| Flavor | Desktop Environment | Software Packages | Use Case | | :------------ | :------------------ | :---------------- | :------------------ | | Ubuntu Desktop| GNOME | Wide range | General use | | Kubuntu | KDE Plasma | Wide range | Traditional Linux | | Xubuntu | Xfce | Wide range | Lightweight desktop | | Lubuntu | LXQt | Minimal | Minimal desktop | | Ubuntu MATE | MATE | Wide range | Traditional desktop | | Ubuntu Budgie | Budgie | Wide range | Simple and elegant |
Imagine a desktop that feels like a cozy, well-worn denim jacket. Ubuntu MATE resurrects the classic GNOME 2 layout—complete with app menus, taskbars, and system trays. It’s lightweight, intuitive, and ideal for older hardware or anyone who misses the “just works” simplicity of early 2010s Linux. Bonus: the MATE Tweak tool lets you flip between half a dozen panel layouts (Cupertino, Redmond, or classic). A meditation on efficiency. ubuntu flavors
Budgie (originally from the Solus project) is the desktop environment that feels like a warm hug and a sharp suit at the same time. It’s clean, modern, and features a “Raven” sidebar that bundles notifications, calendar, and system controls. Ubuntu Budgie is perfect for users who want something different from GNOME but not as deep-end as KDE. Plus, it comes with some of the most polished default themes in the Linux world. | Flavor | Desktop Environment | Software Packages
Got a dusty netbook, a Raspberry Pi, or a PC that remembers the Bush administration? is your resurrection machine. Featuring the LXQt desktop, this flavor sips RAM like a tea drinker at a Zen monastery—often under 500MB at idle. No animations, no fluff. Just a clean, panel-based interface that launches apps before you finish clicking. It’s the Linux equivalent of a carbon-fiber racing bike. Bonus: the MATE Tweak tool lets you flip
Let’s take a spin through the most fascinating flavors.