Ubuntu MATE

Ubuntu MATE is an official Ubuntu flavor featuring the MATE desktop environment. MATE is the continuation and modernization of the classic GNOME 2 desktop, providing a familiar and reliable choice for users who miss the traditional Linux desktop experience.

Key Features

• Classic GNOME 2 Experience: Traditional dual-panel layout, clean and intuitive
• MATE Tweak Tool: One-click switching between multiple desktop layout styles
• Moderate Resource Usage: Lighter than GNOME and KDE, more feature-rich than Xfce and LXQt
• Caja File Manager: Inherited from Nautilus, full-featured and stable
• Highly Mature: Based on the well-tested GNOME 2 codebase refined over many years

System Requirements

Installation

Option 1: ISO Image Installation

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

Option 2: Install on Existing Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-mate-desktop

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

MATE Tweak Tool

MATE Tweak is a signature tool of Ubuntu MATE that allows quick switching between desktop layouts:

Available Layouts

• Familiar: Classic top and bottom dual-panel layout (default)
• Redmond: Windows-like style with bottom taskbar and start menu
• Cupertino: macOS-like style with top menu bar and bottom Dock
• Pantheon: elementary OS-like style
• Mutiny: Unity-like style with left-side launcher
• Netbook: Optimized layout for small screens
• Traditional: The most classic GNOME 2 layout

Access it via: System -> Preferences -> MATE Tweak

Window Manager Selection

MATE Tweak also lets you switch window managers:

• Marco: Default window manager, lightweight and stable
• Marco + Compton: Adds compositing effects (transparency, shadows)
• Marco + Picom: Successor to Compton with improved effects

Caja File Manager

Caja is inherited from the GNOME 2 era Nautilus, with these features:

• Tab browsing and split-pane view
• Built-in file search
• Customizable toolbar
• Script extensions (place scripts in ~/.config/caja/scripts/)
• Remote server connections (FTP, SSH, SMB)

Useful Extensions

# Install Caja extensions
sudo apt install caja-open-terminal    # Open terminal here
sudo apt install caja-image-converter  # Batch image conversion
sudo apt install caja-share            # Folder sharing

Default Applications

Appearance Customization

Theme Settings

In System -> Preferences -> Appearance you can adjust:

• GTK theme and window borders
• Icon theme
• Mouse pointer
• Fonts

Recommended Themes

# Install Arc theme
sudo apt install arc-theme
 
# Install Papirus icons
sudo apt install papirus-icon-theme

Who Is It For

• Veteran users who miss the classic GNOME 2 desktop experience
• Users who prefer a traditional, stable desktop layout
• Users migrating from the Windows XP/7 era
• Users seeking a balance between functionality and resource usage
• Users who want flexibility to switch between different desktop layout styles