What it does
Yaru is Ubuntu's community theme suite, bringing icons and cursors together with shell styling, application themes and sounds. Ubuntu installs it by default. Its artwork is openly licensed, with separate terms for the scripts used by the project.
Ubuntu includes Yaru by default, making the installed theme the ordinary starting point. The project discourages source installation for average users. Its coordinated suite combines GNOME Shell styling, light and dark GTK application themes, icons, cursors and sounds.
For designers studying Ubuntu's desktop language, that wider suite explains how an application icon sits beside window controls and system feedback. The icon and cursor artwork develops Suru designs, while the project identifies other upstream contributions separately. SVG and PNG assets use CC BY-SA 4.0; included scripts use GPLv3, so a redistributed adaptation needs the relevant notices and artwork licence.
Strengths
- Icon and cursor artwork belong to a coordinated Ubuntu desktop suite.
- Upstream projects and the artwork/script licence split are identified.
Watch out for
- Building and installing from source is discouraged for ordinary desktop use.
Best for
- Ubuntu desktop customization
- Designers studying a developed desktop icon system
Sources
- Ubuntu Yaru Theme Suite README (Oct 27, 2026)