gnome

GNOME is a free and open-source desktop environment for Unix-like operating systems. It forms part of the GNU Project and provides a graphical user interface, a set of core applications, and the underlying development framework. The project emphasizes simplicity, accessibility, and internationalization. GNOME is built around the GTK toolkit and the GNOME Shell user interface, which runs on the Mutter window manager. By default, GNOME uses the Wayland display server protocol, while X11 is still available as a fallback.

The GNOME project began in 1997 as a completely free desktop environment to counter proprietary alternatives. It is maintained by the GNOME Foundation, a nonprofit organization that coordinates development and community governance. The software consists of the GNOME platform libraries, a collection of core applications (such as Files, Terminal, Settings), and a set of developer tools that enable apps to integrate with GNOME.

GNOME is the default desktop on several Linux distributions and is widely available on other Unix-like systems, including BSDs. Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and openSUSE offer GNOME as a primary desktop option. The project publishes human interface guidelines to guide app design and seeks to encourage accessibility and inclusivity.

Development is driven by a global community of volunteers and corporate sponsors. New GNOME releases are scheduled on a roughly annual cadence, including updates to the shell, core applications, and platform libraries.