This guide explains installing the latest Xfce desktop in Arch Linux. The guide explains the steps for the latest Xfce desktop release. However, it works for any Xfce version as well.
The first part of the guide explains the steps for installing the base Arch system. The second part is installing the complete Xfce desktop on Arch Linux.
What is the Xfce Desktop?
Xfce is an open-source Linux desktop environment. It is known to be a lightweight desktop, providing enough visual appeal and customisations to the users. Xfce desktop comes with modular packages contributing to the overall desktop feel.
Xfce desktop is an option for many Linux distributions as a lightweight flavour. Some important Xfce desktop features are Xubuntu, Debian Xfce edition, Linux Mint Xfce, MX Linux, Fedora Xfce edition, etc.
You can also install Xfce on top of a base install for Arch Linux. In this guide, we explain the steps for the same.
Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux
Part 1: Install Arch Linux
If you already have Arch Linux installed, you can skip this step and directly go to the install Xfce Desktop section below.
For a quick Arch Linux base installation, follow the installation guide using the archinstall automated script here. It’s the recommended method for installation.
If you want the legacy way of installing Arch Linux, follow the below steps.
Download Arch Linux
Download Arch Linux .iso from the below link. There are magnet and torrent links available. Once you download it, write the ISO to a USB drive. And then boot from the drive.
If you plan to install it as a virtual machine image via GNOME Boxes, virt-manager – you do not need to write it to a USB drive.
Boot and Configure Partitions
After you boot from the Arch Linux iso, you must run a series of commands to install the base system.
First, run the below command to find out the device identifier.
fdisk -l
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/fdisk-l-before.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (1)")
Then with the device identifier, run the below command to start partitioning your disk. Make sure to change /dev/sda as per your system.
cfdisk /dev/sda
Select label type = dos the following prompt.
Select the free space and choose the option NEW from the bottom. In this example, I will create three partitions as per below.
/dev/sda1 - 1G - for /boot
/dev/sda2 - 5G - for root
/dev/sda3 - 1G - for swap
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cfdisk-1024x159.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (2)")
In the next screen, provide the partition size for the boot partition (for this example, I gave 1 GB). Select it as the primary partition.
Repeat the same step for the primary root partition of size 5GB.
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Swap-parition-type-change.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (3)")
Create a swap partition using the same steps with size 1G (you may change it as needed). After creating the swap partition, select Type at the bottom and mark it as a swap with the option “Linux Swap/Solaris”.
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/final-partition-list-in-cfdisk-1024x178.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (4)")
Once done, write the changes to the disk using the Write option at the bottom. Make sure you take a backup before you write, as this is a permanent change in your system.
Run the below command to check before you proceed. You can see in this example that three partitions are listed.
fdisk -l
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/final-partition-list-in-fdisk.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (5)")
Run the following commands to format and create an ext4 file system in the newly created partition above. Make sure you change the /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2 as needed.
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2
mkswap /dev/sda3
swapon /dev/sda3
After completion, mount the system and create the necessary directories.
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot /mnt/var /mnt/home
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot
Again, make sure you change /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2 and /dev/sda3 as per your system.
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (6)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/prepare-file-system.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (6)")
Install the base system
I hope you are already connected to the internet. If not, try using a USB dongle or wired internet connection which the Arch installer automatically configures and detects. If you do not have a wired connection, follow this guide to configure a wireless or wifi network using the Arch Linux installer.
Run the below commands in sequence to install the base system in the mounted partition. The download size is approx 400 MB.
pacman -Syy
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux linux-firmware nano dhcpcd net-tools grub
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (7)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Install-base-system-1024x205.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (7)")
Once complete, generate a file system table without which you can’t boot the system.
genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
Configure the base system
Follow the below commands in sequence to configure the base system. This involves setting up your locale and language, adding a login user, and setting up the internet.
arch-chroot /mnt
nano /etc/locale.gen
Uncomment the locale of your choice by removing the # at the beginning. For this guide, I have chosen en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8. Press CTRL+O, Enter, and CTRL+X to exit from nano.
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (8)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/change-locale.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (8)")
Generate the locale using:
locale-gen
Set up the language using the below command.
echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 > /etc/locale.conf
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
Set up the local time zone.
