Installing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on a Linux Server instance is a method to create a desktop environment on a cloud server.
Read the post Deploying Windows on Linode [Link] if you need a Windows desktop instead.
INSTALLING GUI
Install desktop environment :
sudo apt install tasksel
Choose the GUI:
- ubuntu-desktop-minimal (GNOME – Recommended)
- ubuntu-desktop (GNOME – Default)
- kubuntu-desktop (KDE)
- lubuntu-desktop (LXQt)
- ubuntu-mate-desktop (MATE)
tasksel --list-tasks sudo tasksel install ubuntu-desktop-minimal sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target sudo reboot
It is recommended to disable the animations to speed up Gnome if this is your choice.
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface enable-animations false gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock animate-show-apps false sudo reboot
VNC REMOTE DESKTOP
For GNOME issue the following commands:
sudo apt install tigervnc-standalone-server -y su - user vncpasswd vncserver -localhost no vncserver -list vncserver -kill :1
For a lighter alternative use XFCE4:
sudo apt update sudo apt install xfce4 xfce4-goodies tightvncserver vncserver vncserver -kill :1 echo "startxfce4" >> ~/.vnc/xstartup vncserver
CONFIGURING AUTO LOGON
Edit /etc/gdm3/custom.conf and change accordingly:
AutomaticLoginEnable = true AutomaticLogin = localUserName
For domain users, it does not work!