Switching Desktop Environments - ryzendew/Linux-Tips-and-Tricks GitHub Wiki

Switching Desktop Environments on Linux

This guide will help you understand how to install and switch between different desktop environments (DEs) and window managers (WMs) on Linux, with a focus on CachyOS and Arch Linux-based distributions.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding Desktop Environments and Window Managers
  2. Things to Consider Before Installing Another DE/WM
  3. Understanding Settings Packages
  4. Available CachyOS Settings Packages
  5. How to Install Another DE/WM
  6. Switching Between Desktop Environments
  7. Reverting to Previous Configuration
  8. Understanding Settings Package Updates
  9. Frequently Asked Questions
  10. Troubleshooting

Understanding Desktop Environments and Window Managers

What is a Desktop Environment?

A Desktop Environment (DE) is a complete graphical user interface (GUI) that provides:

  • A window manager (handles how windows look and behave)
  • A file manager (for browsing files)
  • A panel or dock (taskbar)
  • System settings applications
  • Default applications (text editor, terminal, etc.)
  • Themes and appearance customization

Popular Desktop Environments:

  • GNOME: Modern, minimalist interface (used by Fedora, Ubuntu)
  • KDE Plasma: Highly customizable, feature-rich (used by KDE Neon, openSUSE)
  • XFCE: Lightweight, traditional desktop (used by Xubuntu)
  • Cinnamon: Traditional Windows-like interface (used by Linux Mint)

What is a Window Manager?

A Window Manager (WM) is a simpler program that only handles:

  • Window placement and sizing
  • Window decorations (title bars, borders)
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Workspace/virtual desktop management

Popular Window Managers:

  • i3wm: Tiling window manager (windows automatically arrange)
  • Hyprland: Modern Wayland compositor with eye candy
  • Qtile: Python-based tiling window manager
  • Niri: Scrollable tiling window manager

Key Difference: A DE includes a WM plus many other tools. A WM is just the window management part.

Things to Consider Before Installing Another DE/WM

Potential Conflicts

Having multiple DEs/WMs installed can lead to conflicts, especially with:

  1. Settings Managers
  • Different DEs have their own settings applications
  • Changing settings in one DE might affect another
  • Example: Changing GTK theme in GNOME might affect GTK apps in KDE
  1. Default Applications
  • Each DE sets its own default applications
  • Installing a new DE might change your default file manager, text editor, etc.
  • You may need to reconfigure defaults after switching
  1. Appearance Configurations
  • GTK themes: Used by GNOME, XFCE, and many applications
  • QT themes: Used by KDE Plasma and QT-based applications
  • Having both can cause inconsistent appearance across applications

The GNOME and KDE Conflict

GNOME and KDE Plasma are the two worst offenders when it comes to conflicts because:

  • GNOME uses GTK toolkit: Applications built with GTK (GNOME apps, many Linux apps)
  • KDE uses QT toolkit: Applications built with QT (KDE apps, some cross-platform apps)
  • Different background services: Both run many background services that can interfere with each other
  • Different configuration systems: GNOME uses dconf/gsettings, KDE uses its own system

This doesn't mean you can't have them both installed, but be aware that you might run into:

  • Conflicting default applications
  • Theme inconsistencies
  • Settings that don't persist between sessions
  • Background services consuming resources

Package Bloat

Mainstream DEs like GNOME and KDE Plasma come with hundreds of packages that you might not need or want:

  • GNOME: Can install 200+ packages including many applications you may never use
  • KDE Plasma: Similar package count with KDE-specific applications
  • Disk space: Each DE can take several gigabytes of disk space
  • System resources: Background services from unused DEs still consume RAM and CPU

Solution: You can remove unused DEs later, but it's better to consider this before installing.

Mixing Window Managers with Desktop Environments

Good news: You can mix many Window Managers with different DEs without much trouble.

Example: You can have KDE Plasma and Hyprland installed together and choose which one to use at login.

Why this works: Window Managers are simpler and have fewer dependencies, so they conflict less with full DEs.

Understanding Settings Packages

What are Settings Packages?

Many Linux distributions (like CachyOS) provide pre-configured settings packages for their desktop environments and window managers.

