Linux desktop environments are dying, and KDE and GNOME killed them
Linux desktop environments are dying, and KDE and GNOME killed them
https://www.howtogeek.com/linux-des-are-experiencing-an-extinction-event-kde-gnome-are-to-blame/
Publish Date: 2026-04-05 11:30:00
Source Domain: www.howtogeek.com
Although the number of Linux Desktops has fluctuated over time, the fact that several are available is an important Linux tradition. It follows the principle that programs should be modular and composable; you should be able to swap out your desktop for an alternative, easily and seamlessly.
This situation has endured, but for how much longer? Are competing DEs still viable, or have we reached the limit of our imagination?
How did we get here?
Many stages of evolution and mutation have shaped the Linux GUI
In the early days of graphical Unix, desktop environments weren’t even spoken of. The X Window System (1984) acted as a base on which other programs could create windows and related GUI elements. In 1987, twm (Tab Window Manager) was developed to layer now-familiar GUI elements like title bars and icons on top of X.
Later, in the 1990s, another layer of programs evolved to take advantage of the latest work in GUI development. These were called desktop environments, and were much more ambitious than window managers, adding vital user programs like a file manager and a dashboard, alongside features like virtual desktops. CDE (Common Desktop Environment) was the standard choice for commercial Unixes.
When Linux arrived in 1991, it took full advantage of this ecosystem. By supporting X, it could use existing window managers such as twm and fvwm. Even CDE was available, but since it was proprietary software (at the time), alternatives were sought. Xfce and Window Maker (both 1997) bridged the gap until two full-blown desktop environments were released almost simultaneously: KDE (1998) and GNOME (1999).
What’s the current status?
Plenty of desktop environments, but only two really matter
Launched in 2011, Cinnamon was forked from parts of GNOME to maintain its…
