Editing Desktop environment (section)

== Examples of desktop environments ==
The most common desktop environment on personal computers is [[Windows Shell]] in [[Microsoft Windows]]. Microsoft has made significant efforts in making Windows shell visually pleasing. As a result, Microsoft has introduced [[theme (computing)|theme support]] in [[Windows 98]], the various [[Windows XP visual styles]], the [[Windows Aero|Aero]] brand in [[Windows Vista]], the [[Microsoft design language]] (codenamed "Metro") in [[Windows 8]], and the [[Fluent Design System]] and [[Windows Spotlight]] in [[Windows 10]]. Windows shell can be extended via [[Shell extension]]s.

Many mainstream desktop environments for Unix-like operating systems, including KDE, GNOME, Xfce, and LXDE, use the X Window System or [[Wayland (protocol)|Wayland]], any of which may be selected by users, and are not tied exclusively to the operating system in use. The desktop environment for [[macOS]], which is also a Unix-like system, is [[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]], which uses the [[Quartz (graphics layer)|Quartz]] graphics layer, rather than using X or Wayland.

A number of other desktop environments also exist, including (but not limited to) [[Common Desktop Environment|CDE]], [[Equinox Desktop Environment|EDE]], [[Graphics Environment Manager|GEM]], [[IRIX Interactive Desktop]], Sun's [[Java Desktop System]], [[Jesktop]], Mezzo, [[Project Looking Glass]], [[ROX Desktop]], [[UDE]], [[Xito]], XFast. Moreover, there exists FVWM-Crystal, which consists of a powerful configuration for the [[FVWM]] window manager, a theme and further adds, altogether forming a "construction kit" for building up a desktop environment.

[[X window manager]]s that are meant to be usable stand-alone — without another desktop environment — also include elements reminiscent of those found in typical desktop environments, most prominently [[Enlightenment (window manager)|Enlightenment]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} Other examples include [[OpenBox]], [[Fluxbox]], [[WindowLab]], [[Fvwm]], as well as [[Window Maker]] and [[AfterStep]], which both feature the [[NeXTSTEP]] [[Graphical user interface|GUI]] look and feel.

The [[Amiga]] approach to desktop environment was noteworthy: the original [[Workbench (AmigaOS)|Workbench]] desktop environment in [[AmigaOS]] evolved through time to originate an entire family of descendants and alternative desktop solutions. Some of those descendants are the Scalos,<ref>{{cite web |author=Chris&nbsp;Haynes |url=http://scalos.noname.fr/ |title=Scalos – The Amiga Desktop Replacement |publisher=Scalos.noname.fr |access-date=2012-02-04 |archive-date=2018-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922220139/http://scalos.noname.fr/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> the [[Ambient (desktop environment)|Ambient]] desktop of [[MorphOS]], and the [[Wanderer (AROS)|Wanderer]] desktop of the [[AROS]] open source OS. WindowLab also contains features reminiscent of the Amiga UI. Third-party [[Directory Opus]] software, which was originally just a [[navigational file manager]] program, evolved to become a complete Amiga desktop replacement called Directory Opus Magellan.

[[OS/2]] (and derivatives such as [[eComStation]] and [[ArcaOS]]) use the [[Workplace Shell]]. Earlier versions of OS/2 used the [[Presentation Manager]].

The [[BumpTop]] project was an experimental desktop environment. Its main objective is to replace the 2D paradigm with a "real-world" 3D implementation, where documents can be freely manipulated across a virtual table.

=== Gallery ===
{{See also|History of the graphical user interface}}

<gallery heights="130">
File:AmbientDesktop.png|[[Ambient (desktop environment)|Ambient]]
File:Solus 4.1 Budgie.jpg|alt=Bugie Desktop|[[Budgie (desktop environment)|Budgie]]
File:CDE 2012 on Linux.png|[[Common Desktop Environment|CDE]]
File:Cinnamon 4.2.3 screenshot.png|[[Cinnamon (desktop environment)|Cinnamon]]
File:COSMIC Epoch 1.0.0 alpha with apps.png|[[COSMIC (desktop environment)|COSMIC]]
File:EDE desktop environment.png|[[Equinox Desktop Environment|EDE]]
File:VirtualBox Linux Deepin 20.1 LARGE 17 03 2021 11 00 50.png|[[Deepin|Deepin DE]]
File:Enlightenment 0.26.0.png|[[Enlightenment (software)|Enlightenment]]
File:GNOME Shell 40 (applications grid).png|[[GNOME Shell]]
File:Gnustep.png|[[GNUstep]]/[[Window Maker]]
File:KDE_Plasma_6.3_desktop_screenshot.webp|[[KDE Plasma 6]]
File:Lumina1.0.0-TrueOS.png|[[Lumina (desktop environment)|Lumina]]
File:LXDE desktop full.png|[[LXDE]]
File:LXQt 1.0.0 Ambiance screenshot.png|[[LXQt]]
File:Ubuntu Mate 18.04.1 with MATE 1.20.1.png|[[MATE (software)|MATE]]
File:Elementary OS 5.1 Hera.png|[[Elementary (operating system)|Pantheon]]
File:Razor desktop.png|[[Razor-qt]]
File:Rox-desktop-2004.png|[[ROX Desktop]]
File:Sugar-home-view-0.82.jpg|[[Sugar (desktop environment)|Sugar]]
File:Screenshot of Trinity Desktop Environment (TDE) R14.0.5 Development.png|[[Trinity (desktop environment)|Trinity]]
File:UDE Honeycomb.png|[[UDE]]
File:UKUI Desktop environment.png|[[UKUI (desktop environment)]]
File:Ubuntu Unity 22.10 desktop screenshot.png|[[Unity (user interface)|Unity]]
File:XFCE-4.12-Desktop-standard.png|[[Xfce]]
</gallery>