LXDE is a lightweight desktop environment for Unix and Unix-like operating system, such as BSD and Linux. It is designed to consume fewer system resources than other desktop environments such as GNOME.

Originally authored by Taiwanese programmer Hong Jen Lee in 2006, it was written in the C programming language using the GTK toolkit; a new version, released in July 2013, is based on QT.

LXDE’s popularity has grown steadily since its first release, and it is now the default desktop environment of several Linux distributions, including Lubuntu, Knoppix, and Raspbian. Tests have shown that it requires about half as much RAM as comparable operating systems. It also consumes less power, making it a good choice for laptop users who want to maximize the life of their battery.

Desktop, GTK, Operating system terms, Software terms

  • The official LXDE website.