying `gdm.service`) at all and is thus also accessible for users with a (possibly very) minimal installation of Gnome composing of a selected few packages included in the more inclusive `gnome` group in accordance to personal preference. To start on login to tty1, add the previous line of code to your `.bash_profile`. Firefox and QT applications do not respect `XDG_SESSION_TYPE`, so add variables for them as well: if [[ -z $DISPLAY && $(tty) == /dev/tty1 && $XDG_SESSION_TYPE == tty ]]; then MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland exec dbus-run-session gnome-session fi ### GNOME applications in Wayland When the _GNOME_ session is used, GNOME applications will be run using Wayland. For debugging cases, [https://docs.gtk.org/gtk3/running.html](https://docs.gtk.org/gtk3/running.html) and [https://docs.gtk.org/gtk4/running.html](https://docs.gtk.org/gtk4/running.html) list options and environment variables. ## Navigation To learn how to use the GNOME shell effectively, read the [GNOME Shell Cheat Sheet](https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GnomeShell/CheatSheet); it highlights GNOME shell features and keyboard shortcuts. Features include task switching, keyboard use, window control, the panel, overview mode, and more. A few of the shortcuts are: - `Super+m`: show notification list - `Super+a`: show application grid - `Alt+Tab`: cycle active applications - `` Alt+` `` (the key above `Tab` on US keyboard layouts): cycle windows of the application in the foreground - `Alt+F2`, then enter `r` or `restart`: restart the shell in case of graphical shell problems (only in X/legacy mode, not in Wayland mode). See [/Tips and tricks#Navigation](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GNOME/Tips_and_tricks#Navigation "GNOME/Tips and tricks") for changes to the default configuration making the window-switching resemble that of Windows. See [Keyboard navigation](https://help.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/stable/keyboard-nav.html) for more shortcuts. ## Gnome Integration with Arch I'd like to add this section to main Gnome page. ### Gnome Software with Arch Repositories [Install](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install "Install") the [gnome-software-packagekit-plugin](https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=gnome-software-packagekit-plugin) package. Package provides access to software available in Arch Linux repositories. ### Gnome Settings Networking Support [Install](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install "Install") the [networkmanager](https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=networkmanager) package. This means that if you use other way of managing network it most likely has to be disabled. ## Gnome Tweaks 45 update Latest comment: [15 October](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Talk:GNOME#c-Misaka_0x34ca-20231015135600-Gnome_Tweaks_45_update)1 comment1 person in discussion In the [Do_not_suspend_when_laptop_lid_is_closed](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GNOME#Do_not_suspend_when_laptop_lid_is_closed "GNOME") section, the gnome tweaks option does not seem to be found in GNOME 45. [Misaka 0x34ca](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?title=User:Misaka_0x34ca&action=edit&redlink=1 "User:Misaka 0x34ca (page does not exist)") ([talk](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?title=User_talk:Misaka_0x34ca&action=edit&redlink=1 "User talk:Misaka 0x34ca (page does not exist)")) 13:56, 15 October 2023 (UTC)Reply