MATE is a traditional desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like systems that continues the design of GNOME 2, with configurable panels, a classic application menu, desktop icons and overlapping windows. In the Linux desktop landscape, the MATE desktop serves users who want a familiar, stable and resource-efficient interface rather than the workflow redesigns of newer environments.
The project began in 2011, shortly after GNOME 3 replaced the panel-based GNOME 2 with GNOME Shell. Instead of keeping old code frozen, MATE forked the GNOME 2 code base, renamed its components to avoid conflicts with GNOME packages, and has since modernized it, most importantly by moving from GTK 2 to GTK 3.
Components of the MATE desktop
MATE is a complete desktop environment, not only a panel or window manager. It ships its own file manager, window manager, settings tools and a set of core applications, most of which are direct descendants of GNOME 2 programs under new names.
| MATE component | Role | Derived from |
|---|---|---|
| Caja | File manager and desktop icons | Nautilus |
| Marco | Window manager with optional compositing | Metacity |
| MATE Panel | Panels, menus, applets and window list | GNOME Panel |
| Pluma | Text editor | gedit |
| Atril | Document viewer for PDF and other formats | Evince |
| Engrampa | Archive manager | File Roller |
| MATE Control Center | Settings tools for appearance, input and display | GNOME Control Center |
Configuration is stored through GSettings with the dconf back end, under keys in the org.mate namespace. This allows administrators to set defaults and lock settings system-wide, which suits shared computers in schools, libraries and offices.
How MATE works on the display stack
MATE was built for the X11 display server. Marco acts as the window manager and, when compositing is enabled, adds shadows and transparency, while the panel and Caja run as separate X11 clients. This architecture is mature and predictable, and it works well with remote desktop tools and older graphics hardware.
Wayland support is partial and still developing. Recent releases have ported applications and the panel so they can run in a Wayland session, typically together with a separate compositor such as Wayfire, because Marco itself remains an X11 window manager. Most distributions therefore still ship MATE as an X11 session, and XWayland is not involved unless a Wayland session is chosen.
MATE compared with other Linux desktops
MATE belongs to the group of traditional desktops that keep a panel and menu at the center of the workflow. The comparison below shows how it differs from its closest neighbors in design and resource profile.
| Desktop | Design approach | Resource profile |
|---|---|---|
| MATE | GNOME 2 continuation, two-panel layout by default | Light to moderate |
| Xfce | Independent traditional desktop, modular | Light to moderate |
| Cinnamon | Modern traditional desktop, Windows-like layout | Moderate |
| GNOME | Activities overview, minimal panel, Wayland-first | Moderate to high |
| KDE Plasma | Highly configurable, rich features | Moderate, scales with effects |
| LXQt | Minimal Qt-based desktop | Very light |
Actual memory use depends heavily on the distribution, enabled services and open applications, so differences between MATE and Xfce on the same system are usually small. MATE’s real distinction is its GNOME 2 heritage: users of older Linux systems recognize its menus, applets and dialogs immediately.
Customizing panels, applets and themes
Much of MATE’s appeal comes from panel-based customization. Each panel can be placed on any screen edge, set to auto-hide and filled with applets such as a workspace switcher, notification area, clock with calendar, system monitor graphs or a custom launcher. Right-clicking a panel opens the menu for adding, moving and locking these items.
Appearance is controlled by GTK 3 themes, icon themes and Marco window borders, chosen in the Appearance tool of the Control Center. Because MATE uses standard GTK theming, many themes designed for other GTK desktops work with little or no adjustment. Keyboard shortcuts, mouse behavior and power management have their own tools, and the Mozo menu editor lets users hide or reorganize application entries.
Distributions often add their own layout switchers, which store complete panel arrangements as presets. This makes it possible to move between a traditional two-panel GNOME 2 layout, a single bottom panel, or a dock-like arrangement in a few clicks, without editing configuration keys by hand.
Where MATE is used and how to choose it
MATE is available in the repositories of nearly every major distribution and serves as the default desktop of Ubuntu MATE and of one Linux Mint edition. It is a common choice for older hardware, thin clients, virtual machines and organizations that value long-term interface stability.
| Situation | Is MATE suitable | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Older laptop with limited memory | Yes | Low overhead with a complete feature set |
| Shared or public computers | Yes | Lockable dconf settings and stable layout |
| Remote desktop servers | Yes | Works well over X11-based remote protocols |
| High-DPI display with fractional scaling | With limitations | Integer scaling works best on X11 |
| Wayland-only security model required | Not yet ideal | Wayland session remains partial |
| Touch-first tablet use | No | Designed for keyboard and mouse |
Users switching from Windows often find MATE easy to learn after the panel layout tool applies a familiar arrangement, for example a single bottom panel with a menu and window list.
Limitations to keep in mind
- Slower development pace than GNOME or KDE Plasma, with a small core team.
- X11 dependence limits isolation between applications compared with Wayland sessions.
- Fractional scaling support is weaker than in Wayland-first desktops.
- Some modern features, such as advanced touch gestures, are absent by design.
For many users these limits are acceptable, because MATE’s value lies in predictability and low maintenance rather than in new interface ideas.
A non-technical view
MATE is a way of making a Linux computer look and work like a classic desktop: a menu to open programs, a bar showing open windows, icons on the desktop and windows you can drag around.
It was created when a popular desktop changed its design and some users preferred the old one. MATE kept that familiar style and kept improving it. It runs smoothly on older or modest computers, which is why many schools and home users choose it.
A concrete example
A public library has twenty ten-year-old desktop computers with 4 GB of memory that no longer run a current commercial operating system well. The technician installs Ubuntu MATE, applies a bottom-panel layout and uses dconf to lock the panel and wallpaper settings so visitors cannot rearrange them.
Patrons can browse the web, write documents and print without training, because the menu and window list behave as they expect. The computers start in well under a minute, and the library extends their service life by several years at no licensing cost, while the technician maintains the settings from a single configuration file.