If the new COSMIC desktop environment catches your eye (Now available in v1.0But if you don't want to change your main distribution, you're in luck: now it's possible. Install COSMIC Desktop on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and derivatives without having to switch to Pop!_OS. However, there's fine print, risks to consider, and several important nuances you should know before taking the plunge.
In the following lines you will find a guide Complete, explained in Castilian Spanish and with a friendly toneSo you can try COSMIC on Ubuntu in a more informed way. We'll see exactly what this desktop environment is, how to install it using an unofficial PPA, what problems you might encounter, and how to undo all the changes if something goes wrong.
What is COSMIC Desktop and why is it generating so much buzz?
COSMIC is the new desktop environment developed by System76, the company behind Pop!_OSOriginally it was a deep customization of GNOME, but for some time now it has been rewritten as an independent desktop environment, with its own technology stack.
The new COSMIC is scheduled in Rust, a language designed to offer good performance and memory safetyFurthermore, it does not use GTK or Qt for the interface, but its own toolkit based on Iced, which gives it a rather unique aesthetic and behavior compared to other classic GNU/Linux desktops.
This environment comes with a set of Proprietary applications: file explorer, terminal, text editor, screenshot tool, video and music player (although not all are present in the packages for Ubuntu, as we will see later) and even its own software store in Pop!_OS.
In terms of design, COSMIC is somewhat reminiscent of GNOME: it offers classic style top bar and bottom dockIt features an overview mode with a vertical desktop layout and a fairly intuitive application launcher. All of this is highly customizable: you can move panels to different edges, hide or show elements, change indicator positions, and more.
Among its most striking features are the One-click tiling (automatic window organization), the ability to drag windows within that mode to rearrange them, advanced support for multiple monitors (with separate or shared workspaces), hybrid GPU management and the option to stack windows in tabs within the same window, something very practical for having several related apps grouped together.
Requirements and warnings before installing COSMIC on Ubuntu
The first thing you should be clear about is that There is no official System76 method for installing COSMIC on UbuntuWhat we're going to use is a community PPA, maintained by an external developer (known as hepp3n), which packages COSMIC and several dependencies for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
This PPA was created with the following in mind: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS “Noble” and derivatives based on that version (including official flavors, Ubuntu Server, and even distributions like Linux Mint that are based on Noble). If your system is not 24.04 or does not rely on the "noble" repositories, you should not use it.
Another key point is that COSMIC is a Wayland-oriented deskIt runs on this technology (including Xwayland for compatibility with X11 apps), so it is highly recommended that your hardware is compatible with Wayland to avoid performance or graphics compatibility issues.
The community PPA not only includes COSMIC and its applications, but also Custom versions of critical system components such as Mesa, Wayland/Xwayland, llvm-toolchain-20, and the Rust compilerThese packages are sensitive because they affect the entire system, not just the new desktop.
In tests performed on clean installations of Ubuntu 24.04, this repository It does not always replace those system packages with their alternative versionsBut that can change depending on your specific setup, other PPAs you have, the hardware, or future versions of the repository itself.
For this reason, before continuing, the most sensible thing to do is make a full system backupYou can use tools like Timeshift or any backup solution you're comfortable with. Another highly recommended option is Try COSMIC first in a virtual machineso that if something breaks, it won't affect your main installation.
Also keep in mind that when adding a Third-party PPA that can update key parts of an LTSYou lose some of the value of using a stable extended support version: more risk of package conflicts in future updates, possible exposure to security flaws if that PPA is not kept up to date, and, in general, a somewhat less predictable environment.
How to install COSMIC Desktop on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS using the community PPA
If you accept those risks and want to move forward, the most direct way to install COSMIC on Ubuntu 24.04 it is through the repository Community-maintained PPAThe steps are relatively simple from the terminal.
1. Add the COSMIC PPA
Open a terminal (for example with Ctrl + Alt + T) and add the repository with this command:
PPA Command: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hepp3n/cosmic-epoch
In standard Ubuntu, adding a PPA causes it to run automatically. updating the package listIf your system doesn't do this, or if you're using a derivative like Linux Mint, it's recommended to launch it manually:
Update APT: sudo apt update
2. Install the COSMIC session
Key step: Once the repository has been added and the indexes updated, it's time to install the desktop environment itself. In a standard Ubuntu 24.04 installation with GNOME, the usual approach is to use:
Session command: sudo apt install cosmic-session
However, if you're on a server-type system, a very minimal edition, or a derivative like Linux Mint where you don't want it to carry too many GNOME-related dependencies, the PPA maintainer himself... Minimum option: recommends using:
Command (no recommendations): sudo apt install --no-install-recommends cosmic-session
With that variant, the system Avoid installing “recommended” packages These could be GNOME extras not needed for a basic COSMIC experience. However, some elements may be missing, which you might have to install manually if you find them lacking.
During the process, the installer will ask you what login manager (display manager) you want to use by default. There you can choose between the one you already had (for example GDM3 in Ubuntu) or the new “cosmic-greeter”.
If you plan to frequently switch between COSMIC and GNOME or other desktop environments, it's usually a good idea keep the original login manager (GDM3 on Ubuntu)Since GNOME is designed to work with it, if you're going to focus on COSMIC and would like to see it on the login screen as well, you can choose cosmic-greeter without any problem.
3. Log in to the COSMIC session
After the installation is complete, Restart your system or log outOn the login screen, look for the session selector (in GDM it is usually a gear icon or similar in the bottom right corner or next to the password field).
In that menu you should see the option “COSMIC” as a desktop sessionSelect it, enter your password as usual, and you will access the COSMIC environment on your Ubuntu for the first time.
