MATE
also: MATE Desktop Environment, MATE DE
MATE is a lightweight desktop environment for Linux that continues the GNOME 2 codebase, providing a traditional graphical interface with a taskbar, menu system, and window manager.
MATE (originally an acronym for "MATE Advanced Traditional Environment") is a free, open-source desktop environment created when GNOME moved to GNOME 3's more modern interface design. MATE forked GNOME 2 to preserve the traditional desktop paradigm that many users preferred.
MATE includes a panel at the bottom (or top) of the screen, application menus, a window manager, and essential desktop utilities. It's designed to be lightweight and familiar to users accustomed to older desktop environments, making it popular on older hardware or for those who prefer conventional desktop layouts.
MATE is used as the default desktop in Linux distributions like Linux Mint MATE Edition and Ubuntu MATE, offering a fast and stable graphical environment without the resource demands of heavier alternatives.