How to install KDE plasma desktop on Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver Linux

Objective

The objective is to install KDE plasma desktop as an alternative desktop environment. See also our article: The 8 Best Ubuntu Desktop Environments (18.04 Bionic Beaver Linux) for more desktop environment choices.

Operating System and Software Versions

  • Operating System: – Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver

Requirements

Administrative root/sudo permissions.

Conventions

  • # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command
  • $ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Other Versions of this Tutorial

Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa)

Instructions

Prerequisites

We will be using the tasksel command to install KDE plasma desktop. In case the tasksel command is not available on your system you can install it by:

$ sudo apt install tasksel

Install KDE plasma Desktop

Execute the following linux command to begin installation of the KDE plasma desktop:

$ sudo tasksel install kubuntu-desktop

installation of KDE plasma desktop packages

Packages download.

display manager information

select display manager sddm

Select a display manager. SDDM is the default display manager for the KDE plasma desktop. In case you have not been offered to make the selection, then after the installation is finished execute:

$ sudo apt install sddm

If the sddm is already installed than try to reconfigure it in order to make sddm the default display manager for your system:

$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure sddm

wait for installation of KDE plasma desktop packages



restart system

Once the installation is finished restart your system.

login to KDE plasma desktop desktop

Login with your existing credentials.

KDE plasma desktop ready