A Quick Start to GNOME Shell Extensions

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Introduction

From the GNOME website:

GNOME Shell provides core user interface functions for GNOME, like switching to windows and launching applications. User interface elements provided by GNOME Shell include the Panel at the top of the screen, the Activities Overview, and Message Tray at the bottom of the screen.” GNOME Shell extensions are small pieces of code written by third party developers that modify the way GNOME works. (If you are familiar with Chrome Extensions or Firefox Addons, GNOME Shell extensions are similar to them.) You can find and install GNOME Shell extensions using this website. Creation of extensions are created outside of the normal GNOME design and development process, they are supported by their authors, rather than by the GNOME community. Some features first implemented as extensions might find their way into future versions of GNOME.

Assumptions

• A Rocky Linux Workstation or Server with GUI installation that uses GNOME.

Install GNOME extensions

GNOME Extensions is available from the “appstream” repository, requiring no additional repository configuration. Install with:

sudo dnf install gnome-shell

Installation includes all needed dependencies.

Install browser integration

Gnome Extensions has a software library available through their website gnome.extensions.org where you can install extensions right off their website. To achieve this, your browser and gnome-extensions needs to facilitate a connection.

sudo dnf install chrome-gnome-shell

GNOME browser integration installation guide

Determining GNOME shell version

The browser extension used to facilitate extensions installations from extensions.gnome.org should automatically detect the version of GNOME shell your system is currently running.

If you wish to perform a local install you will need to download the extension with the correct GNOME shell version.

gnome-shell --version

Installing an extension

For this example we will install the popular dash to dock extension.

1. Go to dash to dock extension webpage
2. Toggle extension from “off” to “on”
3. When prompted to install the extension, click “yes”

Managing installed extensions

GNOME extensions are installed and managed on gnome.extensions.org.

To manage your GNOME extensions, first go to https://extensions.gnome.org/local/.

On this page you will find a list of installed extensions. You can toggle each of these on or off. You can also configure the shell settings by using the toggle button on either of the two available menu options “Disable all extensions” “Disable version validation”.

Conclusion

GNOME Extensions is a good tool for adding additional functionality and customizing your GNOME desktop environment.

Read this guide on the Rocky Documentation website.

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