gnome-panel

gnome-panel [OPTION...]

--replace
    Replaces any currently running instance of the panel with a new one.

--display=DISPLAY
    Connects to the specified X display, allowing the panel to be run on a different display.

--disable-force-quit
    Disables the 'Force Quit' option from the panel's context menu, preventing users from force-quitting applications via the panel's interface.

--version
    Displays the version information for the gnome-panel and then exits.

--help
    Shows a brief help message summarizing command usage and options, then exits.

The gnome-panel command launches the classic GNOME 2 desktop panel, a highly configurable bar that provides essential desktop functionalities. It typically runs at the top or bottom of the screen (or both), serving as a central hub for launching applications, managing windows, monitoring system status, and accessing various applets.

Features include a main menu (like 'Applications', 'Places', 'System'), a taskbar for open windows, a notification area, and the ability to add custom application launchers and dynamic applets (e.g., clock, weather, system monitors). While largely superseded by GNOME Shell in modern GNOME versions, gnome-panel remains a core component of desktop environments like MATE Desktop, which continues the GNOME 2 paradigm, offering a familiar and efficient user interface for many Linux users.

gnome-panel is primarily associated with the legacy GNOME 2 desktop environment. Modern GNOME versions (GNOME 3 and later) use GNOME Shell as their primary user interface, which integrates the panel functionality differently. While the command may still exist in some distributions for compatibility or specific fallback modes, its direct usage is more common in desktop environments like MATE, which are direct continuations of GNOME 2.

Typically, gnome-panel is started automatically by the desktop session manager upon user login and is not usually invoked directly by users from the command line for everyday use. It forms the core visual interface of the GNOME 2 (and MATE) desktop, handling desktop-level interactions.

Configuration of the gnome-panel (e.g., adding/removing applets, changing panel position, creating custom application launchers) is primarily done through its graphical context menus and dedicated configuration dialogs, rather than via command-line arguments. Users interact directly with the panel to customize its appearance and functionality.

The gnome-panel was a foundational component of the GNOME 2 desktop, which was the standard GNOME interface from 2002 to 2011. It provided the traditional desktop experience with panels, menus, and applets that many users found intuitive and efficient. With the transition to GNOME 3 and the introduction of GNOME Shell in 2011, the original gnome-panel was phased out in favor of the new design philosophy. However, a significant part of the GNOME 2 codebase, including the panel, was forked to create the MATE Desktop Environment, ensuring its continued development and usage for users who prefer the classic desktop metaphor.

gnome-shell(1), mate-panel(1), gnome-session(1), nautilus(1)