This is my first time using Ubuntu, so sorry in advance if I don't understand some terminology.

My current plight is whenever I select to log into i3-gaps, it logs in, but then I'm just left with the login background, unable to do anything but move my mouse. No commands I've tried have opened anything, and I've looked around but everyone else seems to have issues with one of the packages, which I haven't had issues with.

Is there something I'm skipping over, or am I not installing it right?

I'm using an HP Pavilion dm4 laptop, and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS