Install gnome on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8

RHEL 8 / CentOS 8 comes by default, as it has been for many years already with a GNOME desktop environment. From this reason, in a broader sense when we talk about GNOME desktop installation we normally talk about RHEL 8 / CentOS 8 workstation.

In this tutorial we will be installing GNOME desktop as part of the workstation package group.

In this Install gnome on Redhat 8 tutorial you will learn:

  • How to install Gnome Desktop on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8.
  • How to change runlevel to boot to graphical interface in RHEL 8 / CentOS 8.

GNOME desktop graphical environment on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8

GNOME desktop graphical environment on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8.

Software Requirements and Conventions Used

Software Requirements and Linux Command Line Conventions
Category Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used
System RHEL 8 / CentOS 8
Software Enabled package repository
Other Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command.
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

How to install gnome on Redhat 8 step by step instructions

  1. Login to the RHEL 8 / CentOS 8 console and enter the command line shell. Then, execute the following dnf command:


    # dnf group list
    Updating Subscription Management repositories.
    Updating Subscription Management repositories.
    Last metadata expiration check: 0:42:10 ago on Fri 16 Nov 2018 21:53:15 EST.
    Available Environment Groups:
       Custom Operating System
       Server
    Installed Environment Groups:
       Minimal Install
       Workstation
    Available Groups:
       .NET Core Development
       RPM Development Tools
       Container Management
       Smart Card Support
       Scientific Support
       Security Tools
       Development Tools
       System Tools
       Headless Management
       Network Servers
       Legacy UNIX Compatibility
       Graphical Administration Tools
    

    If all went well you should see the Workstation group listed as part of the dnf command output.

  2. Use the dnf command to install the Workstation group:
    # dnf groupinstall workstation
    

    This might take some time. Press y to continue with the installation:

    Transaction Summary
    ====================================================================================================================================================
    Install  1018 Packages
    
    Total download size: 929 M
    Installed size: 2.8 G
    Is this ok [y/N]: y
    
  3. Once the GNOME desktop installation is completed the change default boot to graphical runlevel. This will ensure that next time you reboot the system, the system will boot to GUI which in this case is GNOME:

    # systemctl set-default graphical.target
    
  4. Start graphical desktop session by executing:
    # systemctl isolate graphical.target
    

    Alternatively, reboot your system if possible.