Enlightenment
also: E, E17, E19, E20, E21
Enlightenment is a lightweight, highly configurable window manager and desktop environment for X11 that prioritizes visual effects, speed, and user customization.
Enlightenment (often abbreviated as E) is a stacking window manager that has evolved into a full desktop environment. It emerged in the 1990s as an alternative to heavier desktop environments, emphasizing elegant graphics, smooth animations, and efficient resource usage.
The window manager handles window placement, decoration, and interaction, while the broader Enlightenment project includes the EFL (Enlightenment Foundation Libraries)—a set of libraries for building graphical applications with advanced effects like transparency, shadows, and scaling.
Enlightenment is known for its highly themeable interface and virtual desktop support. For example, users can customize window borders, background images, and even create animated wallpapers. It runs well on older hardware while supporting modern visual features, making it popular among users seeking a balance between aesthetics and performance.
Today, Enlightenment remains actively developed and is available on most Linux distributions, though less common than GNOME or KDE. It appeals to users who want deep customization without the overhead of mainstream desktop environments.