Tell me more ×
Ask Ubuntu is a question and answer site for Ubuntu users and developers. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 8 down vote favorite
1

This question already has an answer here:

as the title:

How can I find which desktop environment I am using?

I want to accomplish this using command line.

share|improve this question
1  
this topic is also discussed here – Marius Balaban Apr 25 '12 at 14:29

marked as duplicate by Luis Alvarado♦ Apr 15 at 2:53

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

6 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

And you can try $DESKTOP_SESSION for the DE.

share|improve this answer
when I type $ echo $DESKTOP_SESSION, it show: ubuntu why this? – UniMouS Apr 25 '12 at 14:27
1  
Desktop session != Window manager – Tachyons Apr 25 '12 at 14:30
My second problem is about DE (desktop environment), which you answered. I think the answer should be gnome, but it is ubuntu, why? – UniMouS Apr 25 '12 at 14:38
4  
Ubuntu is the name of the gnome 3+unity DE. – Javier Rivera Apr 25 '12 at 16:25
up vote 3 down vote

For the window manager you can use:

sudo apt-get install wmctrl
wmctrl -m | grep "Name:" | awk '{print $2}'
share|improve this answer
You can all about your system by just installing - Sysinfo. Search for it on USC. – Curious Apprentice May 8 '12 at 16:03
up vote 2 down vote

I've tested the best tools I've found with:

a. GNOME under Linux Mint installed
b. GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB
c. MATE under Linux Mint
d. LXDE under Lubuntu
e. JWM under Puppy Linux (JWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager).

My results:

  • env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION= (so-so)
a & b - DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome
c - DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop
d - DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu
e - Nothing
  • echo $GDMSESSION (so-so)
a & b - gnome
c - Nothing
d - Lubuntu
e - Nothing
  • pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" or ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" (well, but not perfect)
a & b - OK
c - OK
d - WRONG
e - Nothing & OK
  • HardInfo (very well, but not perfect) 
a - Nothing
b - GNOME 2.32.0
c - MATE
d - LXDE (Lubuntu)
e - Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)

CONCLUSION: A combination of HardInfo and the command ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" probably will give the desired answer.

share|improve this answer
1  
Please, take a time improving your answer adding format to it. Right now, is really hard to understand what are you trying to say and what is a command and what doesn't – Lucio Apr 14 at 22:48
up vote 1 down vote

In a terminal or console, you can run:

pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon"

or

ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon"

The item that appears in more lines should be the answer

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

This command seems to be useful:

ls /usr/bin/*session

-> in GNOME returns /usr/bin/gnome-session (and more)

-> in MATE returns /usr/bin/mate-session (and more)

-> in LXDE returns /usr/bin/lxsession (and more)

-> in JWM returns /usr/bin/icewm-session (should be jwm-session, not?!)

share|improve this answer
up vote -2 down vote

You can run HardInfo. It's ready by default at least in Linux Mint; or you could install it (from Synaptic, ...).

You can run it a) from the main menu > Search box > hardinfo, or b) from the main menu > All applications > System Tools or Administration > System Information, or c) from the main menu > All applications > All > System Information, or d) from a terminal or console > hardinfo > Enter, or e) from the Run Application dialog (Alt+F2) > hardinfo > Enter.

Once HardInfo opens you just need to need to click on the "Operating System" item and look to the "Desktop Environment" line.

Nowadays, apart from GNOME and KDE, you could find MATE, Cinnamon, ...

share|improve this answer
1  
UniMous asked for command line option. He can not click from there. Unless this program can give a file output as report it does not useful for him. – Olcay Ertaş Apr 14 at 19:09

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.