Debian Workstation Personalization

Bootstraping a Debian Workstation

Installation

Install GNOME Shell Extensions

GNOME Shell Extensions

Configuration

GNOME Settings

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme 'prefer-dark'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface accent-color 'red'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.mouse natural-scroll true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.sound event-sounds false
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power power-button-action 'nothing'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy recent-files-max-age 7
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy remove-old-trash-files true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy remove-old-temp-files true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy old-files-age 7
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-format '24h'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-weekday true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-date true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-seconds true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-week-numbers true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.calendar show-weekdate true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy disable-camera true

GNOME Text

gsettings set org.gnome.TextEditor show-line-numbers true
gsettings set org.gnome.TextEditor show-right-margin true
gsettings set org.gnome.TextEditor right-margin-position 100
gsettings set org.gnome.TextEditor restore-session false

GNOME Nautilus (Files)

gsettings set org.gtk.gtk4.Settings.FileChooser sort-directories-first true

Generate a New SSH Key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

Initial Git Client Setup

Git Client Guide

git config --global user.name "Tomáš Havlas"
git config --global user.email "tomas@havlas.me"
git config --global core.editor "vim"
git config --global core.excludesFile "~/.gitignore"
git config --global init.defaultBranch "main"
tee ~/.gitignore >/dev/null <<'EOF'
.idea
.vscode
EOF

Theming

Customize GRUB2 Theme

sudo rm --force /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme
sudo ln --symbolic /dev/null /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme
Debian GRUB2 Theme

Debian GRUB2 Theme

wget --quiet -O debian.tar.xz https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/9
mkdir debian
tar --extract --file debian.tar.xz --directory debian
sudo mkdir -p /boot/grub/themes
sudo mv debian /boot/grub/themes/
sudo chown --recursive root:root /boot/grub/themes/debian
sudo chmod --recursive go-w /boot/grub/themes/debian
rm debian.tar.xz
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

GRUB_GFXMODE=1920x1080x32
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX="keep"
GRUB_THEME="/boot/grub/themes/debian/theme.txt"
sudo update-grub

Customize Plymouth Theme

The Plymouth_Project plymouth/plymouth

sudo apt install plymouth plymouth-themes
Debian (macOS Style) Plymouth Theme

Debian (macOS Style) Plymouth Theme

wget --quiet -O debian-mac-style.tar.xz https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/10
mkdir debian-mac-style
tar --extract --file debian-mac-style.tar.xz --directory debian-mac-style
sudo mv debian-mac-style /usr/share/plymouth/themes
sudo chown --recursive root:root /usr/share/plymouth/themes/debian-mac-style
sudo chmod --recursive go-w /usr/share/plymouth/themes/debian-mac-style
rm debian-mac-style.tar.xz
sudo plymouth-set-default-theme debian-mac-style

Customize Mouse Theme

Bibata Modern Mouse Theme

Bibata Modern Mouse Theme

wget --quiet -O Bibata-Modern.tar.xz https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/12
mkdir Bibata-Modern
tar --extract --file Bibata-Modern.tar.xz --directory Bibata-Modern
mkdir --parents ~/.local/share/icons
mv Bibata-Modern ~/.local/share/icons
chmod --recursive go-w ~/.local/share/icons
rm Bibata-Modern.tar.xz
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme 'Bibata-Modern'

Customize Icon Theme

Tela Icon Theme

Tela Icon Theme

wget --quiet -O Tela.tar.xz https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/14
mkdir Tela
tar --extract --file Tela.tar.xz --directory Tela
bash Tela/install.sh red
rm --recursive Tela Tela.tar.xz
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface icon-theme 'Tela-red-dark'

Customize GNOME/GTK Theme

Fluent GTK Theme

Fluent GTK Theme

sudo apt install gtk2-engines-murrine sassc
wget --quiet -O Fluent.tar.xz https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/13
mkdir Fluent
tar --extract --file Fluent.tar.xz --directory Fluent
bash Fluent/install.sh -t red -c dark -s standard -i simple
rm --recursive Fluent Fluent.tar.xz
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme 'Fluent-red-Dark'
gnome-extensions enable user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
gsettings --schemadir ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com/schemas/ \
  set org.gnome.shell.extensions.user-theme name 'Fluent-red-Dark'
bash install.sh --libadwaita -t red -c dark -s standard -i simple

Customize Desktop Background

Emby-Spark's CC-O---RRR--RUPT--TT--IONN-N---N

Emby-Spark

mkdir --parents ~/.local/share/backgrounds
wget --quiet -O ~/.local/share/backgrounds/CC-O---RRR--RUPT--TT--IONN-N---N.JPG https://kb.havlas.me/attachments/11
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri "file://$HOME/.local/share/backgrounds/CC-O---RRR--RUPT--TT--IONN-N---N.JPG"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri-dark "file://$HOME/.local/share/backgrounds/CC-O---RRR--RUPT--TT--IONN-N---N.JPG"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-options "zoom"

cd /tmp
curl -LO https://github.com/googlefonts/googlesans/releases/download/v14.000/GoogleSans-v14.000.zip
unzip -o GoogleSans-v14.000.zip -d GoogleSans

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/fonts/GoogleSans
cp GoogleSans/build/GoogleSans/static/*.ttf ~/.local/share/fonts/GoogleSans/

Revision #39
Created 2026-08-22 21:12:38 UTC by Tomáš Havlas
Updated 2026-09-17 11:40:40 UTC by Tomáš Havlas