Using COSMIC on Ubuntu: what works, what's missing, and what might clash
When you start it for the first time, you'll notice that Your Ubuntu files and applications are still there.COSMIC does not create a separate system: it simply adds a new desktop environment and its applications, sharing the same user, home directory, and installed software.
Many COSMIC's own apps are included from the PPAThe package includes the file manager, the terminal (Term), the text editor, the screenshot tool, etc. However, the Ubuntu package is missing some components, such as the full media player or the COSMIC Store.
The absence of the COSMIC store isn't necessarily a problem, and it might even be a positive thing: in Pop!_OS, that store It also manages DEB system updates.This could clash with Ubuntu's own package manager and lead to conflicts.
One of the things that may be most noticeable when using COSMIC on Ubuntu is that the panel may display empty or hollow icons in the indicators areaThis occurs in the "App Indicator" applet, which attempts to display elements from other services (such as Livepatch and similar), but in this specific combination, some do not render correctly.
If those blank spaces bother you, you can Edit the panel and remove the App Indicator applet from the desktop customization options themselves, thus avoiding that somewhat strange visual effect.
Another notable detail is the behavior of Snap applications. When you pin them to the COSMIC dock, There are cases where the icons are not displayed correctly or when clicked they do not open as expectedThat doesn't mean Snaps won't work; you'll just have to launch them from the app switcher or launcher instead of relying on the pinned icon.
Regarding visual integration, how does COSMIC use its our own toolkit based on IcedGTK or Qt applications won't look exactly "native." However, the desktop offers an option for GTK-based apps to adopt some of the COSMIC color palette.
To adjust this, you can go to Settings > Desktop > AppearanceScroll to the bottom of the window and enter the Toolkit icons and themes section. There you'll find a switch labeled something like "Apply current theme to GNOME applications." Enabling it will cause many GTK apps to display the current theme. They will adapt certain colors to the current COSMIC theme.although perfect integration is not achieved.
Regarding performance and stability, in tests on virtual machines and clean systems, COSMIC performs reasonably well Even outside of Pop!_OS, which shows that System76 is designing it in a relatively distribution-agnostic way. Even so, minor bugs and unusual behavior may occur compared to its use in the official environment for which it was intended.
How to uninstall COSMIC and restore Ubuntu to its original state
One very important aspect that you shouldn't overlook is that, if you decide Remove COSMIC from your systemSimply uninstalling the session package isn't enough. The PPA may have updated critical libraries like Mesa or Wayland, and simply deleting "cosmic-session" won't revert those changes.
To undo everything in an orderly fashion and return to the official versions of the Ubuntu “noble” repositoriesThe recommended solution is to use a tool called ppa-purge, which is responsible for purging the PPA and downgrading any packages it has modified.
1. Remove the desktop
You can tell him that Remove the COSMIC PPA and restore the packages to those of Ubuntu. with the following command (on standard Ubuntu 24.04):
Command to purge: sudo ppa-purge ppa:hepp3n/cosmic-epoch
If you are using a derivative like Linux Mint based on noble, it is advisable to explicitly specify the Ubuntu series you want to downgrade to, for example:
Command (derived): sudo ppa-purge ppa:hepp3n/cosmic-epoch -d noble
During this process, ppa-purge It will uninstall or downgrade the packages that came from the PPA and will restore the official versions. It's possible that upon completion, the login manager will be reverted to its default (it will usually restore the one you had before installing COSMIC).
When the command has finished, it's a very good idea Restart your computer to ensure that the system boots with the graphics stack and official libraries. from Ubuntu, thus reducing the risk of inconsistencies.
2. Manual removal of COSMIC packages (only if ppa-purge fails)
If ppa-purge fails: If for any reason the PPA-purge process is interrupted or cannot be completed, you always have the less elegant but effective option of Manually remove all packages related to COSMIC installed from the PPA.
To do this you can use a command of apt remove that includes all the names of the COSMIC packages: app-library, applets, wallpapers, compositor, panel, launcher, greeter, settings, etc. After that removal, it is also recommended reboot the system so that all changes are applied correctly.
However, even if you delete all the specific COSMIC packages, without a complete PPA purge they may still remain on your system. Unofficial versions of some libraries which depend on how the PPA has behaved, so it is always preferable that ppa-purge can do its job to the end.
Support and who to report problems to
One last point worth emphasizing: System76 does not officially maintain or support the PPA for UbuntuThey handle the development of COSMIC for Pop!_OS and the code in general, but not the adaptations made by the community to other distributions.
If you encounter any specific problems using COSMIC via the PPA on Ubuntu (installation issues, dependency conflicts, incorrectly compiled packages, etc.), the appropriate course of action is Report it to the PPA maintainer or in its source repository.Do not open incidents directly against System76 for that specific packaging.
The PPA manager himself makes it clear that Everything is installed “at your own risk”He uses it and tests it, and in general it works acceptably, but he warns that anything can happen: changes in dependencies, new versions that break something, conflicts with other PPAs…
If you want to experiment with your desktop but minimize headaches, consider Try Pop!_OS 24.04 with COSMIC pre-installed on a separate partition or in a virtual machine It could be a very interesting alternative and less prone to surprises.
Installing COSMIC Desktop on Ubuntu 24.04 using the community PPA is a fairly convenient way to Try this modern, configurable environment written in Rust without leaving your main distributionHowever, it remains an unofficial solution that may affect sensitive parts of the system. By creating a backup, testing it first in a virtual machine, and knowing how to revert the installation with ppa-purge, you can enjoy COSMIC with reasonable confidence and calmly decide whether or not it fits into your daily workflow.