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/New_York /etc/localtime
Again, you can choose them as per your need. You can list the local time zones via the below commands.
ls /usr/share/zoneinfols /usr/share/zoneinfo/America
Set up the hardware clock, create a hostname and enable the DHCP for the internet using the commands below. You can change "arindam-pc" to any hostname as per your desire.
hwclock --systohc --utc
echo arindam-pc > /etc/hostname
systemctl enable dhcpcd
The next step is to set up the root user password, create an admin user, and add the user to the sudoers file.
Follow the below commands in sequence. Make sure to change the user name debugpoint to something else per your need.
passwd root
useradd -m -g users -G wheel -s /bin/bash debugpoint
passwd debugpoint
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (9)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/create-user.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (9)")
Open the sudoers file and add the below lines.
nano /etc/sudoers
Add the below lines. As you already created the root user, the entry should be there.
root ALL=(ALL) ALL
debugpoint ALL=(ALL) ALL
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (10)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/update-sudoers-file.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (10)")
Install grub, set up the initial ramdisk environment, and unmount the system using the commands below.
grub-install /dev/sda
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
mkinitcpio -p linux
exit
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (11)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/configure-grub-1024x639.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (11)")
Then reboot your system.
umount /mnt/boot
umount /mnt
reboot
You have now successfully installed the Arch Linux base system. It’s time to install the complete Xfce desktop.
Part 2: Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux
After reboot, choose Arch Linux from grub. In the Arch Linux prompt, start running the following commands in sequence. These commands install the Xorg server, lightdm display manager, Xfce desktop components, controller packages, and additional applications.
For all the commands, use the default, i.e. press enter when asked.
- Install Xorg. Approx install size is 80 MB.
sudo pacman -S --needed xorg
- Install additional components and applications (approx 144 MB)
sudo pacman -S --needed xfce4 mousepad parole ristretto thunar-archive-plugin thunar-media-tags-plugin xfce4-battery-plugin xfce4-datetime-plugin xfce4-mount-plugin xfce4-netload-plugin xfce4-notifyd xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin xfce4-screensaver xfce4-taskmanager xfce4-wavelan-plugin xfce4-weather-plugin xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin xfce4-xkb-plugin file-roller network-manager-applet leafpad epdfview galculator lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings capitaine-cursors arc-gtk-theme xdg-user-dirs-gtk
- If the above command is too much to type, try to install xfce4-goodies group via the below command with the rest of the required packages (Thanks to Philip and others).
sudo pacman -S --needed xfce4-goodies file-roller network-manager-applet leafpad epdfview galculator lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings capitaine-cursors arc-gtk-theme xdg-user-dirs-gtk
- If you are installing Arch + Xfce in a VirtualBox virtual machine, install the following package for guest additions. This is optional.
sudo pacman -S --needed virtualbox-guest-utils xf86-video-vmware
The above packages are just for reference. You can also install the ones you require.
Now it’s time to enable the display and network manager as a service. So that the next time you log on, they can run automatically by systemd.
systemctl enable lightdmsystemctl enable NetworkManager
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (12)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Enable-lightdm-and-network-Install-Xfce-Desktop-in-Arch-Linux.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (12)")
Reboot the system using the reboot command.
reboot
You should see a lightdm login prompt on the Xfce desktop if all goes well. Login using the credentials you just created in the above steps. You should be greeted with the latest Xfce desktop environment.
![How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (13)](https://i0.wp.com/www.debugpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/lightdm-login-prompt-Install-Xfce-Desktop-in-Arch-Linux.jpg "How to Install Xfce Desktop in Arch Linux [Complete Guide] (13)")
I hope this guide helps you create your own Arch Linux environment with a lightweight Xfce desktop from scratch.
Please let me know if you run into trouble using the comment box below.
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FAQs
How install Xfce Arch Linux? ›
- Update packages on Arch Linux. Open a terminal and run the following command to update the packages. sudo pacman –Syu. ...
- Now install xfce4 using pacman package manager. Xfce4-goodies group contains additional tools like mousepad editor. sudo pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies. ...
- Restart the system.
