Install GTK3 MATE on Arch Linux

To install the GTK3 version of the MATE desktop on Arch Linux, install the mate package group with sudo pacman -S mate. This group pulls in the GTK3-based MATE desktop environment, which is the standard build for Arch; the older GTK2 version is available only through the AUR.

What MATE and GTK3 Mean on Arch

MATE is a desktop environment forked from GNOME 2, designed to keep the traditional desktop metaphor: a panel at the top and bottom, a menu button, and a taskbar. It is written primarily in C and uses the GTK toolkit. GTK3 is the third major version of the GTK widget toolkit, released in 2011. The GTK3 version of MATE is the default in most distributions, including Arch, since it offers better support for modern displays, HiDPI scaling, and Wayland (though MATE’s Wayland support is still experimental). Arch’s official repositories ship MATE compiled against GTK3, so you get that version simply by installing the mate group. The GTK2 variant, which is no longer maintained upstream, is not in the official repos.

Checking Your Current Setup

Before installing, verify your system is up to date and you have a working display server. Run sudo pacman -Syu to update all packages. Then ensure you have an X server installed; MATE on Arch uses Xorg by default. If you are on a fresh install, you may need to install xorg and a display manager like lightdm or gdm. You can check if you already have a desktop environment by looking at /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc or by running echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP in a terminal. If you are switching from another DE, make sure to back up your configuration files.

Installation Steps

Update your system: sudo pacman -Syu
Install the MATE group: sudo pacman -S mate
Install extra MATE applications (optional but recommended): sudo pacman -S mate-extra
Install a display manager (if you want a graphical login): sudo pacman -S lightdm and then enable it with sudo systemctl enable lightdm
Reboot or start the display manager: sudo systemctl start lightdm

If you prefer to start MATE from the console without a display manager, add exec mate-session to your ~/.xinitrc and run startx.

Verifying the GTK3 Version

After installation, you can confirm that MATE is using GTK3 by checking the version of a core MATE library. Run pkg-config --modversion libmate-desktop â€“ if it reports a version like 1.26.x, it is the GTK3 build. You can also check the package dependencies: pacman -Qi mate-desktop will show that it depends on gtk3 rather than gtk2. The GTK2 version of MATE is not in the official repositories, so if you somehow have it, it likely came from the AUR or a custom build.

Common Issues and Fixes

After installing, you might face a few common problems:

Blank screen after login: Make sure your graphics driver is installed. For Intel, install xf86-video-intel; for AMD, xf86-video-amdgpu; for NVIDIA, nvidia or nvidia-lts.
No network applet: The MATE group does not include a network manager applet by default. Install network-manager-applet and enable NetworkManager with sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.
Fonts look blurry: Install ttf-dejavu and ttf-liberation for better font rendering.
MATE session not listed in display manager: Ensure you have mate-session-manager installed; it is part of the group. If using LightDM, you may need to install lightdm-gtk-greeter.

GTK3 vs GTK2: Which One Should You Use?

For Arch, the choice is simple: use the GTK3 version because it is the only one officially supported. The GTK2 version is deprecated and may have security vulnerabilities. GTK3 offers better support for modern screen resolutions, fractional scaling, and smoother animations. Some older applications that require GTK2 might not integrate perfectly with MATE’s GTK3 theme, but you can still run them â€“ they will just look slightly different. If you specifically need GTK2 for a legacy application, you can install gtk2 alongside GTK3; they can coexist.

Alternatives to MATE on Arch

If MATE is not what you want, Arch offers many other desktop environments. For a similar traditional feel, try Xfce (sudo pacman -S xfce4) or LXQt (sudo pacman -S lxqt). For a more modern look, consider GNOME (sudo pacman -S gnome) or KDE Plasma (sudo pacman -S plasma). If you want a tiling window manager, you can install i3 or sway and build your own environment. Each has its own package group, so installation is similar to MATE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MATE on Arch GTK3 or GTK2?

The official MATE packages in Arch’s repositories are compiled against GTK3. The GTK2 version is not available in the official repos; you would have to build it from the AUR, which is not recommended because it is outdated and unmaintained.

How do I remove MATE if I don’t like it?

To remove MATE, run sudo pacman -Rns mate to remove the group and its dependencies that are not required by other packages. You may also want to remove mate-extra and any configuration files in your home directory (~/.config/mate, ~/.config/mate-desktop).

Can I install MATE alongside another desktop environment?

Yes, you can have multiple DEs installed. When you log in, the display manager will let you choose which session to start. Just make sure to install the display manager and select the correct session from the login screen.

Does MATE support Wayland?

MATE has experimental Wayland support, but it is not stable for daily use. It is recommended to use Xorg for now. If you want a Wayland-native desktop, consider GNOME or KDE Plasma.

What is the default file manager in MATE?

The default file manager is Caja, which is part of the mate group. It is a fork of Nautilus (GNOME’s file manager) and behaves similarly.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →