Merge an application menu bar with the GNOME desktop top bar

Solution 1:

This is difficult to globally support in the diverse Linux ecosystem. An nice attempt to have a global menu, i.e., a menu that for any window is displayed on the top bar, combined with a HUD, is implemented through the Fildem project. A HUD is a way to search a menu for commands.

Linux Uprising has a post on Fildem. Due to the diversity of the Linux ecosystem, such attempts have limitations:

• It won't work for Gnome applications such as Files, Gedit, that do not have a traditional menu in the first place.
• It won't work for Firefox or Thunderbird, but screen estate can be saved by disabling the menu bar and using the hamburger menu ≡ instead.

Other ways to save vertical screen real estate

• Hide the top bar (extensions: Hide Panel Lite by fthx, Hide Panel by fthx, Hide Top Bar by tuxor1337)

• Merge panel and legacy title bar (extension: Unite by hardpixel)

• At the application level: turn the legacy title bar in Firefox browser or Thunderbird off, maximize the application (Super+Up, command line options to have them start full screen)