AppIndicator/KStatusNotifierItem and other addons in GNOME 48

GNOME Shell extensions

I had already written in the past on how to force Gnome Shell’s extensions after a major GNOME update. In most cases it takes a few weeks to receive the automatic addon update but if you have an urgency to use them it is possible to force them as I already said.

GNOME Shell extensions

GNOME Shell extensions are small pieces of code that extend the functionality of the GNOME desktop environment. They allow users to customize and add features to the GNOME Shell, such as changing the appearance, adding new indicators to the top bar, modifying the behavior of the window manager, and much more.

They are primarily written in JavaScript, which interacts with the GNOME Shell through its JavaScript bindings. These extensions utilize the GNOME Shell’s APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to access and modify various aspects of the desktop environment.

Extensions can be installed in a few ways: from the GNOME Extensions website using a web browser with the GNOME Shell integration extension installed, using the Extensions application (if provided by the Linux distribution), or manually by placing them in the appropriate directory (~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ for user-specific extensions or /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ for system-wide).

Once installed, extensions can be enabled or disabled through the Extensions application or the GNOME Extensions website. When an extension is enabled, its code runs alongside the GNOME Shell, modifying its behavior or appearance according to the extension’s purpose. Many extensions offer their own settings and options, allowing users to further customize their behavior, and these settings can usually be accessed through the Extensions application.

In essence, GNOME Shell extensions provide a flexible and powerful way for users to tailor their desktop experience to their specific needs and preferences, without having to modify the core GNOME Shell code itself. They have become a popular way to add missing features or change default behaviors in the GNOME desktop environment.