Example naming convention:

  • cachyos-kde-settings - Pre-configured KDE Plasma settings
  • cachyos-i3wm-settings - Pre-configured i3wm settings
  • cachyos-gnome-settings - Pre-configured GNOME settings

What Do Settings Packages Include?

These packages typically include:

  • Themes: Pre-selected color schemes and appearance
  • Icons: Icon sets that match the theme
  • Wallpapers: Default wallpapers
  • Configuration files: Pre-configured settings for the DE/WM
  • Additional applications: Extra tools that complement the DE/WM
  • Example: cachyos-i3wm-settings installs rofi, dunst, picom, lxappearance, and more

Where Are Settings Stored?

Settings packages place configuration files in /etc/skel/, which serves as a template for new user accounts.

Important: For existing users, these settings are NOT applied automatically to prevent overwriting your personal configurations.

What this means:

  • New users created after installing a settings package will get the pre-configured settings
  • Existing users need to manually copy files from /etc/skel/ to their home directory
  • This protects your current configuration from being overwritten

Available CachyOS Settings Packages

CachyOS provides pre-configured settings packages for several desktop environments and window managers. Each package includes themes, icons, wallpapers, configuration files, and additional applications tailored to provide a polished experience.

Desktop Environments

KDE Plasma Settings

Package: cachyos-kde-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-kde-settings

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured KDE Plasma desktop settings
  • Custom themes and color schemes
  • Icon sets and wallpapers
  • SDDM (Simple Desktop Display Manager) configuration
  • Optimized default applications and settings

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu plasma-meta cachyos-kde-settings

Note: KDE Plasma is a full-featured desktop environment with extensive customization options. The settings package provides a balanced default configuration.

GNOME Settings

Package: cachyos-gnome-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-gnome-settings Status: Archived (as of June 30, 2024 - repository is read-only)

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured GNOME desktop settings
  • Custom themes and extensions
  • Icon sets and wallpapers
  • GDM (GNOME Display Manager) configuration

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu gnome cachyos-gnome-settings

Note: The GNOME settings repository has been archived, meaning it's no longer actively maintained. You can still use it, but updates may be limited.

Window Managers

i3 Window Manager Settings

Package: cachyos-i3wm-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-i3wm-settings

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured i3 tiling window manager setup
  • rofi: Application launcher and window switcher
  • dunst: Notification daemon with custom configuration
  • picom: Compositor for transparency and visual effects
  • polybar: Status bar with system information
  • lxappearance: GTK theme configuration tool
  • Kvantum: QT theme engine configuration
  • GTK and QT theme configurations
  • Custom keyboard shortcuts and keybindings
  • Wallpapers and appearance settings

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu i3wm cachyos-i3wm-settings

Best for: Users who want a keyboard-driven, tiling window manager with a complete setup out of the box.

Qtile Settings

Package: cachyos-qtile-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-qtile-settings

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured Qtile tiling window manager
  • Python-based configuration (Qtile is written in Python)
  • Custom themes and appearance settings
  • Additional applications and tools
  • Keyboard shortcuts and window management rules

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu qtile cachyos-qtile-settings

Best for: Users who want a Python-configurable tiling window manager with CachyOS optimizations.

Niri Settings

Package: cachyos-niri-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-niri-settings

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured Niri scrollable tiling Wayland compositor
  • Continuous grid layout configuration
  • Optimized for keyboard and touchpad navigation
  • Custom themes and appearance settings
  • Configuration files for related tools

About Niri: Niri is a scrollable tiling Wayland compositor that emphasizes simplicity and fluid window management. It uses a continuous grid layout, making it ideal for both keyboard and touchpad navigation.

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu niri cachyos-niri-settings

Best for: Users who want a modern Wayland compositor with scrollable tiling and smooth navigation.

Note: Niri requires Wayland, so make sure your system supports Wayland sessions.

Wayfire Settings

Package: cachyos-wayfire-settings GitHub Repository: CachyOS/cachyos-wayfire-settings

What it includes:

  • Pre-configured Wayfire Wayland compositor
  • Custom themes and visual effects
  • Configuration for animations and transitions
  • Additional tools and applications

About Wayfire: Wayfire is a 3D Wayland compositor inspired by Compiz, providing visual effects and animations.

Installation:

sudo pacman -Syu wayfire cachyos-wayfire-settings

Best for: Users who want a Wayland compositor with visual effects and animations.