Starting. Choose Xfce Session from the menu in a display manager of choice, or add exec startxfce4 to Xinitrc. Note: Do not call the xfce4-session executable directly; startxfce4 is the correct command which, in turn, calls the former when appropriate.
How do I install a new desktop environment in Arch Linux? ›- Step 1: Update Arch Linux.
- Step 2: Install X Window System (Xorg)
- Step 3: Install GNOME Desktop Environment.
- Step 4: Start and Enable gdm.service. Alternate Option: Choose a DM (Display Manager)
- Step 5: Reboot the System.
- Step 6: Install Applications.
Xfce can be started from the console simply by running the startxfce4 command. startxfce4 is a script that sets the required environment variables and calls Xinit to start the X server with the Xfce session.
Is Xfce better than GNOME? ›Xfce is faster than KDE and GNOME. If you plan on running multiple applications at once, Xfce gives you optimal performance. After Xfce, KDE is the fastest desktop environment.
Is cinnamon faster than Xfce? ›...
Cinnamon, MATE or Xfce?
| Cinnamon | The most modern, innovative and full-featured desktop |
|---|---|
| Xfce | The most lightweight desktop |
You can also start xfce4-terminal from a command line or from the Application launcher. Just hit Alt-F2, type Xfce Terminal and click the button Execute.
How do I manually install Xfce? ›- First, update your system sudo apt update.
- Install the XFCE desktop by using the command: sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop -y. You may need to press Y to continue. Wait for some time to download all the necessary package.
- Reboot the system to switch to Xfce desktop.
- You can just login with the command startxfce4.
- You can add exec startxfce4 to your . xinitrc in your home directory and simply use startx .
- You can put the following in your . bash_profile/. bashrc if you want Xfce to start automatically when you login on tty1:
Pamac is the graphical package manager from Manjaro Linux. It based on GTK3 and Alpm and supports AUR, Appstream, Flatpak and Snap. Pamac also supports automatic download of updates and downgrade of packages. It is the most widely used Application in Arch Linux derivatives.
What desktop environment does Arch use? ›
Pantheon — Pantheon is the default desktop environment originally created for the elementary OS distribution. It is written from scratch using Vala and the GTK3 toolkit.
Does Arch Linux have a graphical installer? ›All editions come with a graphical installer.
Why Xfce is the best Linux desktop? ›Xfce Has Low System Requirements
Many Linux distributions choose Xfce for the simple reason that it can run easily on a wide range of hardware. But not only can Xfce function on an underpowered machine, but it also doesn't look like it's chugging along while doing so.
Xfce offers limited options to customize. KDE runs faster on a resource-intensive system. Xfce excels in a system that has limited resources.
Is Xfce a Linux desktop environment? ›Xfce or XFCE (pronounced as four individual letters) is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.
Does KDE use more RAM than Xfce? ›If agile performance is what you are after, you might be biased about XFCE. Having said this, it has veritably less RAM usage than KDE plasma, using only 531MB idly, regardless of VM execution or native installation.
Which Xfce distro is best? ›Manjaro XFCE - Best lightweight Arch-based Linux distro
Manjaro offers cutting-edge software packages based on the Arch User Repository (AUR). Apart from using the Arch repositories, the Manjaro community also maintains its own repository for the latest software packages.
KDE Plasma and Xfce are two popular desktop environment options for lightweight Linux distributions. While Xfce is still favored more for some of the best lightweight Linux distributions, KDE Plasma is not a resource-heavy desktop either.
Which Linux desktop is fastest? ›- Ubuntu MATE. ...
- Lubuntu. ...
- Arch Linux + Lightweight Desktop environment. ...
- Xubuntu. ...
- Peppermint OS. Peppermint OS. ...
- antiX. antiX. ...
- Manjaro Linux Xfce Edition. Manjaro Linux Xfce edition. ...
- Zorin OS Lite. Zorin OS Lite is a perfect distro for users who're tired of using Windows on their potato PC.
Well Puppy Linux is by far the fastest out of all Linux distros out there. Another one that I think is very fast is Chrome OS. For a new os, it is surprisingly fast and very quick when it comes to booting up.
