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MATE (desktop environment)
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
| MATE | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Fedora Linux with MATE version 1.26 | |
| Developers | Clement Lefebvre, Perberos, Stefano Karapetsas, et al.[1] |
| Initial release | August 19, 2011 |
| Stable release | 1.28.2[2] 
/ 11 March 2024 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C[3] |
| Operating system | Unix-like, Unix |
| Type | Desktop environment |
| License | GPLv2+, LGPLv2+ |
| Website | mate-desktop |
MATE (/ˈmɑːteɪ/ MAH-tay)[4] is a desktop environment composed of free and open-source software that runs on Linux, and other Unix-like operating systems such as BSD, and illumos.[5][6]
Name
[edit]MATE is named after the South American plant yerba mate and tea made from the herb, mate.[4] The name is stylized in all capital letters to follow the nomenclature of other Free Software desktop environments like KDE Plasma and LXDE. The recursive backronym "MATE Advanced Traditional Environment" was subsequently adopted by most of the MATE community, again in the spirit of Free Software like GNU ("GNU's Not Unix!").[7] The use of a new name, instead of GNOME, avoids naming conflicts with GNOME components.[7]
History
[edit]Perberos, an Argentine user of Arch Linux, started the MATE project[8] to fork and continue GNOME 2 in response to the negative reception of GNOME 3, which had replaced its traditional taskbar (GNOME Panel) with GNOME Shell. MATE aims to maintain and continue the latest GNOME 2 code base, frameworks, and core applications.[9][10][11]
MATE was initially announced for Debian on November 8, 2013, at its official website.[12]
MATE became an official Arch Linux community package in January 2014.[13]
Component applications
[edit]
MATE has forked a number of applications which originated as GNOME Core Applications, and developers have written several other applications from scratch. The forked applications have new names, most of them from Spanish.[14]
| Application name | Spanish translation | Forked from | Description | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atril | lectern | Evince | Document viewer | EPUB support
Caret navigation support[15] |
| Caja | box | GNOME Files (Nautilus) | File Manager | Extension support[16] |
| Engrampa | staple | Archive Manager (File Roller) | File archiver | |
| Eye of MATE | Eye of GNOME | Image viewer | ||
| MATE Calculator | GNOME Calculator | Calculator | ||
| MATE Control Center | GNOME Control Center | MATE desktop settings | ||
| MATE System Monitor | GNOME System Monitor | Graphical resource monitor | ||
| MATE Terminal | GNOME Terminal | Terminal emulator | ||
| marco | frame | Metacity | MATE window manager | |
| Mozo | waiter | Alacarte | Menu editor | |
| Pluma | pen | Gedit | Text editor |
Development
[edit]
MATE fully supports the GTK 3 application framework. The project is supported by Ubuntu MATE lead developer Martin Wimpress and by the Linux Mint development team:
We consider MATE yet another desktop, just like KDE, Gnome 3, Xfce etc... and based on the popularity of Gnome 2 in previous releases of Linux Mint, we are dedicated to support it and to help it improve. The most popular Linux desktop was, and arguably is, Gnome 2.[17]
New features have been added to Caja such as undo/redo[18] and diff viewing for file replacements.[19] MATE 1.6 removes some deprecated libraries, moving from mate-conf (a fork of GConf) to GSettings, and from mate-corba (a fork of GNOME's Bonobo) to D-Bus.
One of the aims of the MATE developers is to provide a traditional user experience while using the newest technologies. In MATE 1.20, which was released in February 2018, support for HiDPI was added and the GTK version got increased to 3.22. The MATE 1.22 release migrated many programs from Python 2 to Python 3 and from dbus-glib to GDBus. In an upcoming version, support for Wayland will be added.[20] MATE 1.28.2 had greater support for Wayland, but did not provide a completely seamless fully native Wayland session yet.[21]
Release history
[edit]
Note that between each release, development versions are tagged with odd-numbered version numbers. These are not announced as official releases.
