Related articles

*   [Desktop environment](/index.php/Desktop_environment "Desktop environment")
*   [Display manager](/index.php/Display_manager "Display manager")
*   [Window manager](/index.php/Window_manager "Window manager")
*   [GTK+](/index.php/GTK%2B "GTK+")

[Budgie](https://budgie-desktop.org/home/) is the default desktop of Solus Operating System, written from scratch. Besides a more modern design, Budgie can emulate the look and feel of the GNOME 2 desktop.

At this time Budgie is heavily under development, so you can expect minor bugs and new features to be added as time goes on.

## Contents

*   [1 Installation](#Installation)
*   [2 Starting](#Starting)
*   [3 Usage](#Usage)
*   [4 Configuration](#Configuration)
    *   [4.1 Changing button layout](#Changing_button_layout)
    *   [4.2 Use a different window manager](#Use_a_different_window_manager)
*   [5 See also](#See_also)

## Installation

[Install](/index.php/Install "Install") the [budgie-desktop](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=budgie-desktop) package for the latest stable or [budgie-desktop-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/budgie-desktop-git/) for current git master. It's recommended to install its optional dependencies also to get a more complete desktop environment. It's recommended also to install the [gnome](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/gnome/) group, which contains applications required for the standard GNOME experience.

## Starting

Choose *Budgie Desktop* session from a [display manager](/index.php/Display_manager "Display manager") of choice, or modify [xinitrc](/index.php/Xinitrc "Xinitrc") to include Budgie Desktop:

 `~/.xinitrc` 
```
export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Budgie:GNOME
exec budgie-desktop

```

## Usage

You can see the notification messages, set volume, and modify the look and feel of the desktop with the sidebar called "Raven". It can be accessed with `Super+N` key or by clicking on the Status Indicator applet.

## Configuration

Configuration of Budgie Desktop is done through the sidebar and changes to system settings are made through [gnome-control-center](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gnome-control-center)

### Changing button layout

Window button layout can be changed using [dconf](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=dconf), [dconf-editor](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=dconf-editor) or gsettings.

For example:

```
gsettings set com.solus-project.budgie-wm button-layout 'close,minimize,maximize:appmenu'
gsettings set com.solus-project.budgie-helper.workarounds fix-button-layout 'close,minimize,maximize:menu'

```

### Use a different window manager

It is possible to use an alternative [window manager](/index.php/Window_manager "Window manager") with the Budgie. Either define a [custom GNOME session](/index.php/GNOME/Tips_and_tricks#Custom_GNOME_sessions "GNOME/Tips and tricks") which replaces *budgie-wm* with another window manager or [autostart](/index.php/GNOME#Autostart "GNOME") `*my-wm* --replace` where *my-wm* is the executable name of the window manager you wish to use.

## See also

*   [Wikipedia:Budgie (desktop environment)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budgie_(desktop_environment) "wikipedia:Budgie (desktop environment)")
*   [Official Budgie Desktop website](https://budgie-desktop.org/)
*   [Official git repositories for Solus development](https://git.solus-project.com/)
*   [Build status for Solus projects](https://build.solus-project.com/)