Custom Desktop Environment (Gnome)

Ask Fedora Ask in English
, , ,
1

Hello Everyone! Can’t wait to start contributing to Fedora Linux and the “yum” “RPM” Distros community. I want to build A fork of Gnome Desktop, Keeping Wayland and the very minimal gnome Desktop,but using my own Window Manager (Written in Haskell) as well as using swift instead of JavaScript.

I’ve been researching ways to build a more functional and polished Gnome Desktop that would make it unique to Fedora.
Now, i do understand that some languages or programs might not work out with each other and i am prepared.

My biggest question is, How to i go about building a gnome based or gnome fork Desktop that only installs the absolute minimal Gnome instance so that i can use my own software?

For Example: Ubuntu has there own Gnome, POP_OS! is releasing Cosmic DE, Cinnamon and other forks based on Gnome 2.

Also, If this sounds interesting to you and you would like to collab and i would love to build up a community to create unique Desktop Environments, As well as Mac-style or Fedora Spins built for unsupported mac hardware , Maybe a Net hunter kinda Fedora lab for aarch64?

Thank You,

1 Like
2

So, the workflow is some thing like this:

  • package up all the necessary software to include them in the Fedora repositories
  • write a kickstart file, and use that to generate your ISO

All the Fedora Spins/Labs follow this same method. They are all effectively different sets of packages. You can see all the kickstart files here:

https://pagure.io/fedora-kickstarts

An example of generating a test ISO from your kickstart is here:

https://pagure.io/neuro-sig/neuro-scripts

if you’re not looking to create a Fedora variant, you don’t need to do these steps—then you simply need to build and install your window manager instead of what Gnome uses (mutter?)

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/mutter

What software you want to include really depends on you—how “minimal” you want it to be.

3

To add a little to what @ankursinha stated.
To build a tailored spin with only the packages you choose you might want to start with a minimal install with either the ‘server’ or the ‘netinstall - everything’ spin then add what you want to tailor it for your preferences. When you then build your own iso it would include what you chose and not a lot of other fluff that you did not want.

4

Thank you @ankursinha and @jeffv, I didn’t know about that tool for making the iso that’s awesome to learn!! So as fair as net-installs, That is how I’ve been installing fedora Because I’ve been practicing different builds using different toolkits. Now that i am comfortable configuring Gnome any way possible as well as XFCE and Open box. I wanted to make my own Desktop Environment. But after researching I decided to build a fork off Gnome.

Sorry if i digress, I sat down with the source code and documentation figuring out what the core programs that make Gnome and hence where i am stuck.

I want to basically install Gnome UI and libraries and then install a pre complied suite of my software to create the desktop.