| Date | Version |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-18 | Announced at Arch Linux forum[22] |
| 2011-08-19 | Initial release[citation needed] |
| 2012-04-16 | 1.2 |
| 2012-07-30 | 1.4 |
| 2013-04-02 | 1.6 |
| 2014-03-04 | 1.8 |
| 2015-06-11 | 1.10 |
| 2015-11-05 | 1.12 |
| 2016-04-08 | 1.14 |
| 2016-09-21 | 1.16 |
| 2017-03-13 | 1.18 |
| 2018-02-07 | 1.20 |
| 2019-03-18 | 1.22 |
| 2020-02-10 | 1.24 |
| 2021-08-03 | 1.26 |
| 2024-02-12 | 1.28[23] |
Adoption
[edit]The MATE website lists 27 Linux distributions and 5 Unix-like operating systems that support the MATE desktop environment.[24]
Reception
[edit]![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2025) |
MATE was praised for having a classic feel, with an "incredibly sharp" default theme and icon pack.[25] In addition, it was praised for being lightweight within the Ubuntu MATE operating system, a version of the Ubuntu desktop that uses MATE as its primary desktop environment.[26]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "MATE Developers". December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
- ^ "version 1.28.2". March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ "MATE". github.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ a b "MATE Desktop Environment – Where does the name come from?", MATE, archived from the original on May 6, 2021, retrieved July 3, 2015
- ^ "Installation - MATE wiki". Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "Mate and new test ISOs – openindiana". Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
- ^ a b "MATE desktop". O'Reilly Media. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- ^ "Mate Desktop Environment – GNOME2 fork (Page 1) / Community Contributions / Arch Linux Forums". August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ "A Gnome 2 Fork: The MATE Desktop Environment", ingeek, November 17, 2011, archived from the original on February 14, 2014, retrieved December 12, 2016
- ^ Larabel, Michael (August 17, 2011), "A Fork Of GNOME 2: The Mate Desktop", Phoronix, archived from the original on June 30, 2016, retrieved December 4, 2011
- ^ Laishram, Ricky (August 4, 2011), Linus Torvalds Ditches GNOME For Xfce, Digitizor, archived from the original on April 11, 2015, retrieved May 28, 2021,
While you are at it, could you also fork gnome, and support a gnome-2 environment? – Linus Torvalds
. - ^ Karapetsas, Stefano (November 8, 2013). "Debian MATE Packaging Team". MATE. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "MATE is officially available in Arch Linux". MATE. February 16, 2014. Archived from the original on February 19, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ "MATEwiki". mate-desktop.org. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Wimpress, Martin (February 7, 2018). "MATE 1.20 released". MATE. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- ^ "MATE 1.26 released". August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ Lefebvre, Clem (December 1, 2011), "Important fix for MATE – Feedback needed", The Linux Mint Blog, archived from the original on December 3, 2011, retrieved December 10, 2011
- ^ Karapetsas, Stefano (January 3, 2012), "Undo/Redo in Caja", Stefano Karapetsas's Blog, archived from the original on April 16, 2014, retrieved April 15, 2014
- ^ Karapetsas, Stefano (June 17, 2012), "What's new in next Caja", Stefano Karapetsas's Blog, archived from the original on April 16, 2014, retrieved April 15, 2014
- ^ "Wayland and Meson - MATE wiki". Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Unruh, Johannes (February 27, 2024). "MATE 1.28 released". mate-desktop.org. MATE. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
- ^ "Mate Desktop Environment – GNOME2 fork / Community Contributions / Arch Linux Forums". Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
- ^ "Index of /releases/1.28/". pub.mate-desktop.org. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "MATE Desktop Environment". MATE. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ^ Perkins, John (July 28, 2020). "MATE Review: A Lightweight Desktop Environment for the Nostalgic". Make Tech Easier. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ Das, Ankush (May 12, 2020). "Ubuntu MATE 20.04 LTS Review: Better Than Ever". It's FOSS. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to MATE (desktop environment).
