Alpine Linux - User contributions [en]

Desktop environments and Window managers

2025-02-03T12:56:22Z

Yass: Add link to Qtile page

{{TOC right}}

'''Alpine Linux''' has no official desktop and setting up a graphical environment is not even part of [[Installation]]. All window managers and desktop environments that are available in Alpine Linux are listed in this page. Quick installation using [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-desktop|setup-desktop]] script is available for few [[Setup-desktop|desktops]]. For servers consider [[Alpine_Configuration_Framework_Design#Starting_ACF|Alpine Configuration Framework(ACF)]].

== Desktop Environments ==

* [[Xfce]]
* [[LXQt]]
* [[KDE|KDE Plasma]]
* [[GNOME]]
* [[MATE]]

== Window Managers ==

=== [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stacking_window_manager Stacking window managers] ===
(also known as '''floating window managers''')
* X11:
** [[Openbox]]
** [[Fluxbox]]

* Wayland:
** [[Weston]]
** [[LabWC]]
** {{Pkg|wayfire|arch=}}

=== [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiling_window_manager Tiling window managers] ===
(also known as '''Dynamic window managers''')
* X11:
** {{Pkg|bspwm|arch=}}
** {{Pkg|herbstluftwm|arch=}}
** [[twm]]
** [[dwm]]
** [[I3wm|i3]]
** [[AwesomeWM|Awesome]]
** {{Pkg|ratpoison|arch=}}
** {{Pkg|spectrwm |arch=}}
** [[Qtile]]

* Wayland:
** [[Sway]]
** [[River]]
** {{Pkg|cagebreak|arch=}}
** {{Pkg|dwl|arch=}}
** [[Hyprland]]

=== Other Window Managers ===

* Wayland
** {{Pkg|cage |arch=}} ('''kiosk''' mode)

== See also ==
* [[Installation#Post-Installation|Post Installation]]
* [[Wayland]]
* [[Xorg]]
* [[Display manager]]
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Desktop_environment Desktop environment - Archwiki]
* [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Desktop_environment Desktop environment - Gentoo Wiki]

[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Desktop Environments]]
[[Category:Window Managers]]
[[Category:Compositor]]

Qtile

2025-02-03T12:45:08Z

Yass: Fix the rendering markup

[[file:QtileScreenshot.png |thumb |Qtile screenshot (default configuration).]]
[https://qtile.org/ Qtile] is a full-featured and hackable window manager written in Python, compatible with Xorg and Wayland.

{{:Include:Setup-desktop}}

Qtile is currently not supported by the setup-desktop script, and must be installed manually. See the steps listed below in Manual installation.

== Manual installation ==

=== Prerequisites ===

* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]
* [[D-Bus#Installation|Install and configure D-Bus]] (without D-Bus icons and keyboard shortcuts may be missing)

 
Minimal package selection to install:
{{Cmd|# apk add qtile lightdm-gtk-greeter font-dejavu}}

[[File:Themeiconworking.png|thumb|With adw-gtk3-dark and Adwaita-Xfce]]

=== Set up eudev ===

{{:Include:Setup_Device_Manager}}

=== Allowing shut down and reboot ===

To enable users to shut down the machine or reboot, the packages {{Pkg|elogind}} and {{Pkg|polkit-elogind}} need to be installed.
{{Cmd|# apk add elogind polkit-elogind}}

A reboot is required to let it take effect.
{{Cmd|# lbu commit # if running in diskless mode, to save state
$ reboot
}}

=== Auto-mounting USB drives ===

To enable automatic mounting of USB drives, install these packages:
{{Cmd|# apk add gvfs udisks2}}

Depending on what devices you intend to mount, some additional packages may be needed:
{{Cmd|# apk add \
ntfs-3g \ # Stable, full-featured, read-write NTFS (driver)
gvfs-cdda \ # CDDA support for gvfs
gvfs-afp \ # AFP support for gvfs
gvfs-goa \ # GNOME Online Accounts support for gvfs
gvfs-mtp \ # MTP support for gvfs
gvfs-smb \ # Windows fileshare support for gvfs
gvfs-lang \ # Languages for package gvfs
gvfs-afc \ # Apple mobile devices support for gvfs
gvfs-nfs \ # NFS support for gvfs
gvfs-dev \ # Backends for the gio framework in GLib (development files)
gvfs-archive \ # Archiving support for gvfs
gvfs-dav \ # WebDAV support for gvfs
gvfs-fuse \ # FUSE support for gvfs
gvfs-gphoto2 \ # gphoto2 support for gvfs
gvfs-avahi \ # DNS-SD support for gvfs}}

To list descriptions of all gvfs- packages:
{{cmd|$ apk info -d gvfs-*
}}

=== Enabling privilege escalation GUI ===

To make elogind/lightdm running, either make them start automatically at system start:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add elogind #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

or start them manually for this time only:
{{Cmd|# rc-service elogind start #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