Note: Wayfire requires Wayland support.

Finding More Information

To check what's included in each settings package:

  1. Visit the GitHub repository for the settings package you're interested in
  2. Browse the /etc/skel directory in the repository to see what configuration files are included
  3. Check the README.md file in each repository for specific details

To see all available settings packages:

# Search for all CachyOS settings packages
pacman -Ss cachyos.*settings

To check what files a settings package will install:

# Example: Check what files cachyos-i3wm-settings includes
pacman -Ql cachyos-i3wm-settings

Note: Not all desktop environments and window managers have settings packages. Some are "vanilla" (default) installations without CachyOS-specific configurations. You can still install and use them, but you'll need to configure them manually.

How to Install Another DE/WM

Step 1: Create a Backup

Before making any changes, always create a backup of your current configuration!

This allows you to restore your settings if something goes wrong or if you want to revert later.

# Create a backup directory
mkdir -p ~/config-backup

# Backup your configuration files
cp -r ~/.config ~/config-backup/
cp -r ~/.local ~/config-backup/

What this does:

  • mkdir -p ~/config-backup: Creates a backup directory in your home folder
  • -p flag creates parent directories if needed and doesn't error if the directory already exists
  • cp -r ~/.config ~/config-backup/: Copies your entire .config directory
  • -r means "recursive" (copies directories and all their contents)
  • ~/.config contains most application and DE/WM configuration files
  • cp -r ~/.local ~/config-backup/: Copies your .local directory
  • Contains user-specific application data and some configuration files

Why backup?

  • Configuration files are stored in hidden directories (starting with .)
  • If something goes wrong, you can restore from backup
  • You can experiment freely knowing you can revert

Step 2: Uninstall Current Settings Package (Optional)

If you have a current -settings package installed, you may want to remove it first to avoid conflicts.

Check what settings package you have installed:

# List installed CachyOS settings packages
pacman -Q | grep cachyos.*settings

Example output:

cachyos-kde-settings 1.0.0-1

Uninstall the current settings package:

# Replace 'cachyos-kde-settings' with your actual package name
sudo pacman -R cachyos-kde-settings

What this does:

  • pacman -R: Removes (uninstalls) a package
  • Important: This only removes files from /etc/skel/
  • Your personal configuration files in ~/.config and ~/.local are NOT removed
  • Your current DE/WM will continue to work with your existing settings

Note: You can skip this step if you want to keep your current settings package installed. However, having multiple settings packages can cause conflicts in /etc/skel/.

Step 3: Install the New DE/WM and Settings Package

Install the desktop environment or window manager along with its settings package:

# Example: Installing i3wm with CachyOS settings
sudo pacman -Syu i3wm cachyos-i3wm-settings

# Example: Installing KDE Plasma with CachyOS settings
sudo pacman -Syu plasma-meta cachyos-kde-settings

# Example: Installing GNOME with CachyOS settings
sudo pacman -Syu gnome cachyos-gnome-settings

What each part means:

  • sudo: Runs with administrator privileges (needed to install packages)
  • pacman -Syu: Synchronizes package database and upgrades system, then installs
  • -S: Synchronize (install packages)
  • -y: Refresh package database
  • -u: Upgrade system packages
  • i3wm: The window manager package
  • cachyos-i3wm-settings: The pre-configured settings package

Finding Available DEs/WMs:

You can check what desktop environments and window managers are available:

  1. Using pacman search:

    pacman -Ss cachyos.*settings

  2. Check the comprehensive list: See the Available CachyOS Settings Packages section above for detailed information about each settings package, including GitHub repository links and what's included.

  3. Check the CachyOS PKGBUILDs GitHub repository:

  1. Using your file manager:
  • Navigate to /usr/share/applications/ or check your package manager GUI

Quick Reference - Available CachyOS Settings Packages:

  • cachyos-kde-settings - KDE Plasma (GitHub)
  • cachyos-gnome-settings - GNOME (GitHub) Archived
  • cachyos-i3wm-settings - i3 window manager (GitHub)
  • cachyos-qtile-settings - Qtile window manager (GitHub)
  • cachyos-niri-settings - Niri compositor (GitHub)
  • cachyos-wayfire-settings - Wayfire compositor (GitHub)

Note: Not all DEs/WMs have settings packages. Some are "vanilla" (default) installations. For detailed information about each package, see the Available CachyOS Settings Packages section.

