First Things First

• Enable PPA

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https curl

• Install apt-fast

   sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:apt-fast/stable
   sudo apt -y install apt-fast
   echo "alias apt='apt-fast'" >> ~/.bashrc 
   source ~/.bashrc

• Update OS

   apt upgrade

• Install git

   apt install git

• Uninstall Apps

   apt purge pantheon-mail
   apt purge noise
   apt purge audience

• Clean Up OS

   apt autoremove -y
   apt autoclean -y

Tweaking the UI

• Add minimize button

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:philip.scott/elementary-tweaks
   apt install elementary-tweaks

  • then do System Settings>Tweaks>Layout>Windows

• Bring back Tray icons

   apt install gobject-introspection libglib2.0-dev libgranite-dev libindicator3-dev libwingpanel-2.0-dev valac meson
   git clone https://github.com/donadigo/wingpanel-indicator-namarupa
   cd wingpanel-indicator-namarupa
   meson build --prefix=/usr && cd build
   ninja
   sudo ninja install
   apt install -f
   wget https://github.com/mdh34/elementary-indicators/releases/download/0.1/indicator-application-patched.deb
   sudo dpkg -i indicator-application-patched.deb
   sudo apt-mark hold indicator-application
   sudo reboot

• Icon Pack La Capitaine by @keeferrourke

   mkdir ~/.icons && cd ~/.icons
   git clone https://github.com/keeferrourke/la-capitaine-icon-theme.git
   cd la-capitaine-icon-theme && ./configure

• Cursors La Capitaine by @keeferrourke

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:dyatlov-igor/la-capitaine
   apt install la-capitaine-cursor-theme

• Smaller titlebar height for non-GTK apps by @sprite-1

• Proper Plank

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ricotz/docky
   apt install --reinstall plank
   killall plank
   plank --preferences

• Plank Themes by @KenHarkey

• Clone and copy the contents of the Plank Themes repo to ~/.local/share/plank/themes or to /usr/share/plank/themes for system-wide use.

APPS TO DOWNLOAD & INSTALL

• Brave Browser
• Sublime Text 3
• WPS Office
• KeyBase
• MegaSync
• qBittorrent
• AnyDesk
• Sublime Merge
• telegram-desktop
• Kodi
• VLC
• Discord
• GO

APPS TO INSTALL & CONFIGURE VIA TERMINAL

• GParted

   apt install gparted

• tilix

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/terminix
   apt install tilix

• albert

   sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/manuelschneid3r/xUbuntu_18.04/ /' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:manuelschneid3r.list"
   curl https://build.opensuse.org/projects/home:manuelschneid3r/public_key | sudo apt-key add -
   apt update
   apt install albert

• flash-plugin

   apt install flashplugin-installer pepperflashplugin-nonfree

• Restricted extras and MM Codec

   apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras libavcodec-extra

• archive formats

   apt install unace rar unrar p7zip-rar p7zip sharutils uudeview mpack arj cabextract lzip lunzip

• Preload

   apt install preload

• ancient fonts

   apt install ttf-ancient-fonts

• Wine

   sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
   wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
   sudo apt-key add winehq.key
   sudo apt-add-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ bionic main'
   apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable

Other Tweaks/Fixes

• fusuma: MultiTouch Gestures

• Oh My ZSH

• Reduce Overheating & Improve Battery Life

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linrunner/tlp
   apt install tlp tlp-rdw
   sudo tlp start

• WPS Fonts Fix by @IamDH4

   cd /tmp
   git clone https://github.com/iamdh4/ttf-wps-fonts.git
   cd ttf-wps-fonts
   bash install.sh
   rm -rf /tmp/ttf-wps-fonts

• elementaryOS theme for telegram by @sprite-1

• Fix Lag on Login/Restart by @Jason Waddington

   sudo mv /etc/xdg/autostart/at-spi-dbus-bus.desktop /etc/xdg/autostart/at-spi-dbus-bus.disabled
   sudo mv /usr/share/upstart/xdg/autostart/at-spi-dbus-bus.desktop /usr/share/upstart/xdg/autostart/at-spi-dbus-bus.disabled

• Display Hidden Startup Applications

   sudo sed -i 's/NoDisplay=true/NoDisplay=false/g' /etc/xdg/autostart/*.desktop

• Fix Desktop entries not executing by @user170

Credits

• @suberb
• @memoryleakx
• @evertontrindade