If you have the base install of Ubuntu 18.04 installed without a GUI and would like to add the GNOME desktop to your install, then this is the guide for you!
First, you should always make sure your package lists are up-to-date by running the update command followed by the upgrade command:
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get upgrade -y
Next, we recommend using Tasksel to install Ubuntu desktop. It’s a really easy way to get you up and running with a GUI and requires less commands. To install Tasksel use this command:
- sudo apt-get install tasksel -y
After tasksel has finished installing, you can then run the application with sudo:
- sudo tasksel
Finally, you can simply select Ubuntu desktop and select “OK” to install the GNOME desktop environment for your Ubuntu installation. Once the installation is complete, you can reboot your system and Ubuntu will start with a GUI.
Additionally, you may also notice that Tasksel has a good selection of other software collections that you can also install with this interface. Some options include DNS server, LAMP server, Samba file server and more.