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MATE (desktop environment)
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
MATE is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems, forked from GNOME 2 in 2011 to preserve its traditional desktop metaphor and intuitive user experience amid the major redesign of GNOME 3.[1][2][3]
Developed initially by Stefano Karapetsas and a community of contributors dissatisfied with GNOME 3's shift toward a more touch-oriented and simplified interface, MATE retains the panel-based layout, applets, and menu-driven navigation characteristic of GNOME 2 while incorporating modern technologies like GTK 3 and experimental Wayland support in version 1.28 (released 2024).[4][5]
The environment includes core applications such as the Caja file manager, Pluma text editor, Atril document viewer, and MATE Terminal, all designed for simplicity, standards compliance, and lightweight performance suitable for older hardware.[1][6]
Actively maintained by the MATE team, it has gained popularity for its stability and customizability, serving as the default desktop in distributions like Ubuntu MATE, Linux Mint MATE Edition, and Fedora MATE Spin, and is available in the repositories of numerous others including Arch Linux, Debian, and openSUSE.[7][8][9]
Origins and Naming
Name
The name MATE originates from yerba mate, a traditional South American beverage made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant, native to subtropical regions including Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.[1] The naming decision was made by Perberos, an Argentine developer and the founder of the project, in 2011 as he initiated the fork of GNOME 2 to maintain its traditional desktop paradigm.[10] The name is stylized in all capital letters, consistent with the convention used by other prominent free software desktop environments such as GNOME and KDE, which helps distinguish it as a proper noun in technical contexts.[11] Following the project's establishment, the community adopted the recursive backronym "MATE Advanced Traditional Environment" to highlight its emphasis on an advanced yet classically oriented desktop setup, in keeping with free software traditions of playful acronyms.[12]History
The MATE desktop environment originated as a community-driven fork of GNOME 2, initiated by Argentine developer Germán Perugorría, known by the username Perberos, in response to the release of GNOME 3.0 on April 6, 2011, which introduced GNOME Shell and shifted away from the traditional desktop metaphor toward a more activity-centered interface lacking the classic panel-based layout that many users preferred.[13] Perberos, an Arch Linux user, began the project to preserve the intuitive, familiar experience of GNOME 2 amid widespread backlash against these changes, viewing GNOME 3 as a departure that prioritized mobile-like interactions over desktop usability.[14][15] The fork's first public announcement occurred on June 18, 2011, via a post by Perberos on the Arch Linux forums, where he described MATE as a "GNOME2 fork" aimed at maintaining traditional computing metaphors and solicited community feedback despite his limited English proficiency.[15] Initially a solo effort, Perberos spent approximately six months developing it through trial-and-error coding in a console environment, dedicating 4 to 16 hours daily over the course of a year to achieve a functional desktop.[14] This early phase focused on resolving conflicts with emerging GNOME 3 components and stabilizing core elements like panels and applets, driven by a broader user discontent with the loss of backward compatibility in the GNOME ecosystem.[14][15] By late 2011, collaborators such as Clement Lefebvre joined, leading to initial packaging efforts; Salix OS became the first distribution to offer MATE shortly after contact in mid-2011.[14] The project gained further traction with Linux Mint adopting MATE as its default desktop in May 2012.[14] Early distribution support expanded in 2013 when the Debian MATE Packaging Team formed on November 8, announcing efforts to integrate MATE into Debian repositories, marking a key milestone in broader Linux ecosystem availability.[16] In January 2014, MATE entered the official Arch Linux community repository, solidifying its presence beyond user-contributed packages in the AUR.[17] From 2011 to 2014, the pre-1.0 development emphasized stabilization, with incremental releases like 1.2 in April 2012 addressing usability and compatibility issues to build a reliable fork independent of GNOME's evolving codebase.[18] This period transformed MATE from a personal initiative into a collaborative project, fueled by community contributions that refined its traditional interface while ensuring long-term viability.[14]Design and Components
