GNOME extensions for better UX

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I used local install approach of GNOME extension to ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ and activated them with GNOME’s Extensions (gnome-extensions). Under GNOME 43, this Extensions is as important as GNOME’s Tweaks (gnome-tweaks) to get my GNOME Desktop environment configured as I want.

I made a simple set of wrapper script to install my choice of extensions.

https://github.com/osamuaoki/gnome-extension-installer

This provides local-gnome-shell-tool command which clones extensions under ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/gitrepo/ and install them under ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions.

This page has been updated based on research described in GNOME shell extension for input methods.

List of interesting GNOME extensions

Here is a list of interesting GNOME extensions.

Essential GNOME extensions for better UX

These GNOME extensions are essential ones for better Desktop UX.

micheleg/dash-to-dock: *U
- DEB: gnome-shell-extension-dashtodock
- GNOME: Dash to Dock from Zorin OS
- PRO: Make dock icon visible only with mouse pointer hitting bottom (mature)
- CON: Works only up to GNOME 43 (Its github site has 45 support code in Nov/2023)
nmingori/gnome-hide-actitivies-button: *U
- DEB: gnome-shell-extension-hide-activities
- GNOME: Hide Activities Button
- PRO: less noisy UI
- CON: GNOME 40 (Works up to GNOME 43)
  - un-intuitive only for new user (but I already know corner activation)
  - GNOME Hide Activities Button works up to GNOME 45
osamuaoki/inputmethod-shortcuts
- GNOME: Keyboard shortcuts for switching input methods under GNOME shell
- PRO: Direct deterministic access to input methods
- CON: none

Basic GNOME extensions

These GNOME extensions are basic ones providing specific functionalities.

eonpatapon/gnome-shell-extension-caffeine: *U, *L, *N, *M
- DEB: gnome-shell-extension-caffeine
- GNOME: caffeine
- Disable screensaver and auto suspend
- PRO: Convenient
corecoding/Vitals: *U, *L, *N, *M
- Display CPU temperature, voltage, fan speed, memory usage, CPU load, and net speed.
- PRO: Interesting and cute extra information
Tudmotu/gnome-shell-extension-clipboard-indicator: *U, *L, *N
- Clipboard Manager extension for Gnome-Shell - Adds a clipboard indicator to the top panel, and saves clipboard history.
- PRO: Occasionally convenient (set to 5 levels)

Optional GNOME extensions

These GNOME extensions are optional ones providing specific functionalities. (These are less likely to be needed, though.)

axxapy/gnome-ui-tune: *N
- Tunes overview UI of the gnome 40 a bit
- PRO: Slightly cleaner aesthetics
zagortenay333/cronomix: *L
- All-in-one timer, stopwatch, pomodoro, alarm, todo and time tracker gnome-shell extension
- PRO: Cute toy timers (I don’t use timer. These are not activated yet but installed.)

Extra GNOME extensions

These GNOME extensions are optional ones providing random functionalities which I probably don’t use.

skrewball/openweather: *L, *N, *M
- DEB: gnome-shell-extension-weather
- Display weather information for any location on Earth in the GNOME Shell
- ???: use cell phone app
jrahmatzadeh/just-perfection: *N
- Disable GNOME Shell UI Elements, Change the Behavior and Customize your GNOME Shell Desktop.
- ???: I don’t care to use these changes, too many settings
EasyScreenCast/EasyScreenCast: *L, *N
- Simplifies the use of the video recording function integrated in gnome shell
- CON: Redundant
  - ???: Menu presented by “Print”-key has video icon already.
  - ???: Shortcut Alt-Ctrl-Shift-R can invoke video
paddatrapper/shortcuts-gnome-extension
- Creates a pop-up that describes the commonly used keyboard shortcuts in GNOME Shell when Super + S is pressed
matthijskooijman/gnome-shell-more-keyboard-shortcuts
- Gnome-shell extension to add some additional window-switching keyboard shortcuts
  - ???: use this as baseline to create useful shortcuts for input methods
Workspace Indicator
- DEB: gnome-shell-extensions
- Display workspace indicator on top bar
- PRO: make workspace location visible
- CON: no-ID number
MichaelAquilina/improved-workspace-indicator: *U
- workspace indicator more similar to i3/sway
- PRO: smaller and clear ID# (Better than the one from the official GNOME extension)
- CON: none
rastersoft/desktop-icons-ng: *U
- DEB: gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng
- A fork from the official desktop icons project, with several enhancements like Drag’n’Drop.
linushdot/unsafe-mode-menu
- Change GNOME Shell unsafe-mode via quick settings menu/panel menu
- PRO: enable gdbus usage in launcher to switch input methods
- CON: unsafe isn’t nice (I already found better alternative.)
icedman/suppress-startup-animation
- Suppress the overview startup animation and be greeted with your wall paper instead
- PRO: less invasive and less noisy UI
- CON: duplicate: “Dash to Dock” has switch “show overview”
maoschanz/notes-extension-gnome: *L
- A GNOME Shell extension providing customizable sticky notes
- PRO: Occasionally convenient (quick notes)

Avoided GNOME extensions

These GNOME extensions should be avoided since it doesn’t add value to my use case.

icedman/dash2dock-lite
- “Dash to Dock” with animated zooming dock icons
- PRO: eye-catchy animated dock icon looks
- CON: interference with mouse clicks around the bottom area
- Use dash-to-dock instead
kgshank/gse-sound-output-device-chooser: *L, *N
- Gnome Shell Extension to show a simple chooser to select Input & Output device based on gnome control center
- Broken
kgshank/gse-refresh-wifi: *L
- Gnome Shell Extension - Refresh Wifi
bjarosze/gnome-bluetooth-quick-connect: *N
- Allow to connect bluetooth paired devices from gnome control panel
deinstapel/cpupower: *L
- Manage the frequency scaling driver of your CPU
- ???: A bit odd icon display (very dark dot)
- ???: Needs more test to see if useful
- ???: duplicated functionality

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