Install Display Managers

Overview

Tip

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if you are only using one desktop environment, then why not choose the appropriate display manager to go with it?

Display Managers are used to provide login screens, and therefore serve as a protective security barrier to prevent authorised access to your system. They are also referred to as Login Managers. As with different desktop environments, different display managers will require different system resources to run, and will provide their own unique styles, interfaces, and features. Commonly shared features - particularly in respect to the selection of display managers listed below - include customisation/theming, automatic login, and the selection of multiple desktop environments.

Note

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Only the display managers that can be easily installed and enabled have been listed. There are several additional display managers available from the Manjaro repositories for more experienced users to consider. These include XDM, WDM, and Qingy.

GDM

GDM - the Gnome Display Manager - is designed for use with the Gnome 3 desktop environment. It supports theming, automatic login, and the automatic detection and use of multiple desktop environments. Although it may be instaled independently of Gnome 3, for those using this desktop environment, a configuration application is also available to very easily customise the login screen and enable automatic login.

If you are not using Gnome 3, GDM can be installed by entering the following command:

sudo pacman -S gdm

Alternatively, if you are using Gnome 3, GDM can be installed along with its own configuration application by entering the following command:

sudo pacman -S gdm3setup

Warning

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Using this command will result in Gnome 3 being installed as a dependency if not already installed on your system.

To enable GDM in Manjaro 0.8.2 or later (or if Plymouth has been removed), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable gdm.service -f

To enable GDM in Manjaro 0.8.1 or earlier (or if Plymouth has been added), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable gdm-plymouth.service -f

KDM

KDM - the KDE Display Manager - is designed for use with the KDE desktop environment. It supports theming, automatic login, and the automatic detection and use of multiple desktop environments. However, as KDM is only suitable for those using - or intending to use - KDE, itself. This is because KDM can only be installed as part of the KDE environment.

If the full KDE desktop environment has been installed, then KDM should already be available. Otherwise, if you are not sure, enter the command:

sudo pacman -S kdebase-workspace

Additional themes for KDM can also be obtained by entering the command:

sudo pacman -S archlinux-themes-kdm

To enable KDM in Manjaro 0.8.2 or later (or if Plymouth has been removed), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable kdm.service -f

To enable KDM in Manjaro 0.8.1 or earlier (or if Plymouth has been added), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable kdm-plymouth.service -f

LXDM

LXDM - the Lightweight X-Windows Display Manager - is designed for use with any desktop environment. Used as the default display manager for the full editions of Manjaro, it supports theming, automatic login, easy selection of multiple languages, and the automatic detection and use of multiple desktop environments.

To install LXDM, enter the command:

sudo pacman -S lxdm

To enable LXDM in Manjaro 0.8.2 or later (or if Plymouth has been removed), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable lxdm.service -f

To enable KDM in Manjaro 0.8.1 or earlier (or if Plymouth has been added), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable lxdm-plymouth.service -f

SLiM

SLiM - the Simple Login Manager - is designed for use with any desktop environment. Popular with Arch users, it supports theming, automatic login, and use of multiple desktop environments. However, SLiM is not recommended for inexperienced users as it does not automatically detect installed desktop environments, and it will consequently be necessary to manually edit some configuration files to get it to work. Guidance on how to Configure SliM has been provided.

To install SLiM, enter the command:

sudo pacman -S slim

Additional themes for SLiM can also be obtained by entering the command:

sudo pacman -S slim-themes archlinux-themes-slim

To enable LXDM in Manjaro 0.8.2 or later (or if Plymouth has been removed), enter the command:

sudo systemctl enable slim.service -f

Warning

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DO NOT just reboot your system after installing and enabling SLiM! If you do, you will get no further than the login screen. You must first edit the slim.conf configuration file and the .xinitrc file to get it working before rebooting.