Linux: Adding a GUI to headless/server installs
Server and minimal installs are normally headless and have no graphical interface.
If needed you can add a GUI manually. The process is slightly different depending on the distro.
RedHat / CentOS 7.x
# yum update # yum groupinstall "Server with GUI"
RedHat / CentOS 8.x
# dnf update # dnf groupinstall workstation
Ubuntu 18.04.x LTS
# apt update [Install minimum GNOME desktop] # apt install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop [Install full desktop with associated applications] (Long process and too many extras installed) # apt install ubuntu-desktop [There are other alternative desktops and installations possible:] [Generic Gnome desktop] # apt install vanilla-gnome-desktop [Mate] # apt install ubuntu-mate-desktop [Xfce] # apt install xubuntu-desktop [KDE] # apt install kubuntu-desktop [LightDM] # apt install --no-install-recommends lightdm
Debian 9.x
# apt update # apt install gnome-core
Debian 10.x
# apt update # apt install gnome-core
All the above distros use systemd as their init system and you set the default run level with the same set of commands.
[Enable run level 5 by default] systemctl set-default graphical.target [Enable run level 3 by default] systemctl set-default multi-user.target
Despite systemd you can still use init to start the graphical interface without having to reboot.
# init 5