"The Linux desktop" can be what you want it to be jsut as much now as it was when Linux was just becoming a thing. In my case that means:

   - Debian because it works and remains stable between updates
   - X11 because it works and is widely supported
   - Xmonad because it gets out of my way while allowing me to tailor it to my needs
   - Pipewire for audio
   - Parts of Mate (i.e. Gnome 2 under a different name) to remain compatible with software made for 'modern' systems
   - servers use Proxmox-managed containers running Debian

You can do the same, all it takes is for you to create a base configuration - a set of packages to install and the configuration to apply to those packages - and use that whenever you install a new system.