Design Philosophy
MATE's design philosophy centers on preserving the classic desktop metaphor, featuring a top panel for system notifications and applets, an application menu for launching programs, and desktop icons for direct file access, which stands in contrast to contemporary gesture-driven and touch-oriented interfaces.[1] This approach aims to deliver an intuitive and familiar user experience, particularly for users accustomed to earlier desktop paradigms, by emphasizing spatial organization and mouse-based interactions over abstract or minimalistic layouts.[2] A key principle is the prioritization of lightweight resource usage to ensure smooth performance on older or low-specification hardware, achieved through minimal dependencies and efficient code that avoids unnecessary overhead.[19] Developers focus on simplicity and speed, allowing MATE to run effectively with lower RAM and CPU demands compared to more feature-heavy environments, making it suitable for resource-constrained systems without sacrificing core functionality.[19] Customizability forms another cornerstone, enabling users to tailor the interface extensively via themes for visual elements, applets for panel extensions, and tools like mate-tweak for layout adjustments and preset configurations.[20] This flexibility supports diverse workflows, from traditional multi-panel setups to simplified single-panel designs, while maintaining sane defaults for immediate usability.[19] The naming convention for MATE's components draws inspiration from Spanish words, reflecting influences from the project's South American-rooted community, as seen in applications like Caja (meaning "box" for the file manager).[14] This thematic consistency extends to other elements, such as Marco for window management, fostering a cohesive identity tied to cultural heritage.[14] Accessibility features, carried over from its GNOME 2 origins, include built-in support for screen readers, high-contrast themes, and keyboard navigation to ensure usability for users with disabilities.[19] These elements promote an inclusive environment, with full panel and desktop accessibility that integrates seamlessly with assistive technologies.[21]Component Applications
The MATE desktop environment comprises a suite of core applications and libraries, primarily forked from the GNOME 2 series to preserve its traditional interface and functionality. These components emphasize simplicity, customizability, and integration, forming the essential building blocks for a complete desktop experience. All core elements are developed to utilize the GTK 3 toolkit for modern compatibility while maintaining the lightweight and familiar user interactions of their predecessors.[5] Key applications include Caja, the default file manager, which handles file browsing, directory navigation, and desktop icon management. Forked from GNOME's Nautilus, Caja supports features like thumbnails, search, and multiple views (e.g., list, icon, compact), ensuring efficient file operations across local and remote systems. It also serves as the desktop handler, rendering icons and wallpapers directly on the user's workspace. The text editing needs are met by Pluma, a lightweight editor forked from Gedit. It offers syntax highlighting for various programming languages, spell checking, and plugin support for tasks like file comparison and indentation, making it suitable for both casual editing and development workflows. For document viewing, Atril provides support for multiple formats including PDF, PostScript, DjVu, DVI, XPS, and comics (CBZ/CBR). Derived from Evince, it includes tools for text selection, printing, and annotations, with backend support for rendering via libraries like Poppler for PDFs. Desktop layout and task management rely on MATE Panel, a customizable taskbar forked from the GNOME 2 Panel. It accommodates applets for system monitoring, menus, clocks, and launchers, allowing users to configure multiple panels with themes and positions. Complementing this is Marco, the compositing window manager based on Metacity, which handles window decorations, effects like shadows, and keyboard shortcuts without advanced eye-candy to keep resource usage low. System configuration is centralized in the MATE Control Center, a graphical interface forked from GNOME 2's control center. It organizes settings into categories such as appearance (themes, fonts), power management, keyboard layouts, and hardware peripherals, enabling straightforward tweaks without command-line intervention. Underlying these are foundational libraries like libmate-desktop, which provides utilities for desktop integration, such as key bindings and session handling, originally from libgnome-desktop. The mate-settings-daemon manages user sessions, including power events, accessibility, and multimedia keys, ensuring consistent behavior across applications; it stems from gnome-settings-daemon. Additional utilities round out the environment, including MATE Terminal, a terminal emulator forked from GNOME Terminal, supporting multiple tabs, profiles, and color schemes for command-line access. The Eye of MATE (eom) image viewer, derived from Eye of GNOME, handles formats via gdk-pixbuf with zooming, slideshows, and basic editing tools. For calculations, mate-calc offers scientific, financial, and logical modes with multiple-precision arithmetic, forked from GNOME Calculator (gnome-calc).[22]Development and Releases
