Cairo Desktop Environment vs Starling
Cairo Desktop Environment
cairoshell.comStarling
starling.buildSide by side
| Figure | Cairo Desktop Environment | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Start Menu Customization Software | 7.7 (#17) | 8.4 (#5) |
| License | The GitHub repository identifies the project license as Apache-2.0. | Starling says its software is open source under Apache 2.0 and invites people to read the code and build on it. |
Plans
In their own words
Cairo Desktop Environment
Cairo Desktop Environment has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Starling
Starling is a desktop environment with a 2D workspace and an optional 3D city workspace. Its Linux desktop combines a Wayland compositor, window manager, dock, spaces, and nine first-party apps in a session alongside the existing desktop. It runs native Wayland clients and X11 apps, can launch applications installed on the machine, and includes an App Store for installing more. The supported Linux package target is Ubuntu 26.04 LTS on amd64; the desktop can also run through Ubuntu 26.04 on WSL2. Starling’s Windows shell supports Windows 10 and 11 on x64, and its page says Store apps keep working. The shell, apps, build tools, documentation, and host code are open source under Apache 2.0, and the product is free. The Linux session runs without elevated privileges. Starling labels the desktop an early preview and says users should expect rough edges, missing pieces, and bugs. Its Windows preview installer installs per user without administrator privileges, but is unsigned and prompts SmartScreen on first run.