If you are not used to Linux servers, I understand the interface on the right can be more comfortable than the one on the left :-). It can, for example, simplify certain complicated tasks and allow doing some online research directly from the server (with a web browser). Installing a GUI on a Linux server can still be the right choice in some cases. Related: 17 Security Tips From A Pro To Protect Your Linux Server Why a GUI might be the right choice for you This is especially important if your server is accessible from the Internet or if it hosts critical data. Each one of them is a separate project, which might add security risks at some point. Servers with a GUI are more likely to be affected by security problems than servers without one.Įven the lightest desktop environments come with hundreds of additional packages. We are talking about big projects (GNOME, KDE, etc.), with a large community of developers and testers, but still. In the long term, it might be a better idea to improve your skills instead of sacrificing the performance of all your Linux servers.Īnother thing that you need to keep in mind is that the more applications installed on a Linux computer, the more security risks there are. Just take a few minutes to think about it: can’t you allocate a few hours each week to learning Linux commands instead of running for the easiest solution? The rest of the time, the server could run at 100% on server tasks, not waste 20% of the RAM to have GNOME running in the background.īut it was my job and I understand your concerns. That’s the main answer you’ll get on forums and from Linux experts: “you can do everything using only Linux command lines, so why bother with an interface?”Īs mentioned in the introduction, I managed Linux servers for years, none of which had a GUI and there was no point in adding one.Įven if it took me 5 minutes to look for the command to do something specific, it was worth it.

If I continue with my previous example, is it really worth allocating 25% of resources to maybe save you a few minutes once a month when you do the system updates or install new programs? Then, the second concern is how useful a graphical interface really is. If 25% of the RAM or CPU is used by the GUI and its related apps, you may need to invest in a more powerful server or lower your expectations for the server capacity. If it’s also running background programs (like the GUI), it won’t be as fast or handle as many requests. The role of a web server, for example, is to handle as many visitors as possible, loading each page as fast as possible. Download your exclusive free PDF containing the most useful Linux commands to elevate your skills!

Debian shortcut to open terminal xfce