Using a GUI on your AlmaLinux server

Hello,

In this week’s feature highlight, we look at How to use a GUI on your AlmaLinux server

AlmaLinux is new a CentOS alternative and is often used as an operating system without GUI, but just like CentOS, AlmaLinux supports installing a desktop environment/GUI which you can connect to via VNC or similar software.

This blog article looks into how to install a GNOME desktop environment / GUI on your AlmaLinux server.

To use AlmaLinux in graphical mode, you will need to install the GNOME package on the system to enable GUI. We will go through the steps required to install GNOME GUI.

Check the available package groups for AlmaLinux.

yum group list

Output:

[root@vps ~]# yum group list
Last metadata expiration check: 0:21:54 ago on Tue 23 Mar 2021 01:27:06 PM EDT.
Available Environment Groups:
   Server
   Workstation
   Custom Operating System
   Virtualization Host
Installed Environment Groups:
   Server with GUI
   Minimal Install
Installed Groups:
   Container Management
   Headless Management
Available Groups:
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Development Tools
   .NET Core Development
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Network Servers
   RPM Development Tools
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Tools

Installing Gnome GUI

Install Gnome GUI and in between it will prompt for download permission, enter “y” key and hit enter to proceed with installation.

yum groupinstall "Server with GUI"

To enable the GUI as default and boot into graphical mode.

systemctl set-default graphical

Output:

[root@vps ~]# systemctl set-default graphical
Removed /etc/systemd/system/default.target.
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/default.target → /usr/lib/systemd/system/graphical.target.

Reboot the system so it can boot into the graphical mode.