Development Process
MATE's development is community-driven and hosted on GitHub, where the source code for its components is maintained across multiple repositories under the mate-desktop organization.[23] The project is led by a core team of developers, including founder Germán Perugorría (Perberos), who handles development and packaging for Arch Linux, alongside co-founder Stefano Karapetsas for Debian packaging and other contributors such as Martin Wimpress for Ubuntu MATE integration.[24] Significant involvement comes from teams at distributions like Ubuntu MATE, founded in 2015 as an official Ubuntu flavor, and Linux Mint, which has provided resources and testing for enhancements such as HiDPI display support introduced in version 1.20.[3][14] A key technical focus has been modernizing the codebase while preserving compatibility, beginning with the gradual transition from GTK 2 to GTK 3 starting in version 1.10 through experimental builds.[25] This migration culminated in full GTK 3 adoption by version 1.18, enabling better integration with contemporary GNOME libraries and improving overall stability.[26] Parallel efforts in version 1.22 included porting components from Python 2 to Python 3 and replacing the deprecated dbus-glib with GDBus for enhanced compatibility with modern D-Bus implementations.[27][28] Support for emerging display protocols has also advanced experimentally, with initial Wayland integration added in version 1.26 for components like the file manager and terminal, followed by refinements in version 1.28 to improve session handling under both Wayland and X11, though X11 remains the primary display server.[5] Contributions are facilitated through GitHub issues and pull requests, with guidelines emphasizing code reviews and testing before merging, while translation efforts support over 140 languages coordinated by the community.[29][24]Release History
The MATE desktop environment was initially released as version 1.0 on August 19, 2011, forking from GNOME 2.32 to provide a stable baseline preserving the traditional desktop metaphor for users transitioning from older GNOME versions.) This foundational release focused on core components like the Caja file manager and Marco window manager, establishing compatibility with existing GNOME 2 applications while introducing initial support for modern Linux distributions. Subsequent early releases refined stability and added features. Version 1.6, released on April 2, 2013, marked the beginning of experiments with GTK 3 alongside GTK 2, including systemd and logind support for session management, improved Caja sidebar functionality, and theme updates for better compatibility.[30] This was followed by 1.8 on March 4, 2014, which enhanced user interface elements such as window snapping in Marco, IEC units in Caja, and applet improvements, while dropping deprecated libraries like MateConf in favor of GSettings.[31] The transition to GTK 3 accelerated with version 1.10, released on June 11, 2015, introducing experimental dual support for GTK 2 and GTK 3 builds across all components, along with new features like ePub support in Atril and an extension manager in Caja.[32] Building on this, 1.12 on November 5, 2015, further improved GTK 3 compatibility up to version 3.18, adding touchpad gestures, multi-monitor enhancements, and overlay scrolling toggles.[33] Later releases emphasized modern hardware and performance. Version 1.20, announced on February 7, 2018, introduced comprehensive HiDPI scaling and fractional scaling support, dynamic display detection, and improvements to Marco for better rendering with DRI3 and XPresent.[34] In 2021, MATE 1.26, released on August 10, brought an experimental Wayland backend to several components including Atril and Pluma, completed the migration of Python scripts to Python 3, and added features like a mini-map in Pluma and hyperlink support in notifications.[35] The most recent major stable release, 1.28 on February 27, 2024, enhanced Wayland compatibility in core applications like Caja and Marco, included performance optimizations that reduced RAM usage through memory leak fixes and code modernization, and updated dependencies for GTK 4 compatibility where applicable.[5] A minor update, 1.28.2, followed on March 11, 2024, addressing packaging and subclassing issues. However, distribution integrations can lag behind upstream releases; for example, Ubuntu MATE 25.04 (released April 2025) uses version 1.26.2, while spins like Fedora MATE have adopted 1.28 in their 2025 releases.[36][37] As of November 2025, no major 1.30 version has been announced, with development focusing on ongoing stability, including enhancements to Wayland support and explorations of GTK 4 compatibility.[38]Usage and Impact
