10.7 GNOME

GNOME is a user-oriented desktop environment. It includes panels for launching applications and displaying status, a desktop, local tools and applications, and a set of design specifications that enable applications to work together and maintain consistency.

GNOME Desktop Environment Overview

Warning
Currently, due to FreeBSD Bugzilla Bug 287955 - x11/gdm: The user cannot log in; the system hangs at the login screen in gdm 47[EB/OL]. [2026-04-04]. https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=287955. GDM cannot run properly and will hang at the login screen; startx works normally.
It runs normally in virtual machines.

GNOME was formerly a component of the GNU Project, aimed at building a fully functional desktop environment, and is currently primarily developed and maintained by Red Hat. GNOME is a mainstream desktop environment for Linux and UNIX-like systems, with a clean and modern design. GNOME stands for GNU Network Object Model Environment, originating from the GNU Project; its initial letter G should be pronounced, as /ɡəˈnoʊm/ (similar to "guh-nome").

Installing the Complete GNOME Desktop Environment

Install using pkg:

# pkg install xorg gnome noto-sans-sc

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/x11/xorg/ && make install clean
# cd /usr/ports/x11/gnome/ && make install clean
# cd /usr/ports/x11-fonts/noto-sans-sc/ && make install clean

Package Description

Software

Purpose

xorg

X11

gnome

GNOME main program

noto-sans-sc

Noto Sans SC (Simplified Chinese)

Configuration

You also need to configure automatic mounting of the procfs file system.

Add the following content to the /etc/fstab file:

proc /proc procfs rw 0 0

Set the D-Bus service to start on boot:

# service dbus enable

Set the GDM display manager to start on boot:

# service gdm enable

Execute the following command to write the GNOME session command to the ~/.xinitrc file, so that GNOME can be started using the startx command:

$ echo "/usr/local/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc

Root login is disabled by default.

This is the default wallpaper.

Configuring the Chinese Environment for the GNOME Desktop

The configuration parameters in this section are independent of the user's shell; even if using csh, configure as described below.

Open the GDM localization configuration file /usr/local/etc/gdm/locale.conf with a text editor and modify the language settings. Replace the existing content as follows:

LANG="zh_CN.UTF-8"         # Set the system default language to Simplified Chinese UTF-8
LC_CTYPE="zh_CN.UTF-8"     # Set the character type and encoding to Simplified Chinese UTF-8
LC_MESSAGES="zh_CN.UTF-8"  # Set the system message display language to Simplified Chinese UTF-8

Chinese Input Method

Choose either IBus or Fcitx 5.

IBus

The default input method framework used by GNOME is IBus.

Install using pkg:

# pkg install zh-ibus-libpinyin

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/chinese/ibus-libpinyin/
# make install clean

After installation, run the initialization command ibus-setup. Then: Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources, click "Add Input Source", select "Chinese (China)", and add "Intelligent Pinyin".

Fcitx 5

Refer to the input method related chapters.

Warning
IBus is a dependency of GNOME; even if you do not use IBus, you cannot uninstall it, otherwise GNOME will be uninstalled as well.

Settings Adjustments Different from Conventional Habits

GNOME's design philosophy differs from some users' operational habits, such as not allowing desktop icons and lacking a system tray in the top right corner. ~~Is this similar to how a trash can must not contain trash, a person must not be in bed, a door must not be closed, and nothing must be placed on a table?~~

System Optimization Tool

Install using pkg:

# pkg install gnome-tweaks

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/deskutils/gnome-tweaks/
# make install clean

Restoring Tray Icons in the GNOME Top Bar

You need to install the Firefox browser www/firefox and the Port www/chrome-gnome-shell.

TopIcons Plus has not been updated for a long time, so you can only use AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support.

References

Abhishek Prakash. Getting the Top Indicator Panel Back in GNOME[EB/OL]. [2026-03-25]. https://itsfoss.com/enable-applet-indicator-gnome. Provides detailed steps and extension installation guide for restoring tray icon display in the GNOME top bar.

Placing Icons on the Desktop

The extension gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons has not been updated for a long time; the project address is: Desktop Icons.

You can use Desktop Icons NG (DING) as a solution. The installation method is the same as above.

The wallpaper is custom-set; everything else is the default configuration.

Desktop Theme Customization

After installing a desktop environment on FreeBSD, a clean style is adopted. The following content applies to desktop environments based on the GTK library.

The following lists some icons and themes; for more resources, visit FreshPorts.

GTK Desktop Themes

Theme

Install Command

matcha

# pkg install matcha-gtk-themes

Qogir

# pkg install qogir-gtk-themes

Pop

# pkg install pop-gtk-themes

Flat

# pkg install flat-remix-gtk-themes

Numix

# pkg install numix-gtk-theme

Sierra

# pkg install sierra-gtk-themes

Yaru

# pkg install yaru-gtk-themes

Canta

# pkg install canta-gtk-themes

GTK Desktop Icons

Icons

Install Command

papirus

# pkg install papirus-icon-theme

Qogir

# pkg install qogir-icon-themes

Pop

# pkg install pop-icon-theme

Flat

# pkg install flat-remix-icon-themes

Numix

# pkg install numix-icon-theme

Numix Circle

# pkg install numix-icon-theme-circle

Yaru

# pkg install yaru-icon-theme

Canta

# pkg install canta-icon-theme

GNOME Theme Customization

The following installs the WhiteSur theme.

Download the theme source package: git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-gtk-theme
Enter the theme package directory: cd WhiteSur-gtk-theme
Modify the shebang: edit the install.sh file, change the first line to #!/usr/local/bin/bash, then save.
Run the installation: bash install.sh

WhiteSur Icons

Icons

Download the icons: git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-icon-theme
Enter the software directory: cd WhiteSur-icon-theme
Modify the shebang: edit the install.sh file, change the first line to #!/usr/local/bin/bash, then save.
Run the installation: bash install.sh

Cursors

Download the cursors: git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/McMojave-cursors
Enter the software directory: cd McMojave-cursors
Modify the shebang: edit the install.sh file, change the first line to #!/usr/local/bin/bash, then save.
Run the installation: bash install.sh

Exercise

Follow the steps below to install Papirus Icons in the terminal:

$ git clone https://github.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/papirus-icon-theme
$ cd papirus-icon-theme
$ ./install.sh

Appendix: GNOME Desktop Environment Minimal Installation

Install using pkg:

# pkg install xorg-minimal gnome-lite wqy-fonts xdg-user-dirs

Or install using Ports:

# cd /usr/ports/x11/xorg-minimal/ && make install clean
# cd /usr/ports/x11/gnome/ && make FLAVOR=lite install clean
# cd /usr/ports/x11-fonts/wqy/ && make install clean
# cd /usr/ports/devel/xdg-user-dirs/ && make install clean

Package Description

Package

Purpose

xorg-minimal

Minimal X graphics environment

gnome-lite

Minimal GNOME desktop

Slimming Down an Existing Full GNOME Installation

If the full version is already installed, you can use pkg to uninstall the bundled games:

# pkg delete gnome-2048 gnome-klotski gnome-tetravex gnome-mines gnome-taquin gnome-sudoku gnome-robots gnome-nibbles lightsoff tali quadrapassel swell-foop gnome-mahjongg five-or-more iagno aisleriot four-in-a-row

Previous10.6 LXQt Next10.8 IceWM

Last updated 1 month ago