== Starting Qtile ==

=== With a display manager (graphical login) ===

If the package <code>lightdm-gtk-greeter</code> has been installed per the instructions above, the lightdm display manager may be started to log in graphically with your new user:

First, create a lightdm session file at /usr/share/xsessions:
{{Cmd|# mkdir -p /usr/share/xsessions}}

 

{{cat|/usr/share/xsessions/qtile.desktop|[Desktop Entry]
Name{{=}}Qtile
Comment{{=}}Qtile Session
Exec{{=}}dbus-run-session -- qtile start
Type{{=}}Application
Keywords{{=}}wm;tiling}}

{{Cmd|# rc-service lightdm start}}

After correct operation is verified, lightdm can be enabled to start up during boot:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add lightdm}}

=== Localized keyboard layout ===
 
The keyboard layout can be [[Xorg#Keyboard_Layout_(optional)||configured at the Xorg level]].

== See also ==

* [[Installation#Post-Install|Post Install]]

* [[Alpine Setup Scripts]]
* [https://docs.qtile.org/en/stable/ Qtile docs]
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Qtile Qtile - ArchWiki]
* [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Qtile Qtile - Gentoo Wiki]

[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Desktop Environments]]

Qtile

2025-02-03T12:40:24Z

Yass: /* Starting Qtile */

[[file:QtileScreenshot.png |thumb |Qtile screenshot (default configuration).]]
[https://qtile.org/ Qtile] is a full-featured and hackable window manager written in Python, compatible with Xorg and Wayland.

{{:Include:Setup-desktop}}

Qtile is currently not supported by the setup-desktop script, and must be installed manually. See the steps listed below in Manual installation.

== Manual installation ==

=== Prerequisites ===

* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]
* [[D-Bus#Installation|Install and configure D-Bus]] (without D-Bus icons and keyboard shortcuts may be missing)

 
Minimal package selection to install:
{{Cmd|# apk add qtile lightdm-gtk-greeter font-dejavu}}

[[File:Themeiconworking.png|thumb|With adw-gtk3-dark and Adwaita-Xfce]]

=== Set up eudev ===

{{:Include:Setup_Device_Manager}}

=== Allowing shut down and reboot ===

To enable users to shut down the machine or reboot, the packages {{Pkg|elogind}} and {{Pkg|polkit-elogind}} need to be installed.
{{Cmd|# apk add elogind polkit-elogind}}

A reboot is required to let it take effect.
{{Cmd|# lbu commit # if running in diskless mode, to save state
$ reboot
}}

=== Auto-mounting USB drives ===

To enable automatic mounting of USB drives, install these packages:
{{Cmd|# apk add gvfs udisks2}}

Depending on what devices you intend to mount, some additional packages may be needed:
{{Cmd|# apk add \
ntfs-3g \ # Stable, full-featured, read-write NTFS (driver)
gvfs-cdda \ # CDDA support for gvfs
gvfs-afp \ # AFP support for gvfs
gvfs-goa \ # GNOME Online Accounts support for gvfs
gvfs-mtp \ # MTP support for gvfs
gvfs-smb \ # Windows fileshare support for gvfs
gvfs-lang \ # Languages for package gvfs
gvfs-afc \ # Apple mobile devices support for gvfs
gvfs-nfs \ # NFS support for gvfs
gvfs-dev \ # Backends for the gio framework in GLib (development files)
gvfs-archive \ # Archiving support for gvfs
gvfs-dav \ # WebDAV support for gvfs
gvfs-fuse \ # FUSE support for gvfs
gvfs-gphoto2 \ # gphoto2 support for gvfs
gvfs-avahi \ # DNS-SD support for gvfs}}

To list descriptions of all gvfs- packages:
{{cmd|$ apk info -d gvfs-*
}}

=== Enabling privilege escalation GUI ===

To make elogind/lightdm running, either make them start automatically at system start:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add elogind #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

or start them manually for this time only:
{{Cmd|# rc-service elogind start #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

== Starting Qtile ==

=== With a display manager (graphical login) ===

If the package <code>lightdm-gtk-greeter</code> has been installed per the instructions above, the lightdm display manager may be started to log in graphically with your new user:

First, create a lightdm session file at /usr/share/xsessions:
{{Cmd|# mkdir -p /usr/share/xsessions
# nano /usr/share/xsessions/qtile.desktop}}

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Qtile
Comment=Qtile Session
Exec=dbus-run-session -- qtile start
Type=Application
Keywords=wm;tiling

 

{{Cmd|# rc-service lightdm start}}

After correct operation is verified, lightdm can be enabled to start up during boot:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add lightdm}}

=== Localized keyboard layout ===
 
The keyboard layout can be [[Xorg#Keyboard_Layout_(optional)||configured at the Xorg level]].

