A major release of KDE's flagship desktop is coming soon
Exploring Plasma 6
For many users, Plasma 6 will look like a run-of-the-mill upgrade. But the moment you start digging, KDE being KDE, you will discover a world of new features and enhancements.
Plasma [1], the desktop environment many refer to incorrectly as "KDE," is going through an overhaul. (Plasma is actually the desktop component of the expansive KDE toolset.) When Qt [2], the set of libraries, frameworks, and tools KDE developers base most of their software on, was upgraded from version 5 to 6 in 2020, the process of migrating Plasma, as well as KDE's apps and frameworks, suddenly became a priority.
Developers were aware that a time would come when Qt, the company, would stop supporting the free 5.x branch of their software. The free version of Qt is the backbone that KDE is built on, and basing your products on an unsupported framework is a really bad idea.
Indeed, the Qt Group stopped supporting Qt 5.15 for free software projects in December 2020, the moment Qt 6.0 was released. It's worth noting that the Qt Group did maintain the support for the commercial proprietary version of Qt 5.15 until May 2023.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Framework Laptop 13 Pro Competes with the Best
Framework has released what might be considered the MacBook of Linux devices.
-
The Latest CachyOS Features Supercharged Kernel
The latest release of CachyOS brings with it an enhanced version of the latest Linux kernel.
-
Kernel 7.0 Is a Bit More Rusty
Linux kernel 7.0 has been released for general availability, with Rust finally getting its due.
-
France Says "Au Revoir" to Microsoft
In a move that should surprise no one, France announced plans to reduce its reliance on US technology, and Microsoft Windows is the first to get the boot.
-
CIQ Releases Compatibility Catalog for Rocky Linux
The company behind Rocky Linux is making an open catalog available to developers, hobbyists, and other contributors, so they can verify and publish compatibility with the CIQ lineup.
-
KDE Gets Some Resuscitation
KDE is bringing back two themes that vanished a few years ago, putting a bit more air under its wings.
-
Ubuntu 26.04 Beta Arrives with Some Surprises
Ubuntu 26.04 is almost here, but the beta version has been released, and it might surprise some people.
-
Ubuntu MATE Dev Leaving After 12 years
Martin Wimpress, the maintainer of Ubuntu MATE, is now searching for his successor. Are you the next in line?
-
Kali Linux Waxes Nostalgic with BackTrack Mode
For those who've used Kali Linux since its inception, the changes with the new release are sure to put a smile on your face.
-
Gnome 50 Smooths Out NVIDIA GPU Issues
Gamers rejoice, your favorite pastime just got better with Gnome 50 and NVIDIA GPUs.