Cairo Dock is a full-featured dock system for Linux. It has many extra options than that of Plank and is a superb alternative for these in search of a glossy, fancy Mac-like dock expertise on their Linux desktop. On this information, we’ll go over how to set up and set up Cairo Dock on Linux. We’ll additionally contact on which desktop environments go finest with Cairo. Let’s get began!
Which desktop to use?
Usually, most Linux desktop environments will work properly with Cairo Dock. Nevertheless, in the event you plan on utilizing it day to day, you need to severely think about switching away from what you at present use to both the Mate desktop or XFCE4. Why? Each of those environments enable the person to customise panels, delete them, and transfer them round.
Having the ability to transfer, delete, and customise panels is crucial for Cairo dock, because it takes up loads of house, and panel flexibility is a should.
Set up Cairo dock on Linux
Earlier than going over how to set up Cairo Dock on your Linux PC, we should exhibit how to set up the software program. Open up a terminal window and comply with together with the set up directions that match the Linux OS you utilize.
Ubuntu
On Ubuntu Linux, customers wanting to set up Cairo Dock should first allow the “Universe” software program repository. To do that, open up a terminal window by urgent Ctrl + Alt + T on the keyboard. Then, use the add-apt-repository command beneath.
sudo add-apt-repository universe
After enabling the “Universe” repo on your Ubuntu Linux PC, use the replace command to refresh your software program sources. In any other case, Ubuntu will be unable to entry Universe.
sudo apt replace
Following setting up the “Universe” software program repository on your system, use the Apt bundle supervisor to set up Cairo dock.
sudo apt set up cairo-dock
Debian
The Cairo Dock is offered to Debian 10, 9, and eight customers by way of the “Main” software program repository. To put in it on your system, use the following Apt-get command.
sudo apt-get set up cairo-dock
Arch Linux
On Arch Linux, Cairo Dock is installable through the “Community” software program repository. Should you should not have “Community” enabled, open up a terminal window by urgent Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, open up the Pacman configuration file with the command beneath.
sudo nano -w /and so forth/pacman.conf
Utilizing the Down Arrow key on the keyboard, find “Community” and take away the # image from in entrance of it. Be certain to additionally take away the # image from the traces immediately beneath it.
Save the edits to the Pacman configuration file by urgent Ctrl + O, and exit Nano with Ctrl + X. Then, after enabling “Community” in the Pacman configuration file, re-sync Arch Linux’s software program repos with the following command.
sudo pacman -Syy
Lastly, set up Cairo dock on Arch with:
sudo pacman -S cairo-dock
Fedora
Cairo Dock is offered to all Fedora Linux customers in the major software program sources. To put in it on your system, use the following Dnf command in a terminal window.
sudo dnf set up cairo-dock
OpenSUSE
OpenSUSE Linux is the solely mainstream Linux distribution that doesn’t carry the Cairo Dock in its software program sources. So, in the event you plan to use this dock on your SUSE system, you should rely on neighborhood software program repositories.
To put in Cairo through a neighborhood repository, open up a terminal by urgent Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, enter the instructions beneath.
Tumbleweed
wget sudo zypper set up cairo-dock-3.4.1-1.80.x86_64.rpm
Leap 15.1
wget sudo zypper set up cairo-dock-3.4.1-1.80.x86_64.rpm
Leap 15.0
wget sudo zypper set up cairo-dock-3.4.1-1.80.x86_64.rpm
Set up Cairo Dock auto-start
The Cairo Dock should be configured to run robotically at boot, or you’ll not get the finest dock expertise. To configure automatic-start, open up a terminal window by urgent Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, use the mkdir command to create a brand new “autostart” listing.
mkdir -p ~/.config/autostart/
After creating the new “autostart” listing, use the CP command to transfer the Cairo Dock shortcut file into it.
cp /usr/share/purposes/cairo-dock.desktop
As soon as the shortcut file is in the “autostart” listing, you should replace its permissions so that it’ll execute as a program. Utilizing the chmod command, change the file’s permissions.
sudo chmod +x cairo-dock.desktop
With the Cairo Dock set up for autostart, it should launch each time you log into your Linux PC!
Configuring Cairo Dock
The default settings for Cairo Dock are fairly nice. It’s bought an utility launcher, workspace switcher, and plenty of different applets to make your life simpler. Should you like all of the default settings, be happy to begin utilizing the dock, as there’s nothing to configure. In any other case, comply with alongside beneath to tweak the dock in order that it’s extra usable.
Take away utility launcher
The applying launcher is a pleasant contact. Nevertheless, many customers discover it annoying in the event that they plan to use the utility launcher constructed into the desktop atmosphere they’re at present utilizing.
Should you’d like to do away with the utility launcher, right-click on the utility menu applet with the mouse. Then, choose the “application menu” in the right-click menu to reveal it’s settings.
In the utility menu settings, click on the “remove” button to delete it from the dock.
Take away workspace switcher
Cairo Dock has a workspace switcher, nevertheless it’s not nice. Should you’d favor to use the one constructed into your desktop atmosphere, you’ll want to take away the Cairo one. To do that, discover the Cairo Dock workspace switcher and right-click on it with the mouse.
In the right-click menu, discover “Switcher” and choose it to reveal its choices. Then, select the “remove” button to do away with it.
Change different settings
Cairo Dock has dozens of settings. So many, that we will’t get into all of them on this article. Nonetheless, in the event you’d like to change the default settings, do the following.
First, right-click anyplace on the dock and choose “Cairo” in the right-click menu. Then, in the right-click menu, choose the “configure” button to entry dock settings.
In the Cairo Dock settings, you’ll give you the option to absolutely customise all the things about the dock, from its look to the applets on the dock, the place it’s positioned on the desktop and dozens of different settings.