Step 4: Copy Configuration Files from /etc/skel

After installing the new DE/WM and settings package, you need to copy the configuration files to your home directory.

You have two choices:

Option A: Keep Your Current Configuration (Selective Copy)

If you only want specific configuration files (e.g., just the i3wm config but keep your current GTK theme):

  1. Navigate to /etc/skel in your file manager:
  • Open your file manager (Dolphin, Nautilus, Thunar, etc.)
  • Press Ctrl+L to open the location bar
  • Type: /etc/skel and press Enter
  1. Enable viewing hidden files:
  • Press Ctrl+H (most file managers)
  • Or via menu: View → Show Hidden Files
  1. Selectively copy files:
  • Browse the folders in /etc/skel
  • Copy only the folders/files you want (e.g., .config/i3)
  • Paste them into your home directory (~ or /home/yourusername)

Example using terminal (for i3wm config only):

# Copy only i3wm configuration
cp -r /etc/skel/.config/i3 ~/.config/

Option B: Overwrite with Complete Configuration (Full Copy)

If you want the complete CachyOS experience with all pre-configured settings:

Using File Manager:

  1. Open your file manager (Dolphin, Nautilus, Thunar, etc.)

  2. Enable viewing hidden files:

  • Press Ctrl+H or go to View → Show Hidden Files
  1. Navigate to /etc/skel:
  • Press Ctrl+L to open location bar
  • Type: /etc/skel and press Enter
  1. Select all files and folders:
  • Press Ctrl+A (select all)
  1. Copy them:
  • Press Ctrl+C (copy)
  1. Navigate to your home directory:
  • Press Ctrl+L
  • Type: ~ or /home/yourusername and press Enter
  1. Paste the files:
  • Press Ctrl+V (paste)
  1. When prompted about overwriting:
  • For folders: Choose "Merge" or "Apply to All"
  • For individual files: Choose "Replace" for files you want to update

** Caution**: Be careful when replacing files. This will overwrite your current configurations!

Using Terminal:

# Copy all configuration files from /etc/skel to home directory
cp -r /etc/skel/. ~/

What this does:

  • cp -r: Recursively copies directories and all contents
  • /etc/skel/.: The source (all files in /etc/skel, including hidden files)
  • ~/: Your home directory (destination)
  • The . at the end of /etc/skel/. means "all contents including hidden files"

What gets copied:

The cachyos-i3wm-settings package, for example, contains configuration for:

  • Kvantum: QT theme engine
  • dunst: Notification daemon
  • GTK: GTK theme configuration
  • i3: Window manager configuration
  • polybar: Status bar
  • QT5: QT5 application theming
  • rofi: Application launcher

All of these will be copied to your home directory.

Switching Between Desktop Environments

Step 1: Log Out

After installing the new DE/WM and copying configuration files, log out of your current session.

How to log out:

  • GNOME: Click your username in the top-right → "Log Out"
  • KDE: Click the application menu → "Leave" → "Log Out"
  • i3wm: Usually Mod+Shift+E (Mod is typically Alt or Windows key)
  • Or use terminal: logout or pkill -KILL -u $USER

Step 2: Select the New Session

At the login screen (display manager), you'll see a session selector:

Common display managers:

  • GDM (GNOME Display Manager)
  • SDDM (Simple Desktop Display Manager - used by KDE)
  • LightDM (Lightweight Display Manager)

How to select a session:

  1. Look for a session selector (usually an icon or menu):
  • GDM: Click the gear/cog icon
  • SDDM: Click the session button (usually shows current session name)
  • LightDM: Click the session button
  1. Select your new DE/WM from the list:
  • Examples: "i3", "KDE Plasma", "GNOME", "Hyprland", etc.
  1. Enter your username and password and log in

What happens:

  • The display manager loads the selected desktop environment or window manager
  • Your configuration files from ~/.config and ~/.local are used
  • The new DE/WM session starts

Step 3: Verify the New Session

After logging in, verify that everything is working:

  1. Check if the DE/WM loaded correctly
  • You should see the new interface
  • Windows should behave according to the new WM
  1. Test basic functionality:
  • Open a terminal
  • Launch applications
  • Check if keyboard shortcuts work (if applicable)
  1. Check for any errors:
  • Look for error messages in terminal
  • Check system logs if something doesn't work: journalctl -b (for current boot)

