Prerequisites

Installing packages

Install basic desktop system and gnome packages.

# apk add gnome

If you want to, you can also install additional GNOME apps for a more complete GNOME experience with:

# apk add gnome-apps

Graphical login

To start the GDM display manager and login with your user, you need a user other than root for this to succeed, since GDM will refuse starting if no user accounts (meaning accounts with a UID >= 1000) are available.

rc-service gdm start

Once you have verified that it actually works you can make gdm start up at boot:

rc-update add gdm

Enabling terminal apps

If you want to use the gnome-terminal/other terminal applications you will need to install bash. If you want a typical bash setup also enable bash completion:

# apk add bash

# apk add bash-completion

Troubleshooting

If you are unable to login, check /var/log/gdm/greeter.log, there may be output there from X to indicate failed modules, etc.

If logging in from GDM returns to logging screen, try

# apk add bash

(bug report: #10953 sorry cannot link yet)

If GNOME Terminal doesn't start, add the following to /etc/locale.conf: LANG=en_US.UTF-8 and reboot.