Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on Rocky Linux 8 server

Do you want to install the Cinnamon Desktop environment on Rocky Linux 8 CLI server or desktop? Then here are the commands to follow.

Cinnamon Desktop environment is one of the popular UIs because of its mid-weight and familiar Windows-like User Interface. Cinnamon is visually more complex than Mate. There are more effects and animations at the expense of performance. But as long as you have a moderately up-to-date computer, it will run smoothly. Cinnamon offers a much more modern look while remaining subtle and simple.

It is a further development of Gnome 3. Therefore newer and more extensive features can be supported. This includes entire themes that you can activate in Cinnamon.

Applets in the taskbar of Cinnamon are also made more efficient. In principle, you can even integrate your own extensions into the taskbar. However, this requires advanced programming knowledge.

By default, this desktop GUI with Linux Mint as desktop environment however, we can install it on Rocky Linux 8 as well.

 

Install Cinnamon Desktop on Rocky Linux 8

The command given here to install Cinnamon Desktop GUI on Rocky Linux 8 server or Desktop will be the same for other RedHat-based Linux such as CentOS 8 stream and Oracle Linux.

1. Requirements

• RedHat based Rocky Linux 8
• Non-root sudo user
• Command Terminal access
• Internet Connection

 

2. Update your Rocky Linux 8

Before moving further and installing the Cinnamon desktop on your Rocky Linux, let’s first ensure that all the things on our Linux OS are up to date. For that, we just need to run the Dnf update command, given below.

sudo -y dnf update && sudo dnf upgrade

 

3. Add EPEL Repository& enable PowerTools

There are some dependencies or packages that are available via RedHat’s EPEL repository and PowerTools. Unlike the EPEL repo, the PowerTools one is already on our Rocky Linux 8, we just need to enable it. Hence, follow the given commands:

sudo dnf install epel-release -y
sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools

Once you have added the repositories, let’s run the update command once to refresh the repository cache.

sudo dnf update

 

4. Add repositories for Cinnamon on Rocky Linux 8

Well, as usual like many other Desktop Linux environments Cinnamon is also not available through the default base repo of Rocky Linux. The main reason behind it is most of the time Redhat Linux is used by professionals in a server environment with a command-line interface.

Therefore, we have to enable some Corp repositories to get the packages for Cinnamon installation

sudo dnf copr enable stenstorp/cinnamon
sudo dnf copr enable stenstorp/lightdm
sudo dnf copr enable stenstorp/icon-themes

Run the system update command to refresh the repo cache.

sudo dnf update

 

5. Install Cinnamon Desktop on Rocky Linux 8

We already have added all the package source repositories we required for the installation of the Cinnamon desktop environment on Rocky Linux 8. Hence, use the DNF package manager to get what is required for this GUI.

sudo dnf install cinnamon gnome-terminal gnome-system-monitor mint-themes mint-y-theme mint-*-icons

6. Install LightDM Display Manager

As per the maintainer of the Cinnamon repository for Redhat-based Linux systems, the default GDM display on the system using the default GNOME interface could create issues. Hence, it is recommended to install LightDM, it is also required if you are using a command-line server.

sudo dnf install lightdm-settings slick-greeter-cinnamon

After that Disable GDM and Enable LightDM Display manager

sudo systemctl disable gdm
sudo systemctl enable lightdm

Those who are using the command-line interface server of Rocky Linux, also need to set the default target to graphical UI.

sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target

Once all the above-given commands are executed successfully, reboot your system.

sudo reboot

 

7. Login Cinnamon Desktop

Well, we are done with all required configurations needed to install and use Cinnamon Desktop UI on Rocky Linux 8. Now to use it as a default interface on Linux where the user already has Gnome or any other UI, select the user on the login screen and then click the CLOG icon, from where select the installed CINNAMON.

switch to Cinnamon Desktop Change Desktop User interface on Rocky Linux

 

8. Desktop Environment

Finally, you will have the Cinnamon Desktop user interface on your Rocky Linux 8 desktop within sleek icons and a Windows-like interface. Start Menu is on the left side similar to Win 7 and 10 with all essential Linux applications.

Cinnamon desktop environment Rocky Linux 8 Linux Mint Cinnamon on Rocky Linux 8.5

 

Other Articles:

• How to install Mint’s Cinnamon Desktop UI on MX Linux
• How to Install Budgie Desktop on AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux
• Migrate from AlmaLinux 8 To Rocky Linux 8

 

 

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