How to remove ubuntu-desktop completely and retain gnome-shell?

Solution 1:

First, install the full ubuntu-gnome-desktop metapackage to get all that comes with the full ubuntu-gnome-desktop:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-gnome-desktop

Next, remove the ubuntu-desktop:

sudo apt-get remove ubuntu-desktop unity && sudo apt-get autoremove

or, if you would like to remove the configuration files as well

sudo apt-get purge ubuntu-desktop unity unity-greeter && sudo apt-get autoremove

Just BE CAREFUL to review the list of programs to uninstall before selecting "Y" to accept the changes to ensure sure you are not uninstalling something you want to keep or need!!!

If there are any applications you want or need to keep that are to be removed, do not except the changes and instead, press CRTL + C to exit the command and then explicitly install these applications using sudo apt-get install to mark these wanted or needed applications as selected. After doing this, run sudo apt-get autoremove again and once more, review the list of applications to be removed to verify before accepting the changes to the system.