Adoption
MATE serves as the default desktop environment in prominent Linux distributions such as Ubuntu MATE, which adopted it as its primary interface since becoming an official Ubuntu flavor in version 15.04 in 2015.[39] Similarly, the Linux Mint MATE edition has utilized it since 2011 as a continuation of the GNOME 2-based desktop that was Mint's default from 2006 to 2011.[8] The Fedora MATE Spin also features it as the core desktop, providing a lightweight and traditional experience bundled with Compiz for enhanced visual effects.[9] As of 2025, MATE is supported in numerous Linux distributions through official repositories, including Debian (selectable during net-install), Arch Linux (via pacman package installation), and openSUSE (via dedicated patterns and community maintenance).[40][41][42] It is available in at least 27 Linux distributions and 5 Unix-like operating systems, such as FreeBSD (via ports collection for a traditional GNOME 2-like setup).[43][44] The environment has experienced growth in lightweight distributions optimized for older hardware, where its modest resource demands make it suitable for reviving legacy systems. Ubuntu MATE 25.04, released in April 2025, ships with MATE 1.26.2, as does the subsequent Ubuntu MATE 25.10 "Questing Quokka" interim release from October 2025, but plans to integrate version 1.28—released in February 2024 with improved Wayland compatibility—in upcoming releases like Ubuntu 26.04.[45][46][47] Community editions further extend its reach, with dedicated MATE spins available in Manjaro and options for installation in Pop!_OS, alongside support on NetBSD for users seeking a stable desktop on BSD platforms.[40] MATE remains popular among users prioritizing stability and a familiar, traditional interface over cutting-edge visual effects in modern UIs, with growing adoption in educational institutions and enterprise deployments for its efficiency on low-resource hardware.[48][49]Reception
MATE has received praise for its lightweight resource footprint, which makes it particularly suitable for older hardware and systems with limited RAM, often using around 500-600 MB at idle in standard configurations. This efficiency stems from optimizations in recent releases, including fixes for memory leaks that enhance overall performance stability. Reviewers have noted its intuitive, traditional interface—reminiscent of the classic GNOME 2 experience—which eases the transition for users migrating from Windows environments, providing familiar panels, menus, and applets without steep learning curves.[50][51][5] Critics, however, point to MATE's slower adoption of contemporary features, such as comprehensive Wayland support; as of 2025, it remains primarily oriented toward X11, with only initial Wayland compatibility available and recommendations against daily use due to incomplete functionality. Some observers view its steadfast traditionalism as outdated in an era of gesture-based and tiled interfaces, potentially limiting appeal for users seeking cutting-edge visual effects or seamless multi-monitor handling under modern display protocols.[52][53] Positive feedback from technology outlets emphasizes performance improvements in MATE 1.28, including faster rendering and reduced overhead compared to predecessors, positioning it as a reliable choice for everyday computing. User communities, particularly around distributions like Linux Mint, frequently highlight its consistent stability and minimal crashes, making it a go-to for long-term, hassle-free sessions on varied hardware.[50][51] In comparisons, MATE stands out for preserving the straightforward appeal of GNOME 2, contrasting with the gesture-heavy complexity of GNOME 3 and 4, while offering lower resource demands than the feature-rich KDE Plasma. This balance appeals to users prioritizing simplicity and speed over extensibility. As of 2025, ongoing discussions in the Ubuntu ecosystem underscore MATE's continued relevance, with distributions like Ubuntu MATE integrating updates such as version 1.28 to address calls for modernization amid evolving hardware needs.[50][46]References
- https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/MATE