What is Xfce Terminal called? ›
xfce4-terminal is what is known as an X terminal emulator, often referred to as terminal or shell. It provides an equivalent to the old-fashioned text screen on your desktop, but one which can easily share the screen with other graphical applications.
What terminal is used in XFCE? ›Xfce Terminal is based on the VTE Terminal Widget Library, just like gnome-terminal. Vte is probably not the fastest terminal emulation library on earth, but it's one of the best when it comes to Unicode support, and not to forget, it's actively developed.
How do I reset my XFCE desktop? ›- cp -r ~/. config/xfce4 ~/xfce4. Copy.
- pkill xfconfd. Copy.
- rm -rf ~/. config/xfce4/panel. Copy.
- rm -rf ~/. config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel. xml. Copy.
You can run this command to install xfce4 without the extra applications -- sudo apt-get install xfce . This was also asked in another post that I found: How to install Xfce desktop environment? Save this answer. sudo apt-get install xfce worked.
What is the latest Xfce version? ›Xfce 4.16 is the most recent version of the Xfce desktop environment. You can find the changes in this release here.
Does Xfce come with a display manager? ›Display Managers
The Xfce Desktop Environment does not have its own DM, but various options are available like gdm , slim , lxdm and lightdm .
This task package is used to install the Debian desktop, featuring the Xfce desktop environment, and with other packages that Debian users expect to have available on the desktop.
Is Xfce a lightweight? ›Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems.
Is Arch better than Kali? ›Arch is geared towards more advanced users only. Kali Linux is not a daily driver OS as it is based on debian testing branch. For a stable debian based experience, ubuntu should be used.
Can Arch Linux run 2gb RAM? ›Before you start the Arch Linux installation you should make sure that all the necessary requirements are met. Your computer should have at least 512 MB of RAM and 1 GB of memory. For streamlined use, 2 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage are recommended. The computer should also be x86-64 compatible.
Is Arch better for gaming? ›
For the most part, games will work right out of the box in Arch Linux with possibly better performance than on other distributions due to compile time optimizations. However, some special setups may require a bit of configuration or scripting to make games run as smoothly as desired.
Can you use Arch without GUI? ›Some more advanced distros like Arch Linux come without a GUI by default. The only practical limit may be that modern websites expect users to run graphical distros and may refuse to display its content in text browsers like Lynx. ... where windowmanager is your preferred window manager.
Is Arch good for old PC? ›Arch Linux is one of the best Linux distros if you're looking for a lightweight Linux distro that can run smoothly on your old laptop. It doesn't ships-in with any unnecessary preinstalled packages and applications.
Is Arch more powerful than Debian? ›Arch is more stable as compared to packages of Debian. 5. A package management system is good. This also has a good package management system.
Is 4GB RAM enough for Arch Linux? ›Absolutely. It would run perfectly fine. I've installed Arch Linux on much older computers & till date it is running fine. 2.1GHz Processor & 4GB is enough for it to run smoothly.
Is Arch Linux difficult? ›The process can take quite a while. The amount of knowledge required makes Arch more difficult to install than most distros. You have to do a bit of reading, but if you can follow a guide, you can get things up and running. In the end, you're left with a system that does exactly what you want.
How many GB does Arch Linux need? ›The requirements for installing Arch Linux
Your computer must be x86-64 compatible, have a secure and stable internet connection, and have a USB drive with a storage capacity of at least 2 GB. You will also need at least 512 MB of RAM and 1 GB of storage.
There are many reasons for Linux being generally faster than windows. Firstly, Linux is very lightweight while Windows is fatty. In windows, a lot of programs run in the background and they eat up the RAM. Secondly, in Linux, the file system is very much organized.
Which Linux desktop is most like Windows? ›They should turn to Linux Mint, in particular, the version using the Cinnamon interface. Unlike Chrome OS, Mint with several desktop environments like Cinnamon, looks a lot like XP or Windows 7. It uses a Windows Icon, Menu, and Pointer (WIMP) interface much like the one you probably already know and love.
Is Manjaro better than Arch? ›Generally speaking, Manjaro is more user-friendly than Arch. It can be downloaded in different flavors, based on the desktop environment. For instance, the three official releases use either XFCE, KDE, or GNOME. However, there are a number of “unofficial” releases for other environments.
