Ubuntu Cinnamon

Ubuntu Cinnamon is an official Ubuntu flavor featuring the Cinnamon desktop environment developed by the Linux Mint team. Cinnamon provides a traditional desktop layout similar to Windows, making it extremely friendly for users migrating from Windows.

Key Features

• Familiar Desktop Layout: Bottom taskbar + start menu, highly similar to Windows workflow
• Nemo File Manager: Powerful and intuitive file manager
• Cinnamon Spices: Rich ecosystem of themes, extensions, applets, and desklets
• Stable and Reliable: Cinnamon is known for its stability
• Moderate Visual Effects: Attractive without excessive resource consumption

System Requirements

Installation

Option 1: ISO Image Installation

Visit the Ubuntu Cinnamon website  to download the 26.04 LTS ISO image.

Option 2: Install on Existing Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-cinnamon-desktop

After installation, log out and select the Cinnamon session at the login screen.

Desktop Layout

Cinnamon’s default layout is very similar to Windows:

Bottom Panel

• Menu Button: Lower-left corner, similar to the Windows Start menu, browse applications by category or search
• Quick Launch: Pin frequently used apps to the panel
• Window List: Shows currently open windows
• System Tray: Network, sound, battery, and other system icons
• Clock and Calendar: Click to display a full calendar

Virtual Desktops

Cinnamon supports multiple virtual desktops, switchable by default with Ctrl + Alt + Arrow keys. The workspace switcher on the right side of the panel provides a visual overview.

Nemo File Manager

Nemo is Cinnamon’s default file manager, forked from Nautilus by the Linux Mint team:

Features

• Dual-pane Mode: Press F3 to enable side-by-side file operations between two directories
• Built-in Terminal: Press F4 to open a terminal at the bottom of the file manager
• Tree View: Browse directories in a tree structure in the sidebar
• Batch Rename: Select multiple files and right-click to rename
• File Preview: Press Space to quickly preview file contents
• Location Bar Toggle: Press Ctrl + L to switch between path buttons and text input

Useful Extensions

# Install Nemo extensions
sudo apt install nemo-fileroller      # Archive integration
sudo apt install nemo-image-converter # Image conversion
sudo apt install nemo-compare         # File comparison
sudo apt install nemo-terminal        # Enhanced embedded terminal

Cinnamon Spices

Cinnamon has an active extension ecosystem called Spices:

Themes

In System Settings -> Themes you can download and apply themes online, including:

• Window border themes
• Icon themes
• Controls themes
• Desktop themes

Extensions

Install feature enhancements through System Settings -> Extensions:

• CinnVIIStarkMenu: Enhanced start menu
• Desktop Cube: 3D desktop switching effect
• Transparent panels: Panel transparency effect

Applets and Desklets

• Applets are small programs on the panel (weather, system monitor, etc.)
• Desklets are widgets on the desktop (clock, sticky notes, etc.)

Default Applications

Differences from Linux Mint

Ubuntu Cinnamon and Linux Mint Cinnamon both use the Cinnamon desktop, but with these differences:

• Ubuntu Cinnamon is based on Ubuntu’s original software repositories
• Linux Mint has its own additional repositories and custom tools
• Ubuntu Cinnamon follows upstream Ubuntu’s update cadence more closely
• Linux Mint provides more in-house tools (such as Timeshift, Warpinator)

Who Is It For

• Windows migrants who want to minimize the learning curve
• Users who prefer a traditional taskbar + start menu layout
• Linux Mint users who prefer a pure Ubuntu base
• General users who need a stable and reliable desktop environment
• Users who prefer a well-featured but not overly complex desktop