Budgie

Budgie Desktop is a desktop environment initially developed for the Solus operating system. Its design focuses on integration with the system, presenting a modern interface and customizable components. The Budgie project is part of Buddies of Budgie, an organization that manages its ongoing development. This desktop is characterized by its panel bar and the Raven side panel, which groups notifications, settings, and widgets.

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• Main applications menu. Budgie's main menu allows access to programs installed on the system. It uses categories to organize applications and includes a search field that filters results in real time. The menu structure facilitates navigation using a pointing device or keyboard.
• Intelligent panel. The Budgie panel is a bar located by default at the top of the screen. It contains the applications menu, system indicators, and a quick launcher area. This panel can be modified in position, size, and transparency through configuration options.
• Raven notification center. Raven is a side panel that slides out from the main panel. It concentrates system and application notifications, a calendar, media playback controls, and volume settings. Notifications can be dismissed individually or in groups based on the source application.
• Media playback control. When a MPRIS-compatible player is running, Raven displays controls to manage playback. This function allows pausing, skipping forward, or going back to previous tracks without changing windows. It shows information about the currently playing content.
• Run dialog. The run dialog is activated with the Alt+F2 key combination. It provides a quick method to launch applications by typing their name. This dialog also executes system commands when they are entered directly.
• Integrated calendar. Raven includes a calendar module that shows the current date and time. The calendar presents a monthly view with the days of the week. Events from calendar applications can be integrated into this module.
• Per-application volume management. The audio mixer in Raven allows adjusting the overall sound level. It also offers individual control over the volume of each running application. This function requires integration with the PulseAudio or PipeWire audio system.
• Panel widgets. The panel supports adding widgets called "applets". These applets can display system information, network status, weather conditions, or hardware controls. Applets are added or removed through a dedicated configuration menu.
• Fullscreen mode. Budgie incorporates a mode that automatically hides the panel when a window is in fullscreen. This behavior maximizes the usable display area for applications and media content. The panel reappears when moving the cursor to the edge of the screen where it is located.
• Virtual workspaces. The desktop manages multiple virtual workspaces to organize windows. Workspaces can be navigated using key combinations or through a visual selector. This system allows distributing tasks into separate groups.
• Visual configuration. Budgie's appearance is modified using GTK themes and icons. The environment includes a theme editor integrated into its configuration options. Applied changes affect windows, control elements, and the panel itself.
• System integration. Budgie communicates with system components such as NetworkManager and Power Manager. This integration allows managing network connections and power settings from the panel. Options appear as dropdown menus in the corresponding indicators.
• Settings center. Raven contains a quick settings area for common functions. This area includes toggles for Bluetooth, screen rotation, night mode, and Wi-Fi connection. More detailed settings are directed to the system configuration application.
• Notification history. All notifications that appear in the system are archived in Raven. The history retains notifications even after they disappear from the panel. Users can review past notifications and remove them from the history manually.

Budgie's development began in 2013 as part of the Solus operating system. Ikey Doherty started the project to create a desktop environment specific to that distribution. The codebase was originally written in the C programming language, using GTK libraries for the graphical elements. In 2022, the organization Buddies of Budgie was formed to direct development independently. This group maintains the code and coordinates community contributions. Budgie was designed for Linux-based operating systems, with particular integration in Solus.

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