Xfce's optional Panel Profiles tool allows users to switch between predefined desktop layouts in two clicks, without logging out, and to define and save their own custom layouts. The tool is not installed by default on most distributions.
According to The Register, the predefined layouts include Cupertino, described as somewhat macOS-like; GNOME 2, with two full-width panels at top and bottom; openSUSE Leap 15.x, a Windows 95-style layout with a single bottom panel; and Redmond, described as a very minimal Windows 95 layout.
On Debian, installation is done with the command sudo apt install -y xfce4-panel-profiles. The Register notes that Panel Profiles also needs the Python psutil module, which on Debian-like distributions can be installed with apt install python-psutil.
The Register said the demo used plain Debian 13, but that the same methods work with MX Linux, Xubuntu and Alpine Linux, and should also work on openSUSE, Fedora and other distributions that offer Xfce. A second part of the workshop is planned to cover under-the-hood reconfiguration for more unconventional layouts, involving adding lines to plain-text files and manual panel tweaking.