
KDE is similar to GNOME in many ways, but there are distinct differences which distinguish KDE as a desktop environment. KDE uses C++ as its base with the Qt GUI toolkit, while GNOME uses the GTK GUI toolkit and is written in C. KDE is the older of the two and puts more emphasis on features and usability. GNOME prides itself on simplicity and ease of use. The common criticism of GNOME is that it is lacking in features and applications, while the most common complaint about KDE is that it has too many features.
KDE and GNOME are intended to appeal to different audiences, and are fundamentally different in some respects. The question of which desktop environment is best is a subjective individual judgment. Users who are unsure are advised to try them both. It is very easy to install GNOME from Kubuntu, and equally easy to install KDE in Ubuntu.