Having apps stay open when the computer starts

In any desktop environment, you can autostart programs after login. Do this if you want a few specific programs to be always available.

In many desktop environments, you can save "sessions". This causes the system to "remember" all applications that were still open at the time you shut down the system. You can also "hibernate" or "suspend" the system rather than shutting it down to have a similar effect, but it does not work reliably on any hardware.

In the MATE desktop environment you can autostart programs after login or restore previously opened in the MATE Control Center.

• Add "autostart" programs using the "Startup programs" tab. You can specify both graphical and command line applications (image source). You can simply specify the name of the executable if it is in your search PATH, else specify the full path name.

  

• Use the tab "Options" to enable saving your session:

  

  and check Automatically remember running applications when logging out here.