== See also ==

* [[Installation#Post-Install|Post Install]]

* [[Alpine Setup Scripts]]
* [https://docs.qtile.org/en/stable/ Qtile docs]
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Qtile Qtile - ArchWiki]
* [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Qtile Qtile - Gentoo Wiki]

[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Desktop Environments]]

Qtile

2025-02-03T12:39:23Z

Yass: Initial draft on the Qtile install documentation (based on the XFCE page)

[[file:QtileScreenshot.png |thumb |Qtile screenshot (default configuration).]]
[https://qtile.org/ Qtile] is a full-featured and hackable window manager written in Python, compatible with Xorg and Wayland.

{{:Include:Setup-desktop}}

Qtile is currently not supported by the setup-desktop script, and must be installed manually. See the steps listed below in Manual installation.

== Manual installation ==

=== Prerequisites ===

* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]
* [[D-Bus#Installation|Install and configure D-Bus]] (without D-Bus icons and keyboard shortcuts may be missing)

 
Minimal package selection to install:
{{Cmd|# apk add qtile lightdm-gtk-greeter font-dejavu}}

[[File:Themeiconworking.png|thumb|With adw-gtk3-dark and Adwaita-Xfce]]

=== Set up eudev ===

{{:Include:Setup_Device_Manager}}

=== Allowing shut down and reboot ===

To enable users to shut down the machine or reboot, the packages {{Pkg|elogind}} and {{Pkg|polkit-elogind}} need to be installed.
{{Cmd|# apk add elogind polkit-elogind}}

A reboot is required to let it take effect.
{{Cmd|# lbu commit # if running in diskless mode, to save state
$ reboot
}}

=== Auto-mounting USB drives ===

To enable automatic mounting of USB drives, install these packages:
{{Cmd|# apk add gvfs udisks2}}

Depending on what devices you intend to mount, some additional packages may be needed:
{{Cmd|# apk add \
ntfs-3g \ # Stable, full-featured, read-write NTFS (driver)
gvfs-cdda \ # CDDA support for gvfs
gvfs-afp \ # AFP support for gvfs
gvfs-goa \ # GNOME Online Accounts support for gvfs
gvfs-mtp \ # MTP support for gvfs
gvfs-smb \ # Windows fileshare support for gvfs
gvfs-lang \ # Languages for package gvfs
gvfs-afc \ # Apple mobile devices support for gvfs
gvfs-nfs \ # NFS support for gvfs
gvfs-dev \ # Backends for the gio framework in GLib (development files)
gvfs-archive \ # Archiving support for gvfs
gvfs-dav \ # WebDAV support for gvfs
gvfs-fuse \ # FUSE support for gvfs
gvfs-gphoto2 \ # gphoto2 support for gvfs
gvfs-avahi \ # DNS-SD support for gvfs}}

To list descriptions of all gvfs- packages:
{{cmd|$ apk info -d gvfs-*
}}

=== Enabling privilege escalation GUI ===

To make elogind/lightdm running, either make them start automatically at system start:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add elogind #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

or start them manually for this time only:
{{Cmd|# rc-service elogind start #change elogind for lightdm and run the same command}}

== Starting Qtile ==

=== With a display manager (graphical login) ===

If the package <code>lightdm-gtk-greeter</code> has been installed per the instructions above, the lightdm display manager may be started to log in graphically with your new user:

First, create a lightdm session file at /usr/share/xsessions:
{{Cmd|# mkdir -p /usr/share/xsessions
# nano /usr/share/xsessions/qtile.desktop}}

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Qtile
Comment=Qtile Session
Exec=dbus-run-session -- qtile start
Type=Application
Keywords=wm;tiling

{{Cmd|# rc-service lightdm start}}

After correct operation is verified, lightdm can be enabled to start up during boot:
{{Cmd|# rc-update add lightdm}}

=== Localized keyboard layout ===
 
The keyboard layout can be [[Xorg#Keyboard_Layout_(optional)||configured at the Xorg level]].

== See also ==

* [[Installation#Post-Install|Post Install]]

* [[Alpine Setup Scripts]]
* [https://docs.qtile.org/en/stable/ Qtile docs]
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Qtile Qtile - ArchWiki]
* [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Qtile Qtile - Gentoo Wiki]

[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Desktop Environments]]

File:QtileScreenshot.png

2025-02-03T11:55:52Z

Yass: Copied the description style from the XFCE wiki page

== Summary ==
Qtile Screenshot after basic install

File:QtileScreenshot.png

2025-02-03T11:54:38Z

Yass: Qtile screenshot with the default configuration.

== Summary ==
Qtile screenshot with the default configuration.