↩ Reverting to Previous Configuration

Restore from Backup

If you want to go back to your previous desktop environment configuration:

Using Terminal:

# Restore .config directory
cp -r ~/config-backup/.config/* ~/.config/

# Restore .local directory
cp -r ~/config-backup/.local/* ~/.local/

What this does:

  • Restores your backed-up configuration files
  • Overwrites the new configuration with your old one
  • Your previous DE/WM settings will be restored

Using File Manager:

  1. Navigate to ~/config-backup
  2. Copy .config and .local folders
  3. Navigate to your home directory (~)
  4. Paste and choose "Replace" when prompted

After restoring:

  • Log out and log back in (or restart)
  • Your previous configuration should be active

Reinstall Previous Settings Package

If you want to reinstall your previous settings package:

# Example: Reinstalling KDE settings
sudo pacman -S cachyos-kde-settings

# Then copy the settings again
cp -r /etc/skel/. ~/

Understanding Settings Package Updates

How Updates Work

When a -settings package updates:

  • New files are placed in /etc/skel/
  • Your user configuration in /home/ remains unchanged

What this means:

  • Updates don't automatically change your personal settings
  • You need to manually copy updated files if you want the new changes
  • This protects your customizations from being overwritten

Applying Settings Package Updates

To apply updates from a settings package:

  1. Update the package:

    sudo pacman -Syu cachyos-i3wm-settings

  2. Check what changed:

  • Visit the GitHub repository for the DE/WM
  • Check the changelog or recent commits
  1. Copy updated files: 
    # Copy all updated files (overwrites your current config)
cp -r /etc/skel/. ~/

# Or selectively copy specific folders/files
cp -r /etc/skel/.config/i3 ~/.config/

** Warning**: Copying from /etc/skel/ will overwrite your current configuration. Make sure you have a backup if you want to keep your customizations.

Monitoring for Updates

Keep an eye on the GitHub repositories for changes:

CachyOS Settings Package Repositories:

Each settings package has its own dedicated GitHub repository where you can:

  • View recent commits and changes
  • Check the commit history to see what was updated
  • Report issues or request features
  • Contribute improvements

Direct Repository Links:

How to monitor for updates:

  1. Watch the repository on GitHub to receive notifications about new commits
  2. Check the "Commits" tab periodically to see recent changes
  3. Review the commit messages to understand what was changed
  4. Compare changes between your current configuration and the updated files in /etc/skel/

Other DEs/WMs offered by CachyOS don't have their own -settings packages yet, meaning they're just the vanilla (default) versions. You can still install and use them, but you'll need to configure them manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Keep Multiple DE/WM Settings Packages Installed?

Short answer: Yes and no.

Detailed answer:

  • You can have multiple DEs/WMs installed - this works fine
  • It's recommended to only have one -settings package installed at a time
  • Why? Multiple settings packages can cause conflicts in /etc/skel/
  • pacman might complain about file conflicts when trying to install another -settings package

Best practice:

  • Install the DE/WM you want to use
  • Install its corresponding -settings package
  • Remove the -settings package for DEs/WMs you're not actively using
  • Keep the DE/WM packages installed (they don't conflict much)

Example:

# You can have both installed
sudo pacman -S i3wm cachyos-i3wm-settings
sudo pacman -S plasma-meta cachyos-kde-settings

# But pacman might warn about conflicts in /etc/skel
# It's better to remove unused settings packages
sudo pacman -R cachyos-kde-settings  # Remove if not using KDE

What If I Don't Want the Settings Package?

You can install just the DE/WM without the settings package:

# Install i3wm without CachyOS settings
sudo pacman -S i3wm

# You'll get the vanilla (default) i3wm configuration

What you get:

  • Default configuration files
  • No pre-configured themes or applications
  • You configure everything yourself
  • More control, but more work

How Do I Know Which Settings Package to Install?

Check what's available:

  1. Search for settings packages:

    pacman -Ss cachyos.*settings

  2. Check the package name pattern:

  • cachyos-[de/wm-name]-settings
  • Example: cachyos-i3wm-settings for i3wm
  1. If no settings package exists, the DE/WM is "vanilla" (default configuration)

Can I Customize After Installing Settings Package?

