---
name: "startkde"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kde-workspace-bin"
version: "4:4.11.13-2"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/startkde"
---

# startkde(1)

Starts up the KDE Desktop Environment

## NAME

startkde - Starts up the KDE Desktop Environment

## SYNOPSIS

**startkde**\

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **startkde** command. This manual page was written for the Debian distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

The **startkde** script starts up the K Desktop Environment and is typically executed by your login manager (e.g. xdm, gdm, kdm, wdm or from your X startup scripts). **startkde** in turn launches ksmserver, which will load your last session, or a default session that includes the standard KDE programs if no saved session is available.

**startkde**, with ksmserver, is a standard X11R6 session manager that can manage any X11R6 SM compliant program.

**startkde** and ksmserver use the contents of the ~/.kde directory for starting previously saved sessions. Source scripts found in ~/.kde/env/\*.sh can be used to define environment variables that will be available to all KDE  programs.

For anything else (that doesn't set env vars, or that needs a window manager), better use the ~/.kde/Autostart folder.

At the end of a session, the scripts found in ~/.kde/shutdown will be executed.

## OPTIONS

**startkde** takes no command line options.

## AUTHOR

**startkde** is written by the KDE Project.

This manual page was written by Philipp Grau.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs of this modified Debian version of startkde to the Bug Tracking System at: http://bugs.debian.org

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2005 Philipp Grau.