Learning Devuan GNU/Linux - Desktop Environment & Display

#Introduction

Once the system foundation is running, many users want Devuan to be their daily desktop. Episode 8 covers desktop environments and display on Devuan: XFCE as the default live desktop, KDE and GNOME with special adjustments, MATE, Cinnamon, and i3 for minimalist users. You'll also learn about Xorg, the LightDM display manager, and the role of elogind.

The key point to understand from the start: a desktop on a non-systemd system requires extra attention to session management. This is why elogind — which we already met in episode 2 — plays a major role. Without logind, some desktop features like power management and per-user device access may not work fully.

#Choosing a Desktop Environment

#XFCE: Default Live and Primary Recommendation

XFCE is the default desktop on Devuan's live ISO. It's lightweight, stable, and fully supported in the non-systemd ecosystem — a combination rarely found in other desktops. For users switching from Windows or from Debian with GNOME, XFCE feels familiar: bottom panel, application menu, and a simple window manager.

Install XFCE together with a display manager:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install xfce4 lightdm
sudo service lightdm start

sudo service lightdm start turns on the display manager, which brings up the login screen. After logging in, you're in an Xorg session with XFCE.

#KDE, MATE, and Cinnamon

KDE Plasma and Cinnamon run well on Devuan, though some components such as power settings must go through elogind. MATE is the most "classic Debian" choice — lightweight like XFCE with a more traditional look. All of them can be installed with apt:

sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment
sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment

Install only one desktop to avoid overlapping theme and menu conflicts. After installation, choose your session from the session menu in LightDM.

#GNOME: Needs Adjustment

GNOME is a special case. Modern GNOME is deeply integrated with systemd for session management, so on Devuan it needs elogind as a replacement. The end result works, but some features — such as full search and login integration — can feel less smooth. For the smoothest non-systemd experience, XFCE or MATE remain the primary recommendations.

#i3 for Minimalist Users

For those who enjoy tiling window managers, i3 is a favorite choice on Devuan:

sudo apt install i3

i3 doesn't bring a panel or a complete desktop; you assemble it yourself with a status bar and dmenu. This transparency is what makes i3 popular among users who want full control.

#Xorg and Display Manager

#Running Xorg on Devuan

Xorg is the display server that brings the GUI to life. On Devuan, Xorg runs as a regular service managed by init. Verify that the X server and video drivers work:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
xdpyinfo | head -5

The output of echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE shows x11 if your session runs on Xorg. The xdpyinfo command displays display server details — useful for confirming the correct resolution and depth.

#LightDM as the Default Display Manager

LightDM is Devuan's default display manager, presenting the login screen. It works with various sessions and is lightweight. Manage the login service with:

sudo service lightdm status
sudo service lightdm restart

sudo service lightdm restart restarts the login screen — useful after changing the default session. Its main configuration lives in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.

#Elogind and User Sessions

Elogind provides session management for non-systemd desktops. It tracks login sessions and seats, and enables per-user device access such as cameras or disks:

loginctl list-sessions
loginctl show-session $(loginctl list-sessions --no-legend | awk '{print $1}') | grep -E "State|Type"

If loginctl list-sessions is empty, make sure the elogind service is running. Without registered sessions, some desktop applications will struggle to access devices.

#Troubleshooting the Desktop

#Login Screen Doesn't Appear

If LightDM doesn't show the login screen after installation, check the service status and make sure Xorg can run:

sudo service lightdm status
tail -30 /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Error lines in /var/log/Xorg.0.log usually point to a missing video driver. A common fix: install the matching xserver-xorg-video-* driver or use the built-in modesetting driver.

#Trying a Session from the Terminal

If the display manager is misbehaving, run a session manually from the terminal:

startx /usr/bin/startxfce4

startx /usr/bin/startxfce4 runs Xorg and then loads XFCE directly — a good diagnostic approach for separating display manager problems from desktop problems.

#Conclusion

Episode 8 covered desktop environments on Devuan: XFCE as the primary recommendation, KDE, MATE, Cinnamon, and i3 as alternatives, and GNOME, which needs elogind adjustments. You also learned to run Xorg, manage LightDM, and make use of elogind for session management.

Key takeaways:

• XFCE is Devuan's default live desktop and the smoothest without systemd.
• GNOME requires elogind and extra adjustments.
• i3 is a tiling window manager choice for minimalist users.
• LightDM is Devuan's default display manager.
• Xorg runs as a service; check it via XDG_SESSION_TYPE.
• elogind is required for power management and device access on the desktop.

In the next episode, episode 9, we'll cover audio, multimedia, and printing — setting up PipeWire and ALSA for sound, installing multimedia codecs, and configuring CUPS as the printing service on Devuan.