Debian Xfce4 Minimal Install Guide

The standard Debian installation process for Xfce desktop includes additional packages that may not be necessary for many users. This guide will allow you to install a minimal Xfce desktop, adding additional packages as needed.

Requirements

• A debian installation (hardware or virtual machine) with appropriate video drivers.

• sudo privileges to install packages and run optional install script.

• Installation of git to clone this repo sudo pkg install git

• Installation of bash to run install script sudo pkg install bash

ISO for Installing Debian

• debian-12.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso

• Installing Debian 12

• Debian “bookworm” Release Information

Installing Debian without a desktop environment

As you progress through the debian installation, towards the end you will be presented with the following screen for Software selection:

Uncheck Debian desktop environment to install a minimal debian system.

Update sources to testing or unstable (optional)

Update sources to trixie. The current testing branch.

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ trixie main
#deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ trixie main

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security trixie-security main
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security trixie-security main

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ trixie-updates main
#deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ trixie-updates main

Add contrib non-free-firmware after each main entry if you need special drivers or additional firmware.

The other option would be debian sid. Update sources as follows:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ unstable main
#deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ unstable main

Upgrade your system:

sudo apt update && apt upgrade

Reboot to load updated kernel and services.

Quick install Xfce and required packages

git clone https://github.com/coonrad/Debian-Xfce4-Minimal-Install.git
cd Debian-Xfce4-Minimal-Install
sudo ./xfce-install.sh

Manually install Xfce and required packages

If you've read this far, and you're getting impatient:

sudo apt install xfce4

This will give you a basic Xfce desktop with lightdm greeter. For additional plugins and ''goodies', add:

sudo apt install xfce4-goodies

This still may include too much 'stuff' for the minimalists among us. In that case, strip it down further and start with:

apt install \
    libxfce4ui-utils \
    thunar \
    xfce4-appfinder \
    xfce4-panel \
    xfce4-session \
    xfce4-settings \
    xfce4-terminal \
    xfconf \
    xfdesktop4 \
    xfwm4

From this point you should have a working Xfce desktop environment. You can reboot, and add only what you need going forward. If you plan to start xfce4 without lightdm, you may need to install xinit.

sudo apt install xinit

Additional packages and configuration

Add a browser, password manager, document viewer, image viewer and office apps:

sudo apt install firefox-esr keepassxc atril ristretto libreoffice-gtk3 \
libreoffice-calc libreoffice-writer

Add NetworkManager and openvpn:

sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-gnome \
network-manager-openvpn-gnome

Add a few nice icon themes to choose from:

sudo apt install paper-icon-theme moka-icon-theme papirus-icon-theme

Keep the default Adwaita theme as scientists have proven it is the best theme. Xfce comes with Lightdm for the display manager. It sources .xessionrc on login. Here are a few useful additions:

# source the system profile
# if [ -f /etc/profile ]; then
#     . /etc/profile
# fi

# QT5 qt5ct
export QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

# QT5 scaling
# Uncomment for hidpi display
# export QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR=1
# export QT_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTORS=2

Install qt5ct and adwaita-qt to have your QT apps match the default GTK theme.

sudo apt install qt5ct adwaita-qt

Launch qt5ct and configure the theme and fonts.