Best Dock panel for KDE

[txm0523]

Greetings everyone,

I know there are lots of different Dock panels for the desktop, was just wondering what / which is the best trouble free dock for a KDE Plasma desktop ?

Here are PC specs:

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-17-amd64 [6.1.69-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-17-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.2_KDE_x64 Libretto
    July 31 2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: ASUS product: N/A v: N/A serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: ASUSTeK model: PRIME B450M-A II v: Rev X.0x serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: 4202 date: 06/16/2023
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 2 gen: 3 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2020-22 process: TSMC n7 (7nm) family: 0x17 (23) model-id: 0x71 (113) stepping: 0
    microcode: 0x8701030
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache: L1: 384 KiB
    desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 3 MiB desc: 6x512 KiB L3: 32 MiB desc: 2x16 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2201 high: 2228 min/max: 2200/4208 boost: enabled scaling:
    driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores: 1: 2197 2: 2200 3: 2195 4: 2200 5: 2200 6: 2200
    7: 2199 8: 2195 9: 2200 10: 2228 11: 2200 12: 2200 bogomips: 86231
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: untrained return thunk; SMT enabled with STIBP protection
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow mitigation: safe RET
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines, IBPB: conditional, STIBP: always-on, RSB filling,
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK208B [GeForce GT 710] vendor: PNY driver: nouveau v: kernel non-free:
    series: 470.xx+ status: legacy-active (EOL~2023/24) arch: Fermi 2 code: GF119/GK208
    process: TSMC 28nm built: 2010-16 pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 8 ports: active: HDMI-A-1
    empty: DVI-D-1,VGA-1 bus-ID: 08:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:128b class-ID: 0300 temp: 32.0 C
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: nouveau gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22") s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 model: Samsung LS32B30 serial: <filter> built: 2022
    res: 1920x1080 dpi: 70 gamma: 1.2 size: 698x393mm (27.48x15.47") diag: 184mm (7.2")
    ratio: 16:9, 16:10 modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.3 Mesa 23.1.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: NV106 direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio vendor: PNY driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 2
    speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 8 bus-ID: 08:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0e0f class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 0a:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-17-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: ASUSTeK PRIME B450M-A
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: f000 bus-ID: 07:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 39.03 GiB (8.4%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 870 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 2B6Q
    scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 465.51 GiB size: 457.13 GiB (98.20%) used: 39.03 GiB (8.5%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 256 MiB size: 252 MiB (98.46%) used: 274 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 4 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 33.2 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 32.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2900 libs: 1674 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    3: deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    4: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-backports main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/winehq-bookworm.sources
    1: deb [arch=amd64 i386] https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/debian bookworm main
Info:
  Processes: 289 Uptime: 40m wakeups: 1 Memory: 15.5 GiB used: 3.13 GiB (20.2%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

[richb]

The one that comes with it.

[txm0523]

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my question. I was trying to ask, out of several popular Docks available for Linux OS ( e.g. Plank, Cairo-Dock, Latte-Dock, AWN - Avant Window Navigator ) has anyone used these and which in your experience was easiest to configure and stable ? That's what I wanted to ask. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[CharlesV]

I have used plank ( too simple) and Cairo-Dock I have used for years. Cairo is a little heavy, but its very nice, stable and great eye candy. And the configuration is 'done' on install, or you can twist and tweak to your hearts content.

I highly recommend Cario-dock

[CatManDan]

I use a second Plasma panel as kind of dock:

https://dans-photos.net/misc/Screenshot ... 004826.png

the upper panel works as status panel, and the lower panel has the application menu and the icon-only task manager as dock.

[Eadwine Rose]

Image changed to link, please read the forum rules.

[txm0523]

@CatManDan Impressive. Never thought of that idea. I like it. I'll give it a try.

[Artim]

A panel and a dock are just about the same thing, if you want them to be. I do the same thing in Xfce as @CatManDan does in KDE (very nice looking, CatMan). For eye candy, use Cairo Dock. For simplicity and low-demand functionality, use the good ol' Xfce panel!

[luigi]

Hi,i know the post is from over a year ago!,but for what it's worth.........i instaled latte dock yesterday, (05/07/25) and i'm quite impressed!. I'm no wizard in linux;infact it's been about 2 years,that i have used mx linux KDE as my daily OS.

Setting it up is straight forward,from the discover store.There are quite a few options;on how you want it to look (top,bottom,sided etc,,) This is what mine looks like. As you can see,i created a folder with all my apps in,from there i added them to the dock.

I hope this gives an idea to what it can llok like.

Cheers
Luigi

[txm0523]

I finally decided to go this route. Although the other desktops and panels were good, I had to consider others using my PC.
The bottom panel contains admin apps that are for me to use. The desktop icons are common ones that other people use.