LXQt Desktop Environment

LXQt is a lightweight and open-source desktop environment that is known for its efficiency and performance. LXQt was formed from the merger of the LXDE and Razor-qt projects. It is designed to be fast and user-friendly, with minimal resource consumption, making it an ideal choice for older hardware or systems where performance is a priority.

History and Development

The genesis of LXQt can be traced back to the announcement in July 2013 that the LXDE and Razor-qt teams would merge their efforts to create a new desktop environment using the Qt toolkit. This decision was motivated by the desire to utilize the power and flexibility of Qt while maintaining the lightweight nature of the original projects. The first stable release of LXQt was 0.7.0, which was released in May 2014.

Features

Lightweight and Fast

LXQt is developed to be a lightweight desktop environment, consuming fewer resources compared to its contemporaries like GNOME or KDE Plasma. It excels in environments where system resources are limited, making it suitable for use on older computers.

Modular Design

LXQt components are designed to be independent and modular, which allows users to replace parts of LXQt with other software. This modularity provides flexibility and customization options to users who prefer certain applications over the default setup.

Customizability

A hallmark of the LXQt desktop environment is its high degree of customization. Users can alter the aesthetics and functionality of the desktop through various configuration options, making the experience personalized to their preferences.

Compatibility

LXQt is compatible with a wide range of Linux distributions. It is the default desktop environment for Lubuntu, a lightweight Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. Additionally, Kali Linux utilizes LXQt for its terminal emulator.

Key Components

PCManFM-Qt

The PCMan File Manager is the default file manager for LXQt. It is a continuation of the original PCManFM, now rewritten to use the Qt Libraries. PCManFM-Qt provides features such as GVfs support for seamless file access across different types of storage.

lxqt-panel

The lxqt-panel is an integral component of the LXQt desktop environment. It provides the traditional taskbar functionality, including system trays, launchers, and other applets.

lxqt-session

The lxqt-session manages the session settings and ensures that the user environment is consistent across different sessions. It is responsible for starting and stopping the various components of the desktop environment.