Is KDE heavy on CPU? ›
KDE is CPU/GFX heavy.
Is Xubuntu fast? ›The advantages of Xubuntu can be summarized like this: Free: Xubuntu is a free operating system and can be used as a free Linux distribution. Fast: The often emphasized, slim Xfce desktop environment is a big plus for Xubuntu. Xfce consumes fewer resources than desktop environments like Unity, Gnome, or KDE.
Which is lighter Xfce or GNOME? ›Gnome uses around 800 MB of RAM. It uses lower memory space, unlike the other desktop software. The memory footprint of Xfce is around 500MB of RAM. Lower consumption of CPU and memory reflects in the overall performance.
Is i3 faster than Xfce? ›It can do everything that regular wm can and much more. It is much faster than XFCE, especially on older hardware.
Which is lighter Xfce or LXDE? ›LXQt and LXDE are lighter than Xfce, but that's only one part of the story. LXDE looks more basic compared to Xfce. With enough effort, Xfce can feel like a more modern desktop environment. The primary difference between LXQt and Xfce is that LXQt uses Qt rather than GTK+.
How do I install Manjaro Xfce? ›The first step is to download the Manjaro ISO image. So head over to the Official download page and download the Manjaro Xfce ISO image. Once downloaded, create a bootable USB drive using one of the free useful tools for creating a bootable USB. Once done, plug the bootable USB drive into your PC and reboot.
How do I install apt in Arch? ›- Install pacaur $ pacman -S pacaur.
- Install apt, from pacaur (no root) $ pacaur -S apt.
- Add some repositories.
- Now you have working apt on arch linux.
Xfce has its own charm, however, KDE wins in terms of overall desktop environment presentation. KDE provides a lot of customization options. Xfce offers limited options to customize. KDE runs faster on a resource-intensive system.
Is Lxde lighter than Xfce? ›LXQt and LXDE are lighter than Xfce, but that's only one part of the story. LXDE looks more basic compared to Xfce. With enough effort, Xfce can feel like a more modern desktop environment. The primary difference between LXQt and Xfce is that LXQt uses Qt rather than GTK+.
How do I install Xfce? ›Install XFCE on Ubuntu
Install a tool for initialization of a graphical system (it will launch the XFCE environment). In some versions of the OS, the system will offer a choice of "gdm3" and "lightdm" tools. Select "lightdm" and press Enter. The system will install it.
How much RAM does Manjaro Xfce use? ›
RAM usage depends on what applications you run. According to this output you have 8GB of RAM - but no swap at all. You should have swap with this amount of RAM.
Is there a GUI for apt? ›Synaptic Package Manager is a GUI based package management tool that uses APT (Advanced Package Tool) to installing, updating or removing packages from the Linux system.
Why Arch Linux is better than Ubuntu? ›Arch is designed for users who desire a do-it-yourself approach, whereas Ubuntu provides a preconfigured system. Arch presents a simpler design from the base installation onward, relying on the user to customize it to their own specific needs. Many Arch users have started on Ubuntu and eventually migrated to Arch.
Is manjaro better than Arch? ›Generally speaking, Manjaro is more user-friendly than Arch. It can be downloaded in different flavors, based on the desktop environment. For instance, the three official releases use either XFCE, KDE, or GNOME. However, there are a number of “unofficial” releases for other environments.
Why do people like Xfce? ›Xfce Has Low System Requirements
Many Linux distributions choose Xfce for the simple reason that it can run easily on a wide range of hardware. But not only can Xfce function on an underpowered machine, but it also doesn't look like it's chugging along while doing so.
Manjaro XFCE - Best lightweight Arch-based Linux distro
Manjaro offers cutting-edge software packages based on the Arch User Repository (AUR). Apart from using the Arch repositories, the Manjaro community also maintains its own repository for the latest software packages.
Xfce or XFCE (pronounced as four individual letters) is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Xfce aims to be fast and lightweight while still being visually appealing and easy to use. Xfce embodies the traditional Unix philosophy of modularity and re-usability.
Is i3 faster than XFCE? ›It can do everything that regular wm can and much more. It is much faster than XFCE, especially on older hardware.