Cinnamon
Traditional Linux desktop environment developed by the Linux Mint project.
Liked for a familiar Windows-style layout that makes switching from Windows easy123 and for staying out of the way and simply working.456 The most common caveat is Wayland support that lagged behind other desktops789, with some reports of UI freezes and crashes.1011
Why people recommend it
Just works · 3
Commenters say it is stable, unobtrusive and does what they want.
“I like KDE a great deal but I also liked Cinnamon a great deal”
“Cinnamon is X11, but it works very well.”
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“The base Cinnamon desktop is basically just Windows 7 locked in place with a few quality of life improvements.”
Windows familiarity · 3
Its Windows 7-like layout helped Windows users adjust quickly.
“Cinnamon is X11, but it works very well.”
“The base Cinnamon desktop is basically just Windows 7 locked in place with a few quality of life improvements.”
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“Mint 22 is amazing with cinnamon.”
Long-term satisfaction · 3
Users report staying happily on it for years.
“Currently I use Cinnamon for years and couldn't be more happy.”
“I am also a caveman who still uses Cinnamon on X11”
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“Cinnamon which I really liked”
Taskbar and workspaces · 1
Supports per-screen taskbars and virtual desktops.
“Cinnamon which I really liked”
Modest hardware · 1
Ran adequately on a cheap 2019 laptop for daily use and development.
“I put arch with cinnamon on it and it was pretty damn adequate for my needs”
Customizable · 1
One user found it pleasantly customizable.
“the sigle-threadedness of the UI killed it for me.”
Caveats and dissent
Wayland support · 3
Wayland support only recently left experimental status, pushing some users to KDE.
“I like KDE a great deal but I also liked Cinnamon a great deal”
“Cinnamon which I really liked”
Show 1 more
“Cinnamon is X11, but it works very well.”
UI freezes · 1
The single-threaded UI could lock up, including from official Spices.
“the sigle-threadedness of the UI killed it for me.”
Crashes · 1
One user saw it crash when switching to Bluetooth headphones.
“Cinnamon and Budgie both crashed.”
Limited power · 1
Not the best choice for those wanting heavy tweaking.
“The base Cinnamon desktop is basically just Windows 7 locked in place with a few quality of life improvements.”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- macOS 27 Golden Gate – Review 1 mention
- Cpak – OCI application package format for Linux desktops, servers and devices 1 mention
- Windows 11's built-in Weather app wastes more than 1 GB of RAM 1 mention
- The Future of Gnome Boxes 1 mention
- Ask HN: What Linux distro do you daily drive? 1 mention
- It's hard to justify buying a Framework 12 1 mention
Data: cinnamon.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 10
“I like KDE a great deal but I also liked Cinnamon a great deal”
“Cinnamon which I really liked”
“Cinnamon is X11, but it works very well.”
“Currently I use Cinnamon for years and couldn't be more happy.”
“The base Cinnamon desktop is basically just Windows 7 locked in place with a few quality of life improvements.”
“I put arch with cinnamon on it and it was pretty damn adequate for my needs”
“I am also a caveman who still uses Cinnamon on X11”
“Cinnamon and Budgie both crashed.”
“the sigle-threadedness of the UI killed it for me.”
“Mint 22 is amazing with cinnamon.”