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I want to install a completely minimal GUI on my server. I only need to run a web browser (Firefox or Chromium). Will I get less applications by installing lxde-core or lxde? I tried these packages without install recommends but the desktop environment just doesn't start after reboot. Only lubuntu-desktop works without install recommends.

adazem009
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  • Why not look at what's inside them? eg. https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/lubuntu-desktop https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/lxde-core etc... you didn't give your release so you can look at your own *unstated* release as that detail varies on release anyway. (eg. `lubuntu-desktop` doesn't contain any lxde code on any 18.10 or later release) – guiverc Jun 23 '20 at 08:21
  • Ok thank you. I'm on 20.04 and I found out that lubuntu-gtk-core is a minimal installation of lubuntu-desktop. I'll try it out. – adazem009 Jun 23 '20 at 08:23
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    The LXDE desktop was last used by Lubuntu in 18.04, it's no longer managed or supported by Lubuntu on any release later than 18.04. There are **no** links between LXDE-core/lxde and `lubuntu-desktop` for 20.04 (Lubuntu has used LXQt desktop since Lubuntu 18.10, LXQt was found in *Lubuntu-Next* before then) – guiverc Jun 23 '20 at 08:24

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I was able to install LXDE in Ubuntu 20.04 with only a few apps.

sudo apt-get install lxde xorg lxdm --no-install-recommends

Make sure to choose lxdm as the default desktop manager so you'll get a minimal login prompt. Note that lock screen doesn't work with this. I recommend to use it with VNC.

adazem009
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    Maybe it is enough with simple window manager instead of a [whole] desktop environment. You could try with Fluxbox. See also [this link](https://askubuntu.com/questions/886313/what-is-the-simplest-way-to-have-remote-gui-access-to-ubuntu-16-04-server-from/886398#886398). – sudodus Jun 23 '20 at 10:09
  • @sudodus Will a web browser and WebGL work with it? – adazem009 Jun 23 '20 at 10:15
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    I test right now logged in remotely via `ssh -X` and `firefox` works (but not if it is already running in the server's console). The cube rotates on the WebGL website. So it works via `ssh -X` but I might have some extras activated, that you would need compared to the minimal system suggested in my first comment. – sudodus Jun 23 '20 at 10:35
  • I'm currently having some WebGL problems. WebGL works only when VNC server is not running. – adazem009 Jun 23 '20 at 11:18
  • I think and hope that you will manage to do what you want via `ssh -X`. Please share your results :-) -- It might depend also on what you have in your client computer. – sudodus Jun 23 '20 at 12:35