elementary OS 8 Has a Big Surprise in Store
When elementary OS 8 finally arrives, it will not only be based on Ubuntu 24.04 but it will also default to Wayland for better performance and security.
Elementary OS has long been a favorite of mine. For years, it was my go-to Linux distribution, which came to a halt when I purchased my first System76 Thelio desktop. Even so, I've admired the work that goes into the OS from afar.
And with the upcoming release, the development team plans to finally shift to the Wayland display server by default.
This has been a long time coming because Wayland is far superior and more secure than X.org.
Wayland isn't the only change coming to elementary OS 8. According to the team's recent blog, version 8 of the OS will also include the continued transition to GTK 4.
So far, the Captive Network Assistant, Initial Setup, and Videos app have already made the transition (in their respective development branches) and the port for the AppCenter is almost done.
The System Settings app and the indicator area will also see some major changes, making them both more modern and responsive. As well, the development team is considering an immutable version of elementary OS, adding Pipewire, replacing the onscreen keyboard, and even reevaluating the SystemD boot.
Of course, not everything will make it into version 8, but it looks like the team has their work cut out for them.
If you'd like to get early access to daily builds, you can do so by becoming an elementary OS sponsor on GitHub.
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
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.
-
AerynOS Alpha Release Available
With a choice of several desktop environments, AerynOS 2025.08 is almost ready to be your next operating system.
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for more than two weeks.
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.