Yes! The settings package just provides a starting point.

You can:

  • Modify configuration files in ~/.config/
  • Change themes, icons, wallpapers
  • Add or remove applications
  • Customize keyboard shortcuts

Your customizations will persist even if the settings package updates (because updates only affect /etc/skel/, not your home directory).

Troubleshooting

Issue: New DE/WM Doesn't Appear in Login Screen

Possible causes:

  • Display manager doesn't recognize the new session
  • DE/WM not properly installed
  • Missing display manager configuration

Solutions:

  1. Verify installation:

    # Check if the DE/WM is installed
pacman -Q | grep -i "i3\|kde\|gnome"

  2. Restart display manager:

    # For GDM (GNOME)
sudo systemctl restart gdm

# For SDDM (KDE)
sudo systemctl restart sddm

# For LightDM
sudo systemctl restart lightdm

  3. Check display manager configuration:

  • GDM: /etc/gdm/custom.conf
  • SDDM: /etc/sddm.conf.d/
  • LightDM: /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
  1. Reboot your system: 
    sudo reboot

Issue: Configuration Files Not Applied

Possible causes:

  • Files not copied correctly
  • Wrong permissions
  • Files in wrong location

Solutions:

  1. Verify files were copied:

    # Check if configuration files exist
ls -la ~/.config/i3  # For i3wm
ls -la ~/.config/plasma  # For KDE

  2. Check file permissions:

    # Configuration files should be owned by you
ls -la ~/.config
# If owned by root, fix with:
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/.config

  3. Re-copy from /etc/skel:

    # Make sure you're copying hidden files
cp -r /etc/skel/. ~/

Issue: Applications Look Inconsistent

Possible causes:

  • GTK and QT applications using different themes
  • Settings not applied correctly
  • Missing theme packages

Solutions:

  1. For GTK applications (GNOME, many Linux apps):

    # Install and configure GTK theme
sudo pacman -S lxappearance  # GTK theme configuration tool
lxappearance  # Run and select theme

  2. For QT applications (KDE apps):

    # Install and configure QT theme
sudo pacman -S qt5ct kvantum  # QT theme tools
qt5ct  # Run and select theme

  3. Use unified themes:

  • Install themes that work for both GTK and QT
  • Example: kvantum-theme-* packages provide themes for both

Issue: Settings Package Conflicts

If pacman complains about file conflicts:

# Example error:
# error: failed to commit transaction (conflicting files)
# cachyos-i3wm-settings: /etc/skel/.config/file exists in filesystem

Solutions:

  1. Remove conflicting settings package first:

    sudo pacman -R cachyos-kde-settings  # Remove old one
sudo pacman -S cachyos-i3wm-settings  # Install new one

  2. Or use --overwrite flag (use with caution):

    sudo pacman -S --overwrite /etc/skel/* cachyos-i3wm-settings

Issue: Can't Log Out to Switch Sessions

If you're stuck in a window manager without a logout option:

Using terminal:

# Logout command
logout

# Or kill your session
pkill -KILL -u $USER

# Or switch to another TTY and kill the session
# Press Ctrl+Alt+F2 (or F3, F4, etc.)
# Login and run:
pkill -KILL -u yourusername

Using keyboard shortcut:

  • i3wm: Mod+Shift+E (then confirm)
  • Most WMs: Check the WM documentation for logout shortcut

Additional Resources

Summary

This guide covered:

  1. Understanding DEs and WMs - What they are and how they differ
  2. Considerations before installing - Conflicts, package bloat, mixing DEs/WMs
  3. Settings packages - What they are and how they work
  4. Installation process - Step-by-step guide with backups
  5. Switching between sessions - How to change DEs/WMs at login
  6. Reverting configurations - How to restore previous settings
  7. Managing updates - How settings package updates work
  8. Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Key Takeaways:

  • Always backup before making changes
  • Settings packages provide pre-configured experiences
  • You can have multiple DEs/WMs but be careful with settings packages
  • Configuration files in /etc/skel/ are templates, not your personal config
  • Your personal config in ~/.config and ~/.local is protected from automatic overwrites

This guide is based on the CachyOS Wiki - Installing another DE/WM using CachyOS Settings and expanded with detailed explanations for beginners.