LXDE

LXDE
	Default LXDE desktop
Developer(s)	The LXDE Team
Initial release	2006
Repository	github.com/lxde ;
Written in	C (GTK+)
Operating system	Unix-like
Available in	Multilingual
Type	Desktop environment
License	GNU GPL, GNU LGPL
Website	lxde.org

LXDE is a free and open source desktop environment for Unix and other POSIX compliant platforms, such as Linux or BSD. The goal of the project is to provide a desktop environment that is fast and energy efficient. The name LXDE stands for "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment".^[1]^[2]

LXDE is designed to work well with computers on the low end of the performance spectrum such as older resource-constrained machines, new generation netbooks, and other small computers, especially those with low amounts of RAM.^[3] Testing on Ubuntu has shown that LXDE 0.5 has the lowest memory usage compared to GNOME 2.29, KDE 4.4, and Xfce 4.6,^[4] and also consumes less energy,^[5] which means mobile computers with LXDE drain their battery at a slower pace than those with other desktop environments.

LXDE can be built on top of many Linux distributions as well as BSD. It is the native desktop environment of Knoppix, Lubuntu and U-lite, among others.

History

The project was started in 2006 by Taiwanese programmer Hong Jen Yee, also known as PCMan, when he published PCManFM, a new file manager and the first module of LXDE.

LXDE is written in the C programming language, using the GTK+ toolkit, and runs on Unix and other POSIX compliant platforms, such as Linux and BSD. GTK+ is commonly used in many Linux distributions and allows applications to run on different platforms.^[6] LXDE uses rolling releases for the individual components (or group of components with coupled dependencies).^[7] LXDE includes GPL licensed code as well as LGPL licensed code.^[1]

In reviewing Linux distribution rankings for DistroWatch in early January 2011 for the year 2010 versus 2009, Ladislav Bodnar noted the increase in popularity of LXDE versus other desktop environments. He said, "Looking through the tables, an interesting thing is the rise of distributions that use the lightweight, but full-featured LXDE desktop or the Openbox window manager. As an example, Lubuntu now comfortably beats Kubuntu in terms of page hits, while CrunchBang Linux, a lightweight distribution with Openbox is still in the top 25 even though it failed to produce a stable release for well over a year. Many other distributions started offering LXDE-based editions of their products, further contributing to the dramatic rise in popularity of this relatively new desktop environment."^[8]

Components

Unlike other major desktop environments such as GNOME and the KDE Plasma Desktop, the components of LXDE have few dependencies and are not tightly integrated.^[9] Instead, they can run independently of each other.^[10]

LXDE consists of several components:

PCMan File Manager	File manager
LXInput	Mouse and keyboard configuration tool
LXLauncher	Easy-mode application launcher
LXPanel	Desktop panel
LXSession	X session manager
LXAppearance	GTK+ theme switcher
Leafpad	Text editor
Xarchiver	File archiver
GPicView	Image viewer
LXMusic	An XMMS2 client, audio player
LXTerminal	Terminal emulator
LXTask	Task manager
LXRandR	A GUI front-end to RandR
LXDM	X display manager
LXNM	Lightweight network connection helper daemon. Supports wireless connections (Linux only).
Openbox	Window manager
obconf	A GUI tool to configure Openbox