The KDE desktop gets an overhaul with Plasma 6 (lwn.net)

Article summary

The KDE desktop has released Plasma 6, a major update that focuses on migrating to Wayland and improving performance, security, and support for newer hardware. The release also includes updates to KDE Frameworks 6 and KDE Gear 24.02, and is based on the Qt 6 development framework. Plasma 6 aims to be a seamless upgrade for users, with many changes under the hood to make it easier for developers to write applications targeting KDE.

Main themes

• KDE Plasma 6 release
• Wayland migration
• Desktop environment updates
• Performance and security improvements
• Developer tools and frameworks

What commenters say

• The KDE project has matured significantly over the years, and Plasma 6 is a testament to its upward trajectory.
• Some users are experiencing issues with Wayland, including broken workflows and lack of support for certain features.
• The move to Wayland is seen as a positive step, but some users are concerned about the potential for fragmentation and lack of standardization.
• The removal of certain features, such as GUI configuration for Synaptics touchpads, has been met with disappointment from some users.
• Some users are satisfied with the current state of Wayland and its compositors, while others are waiting for further development and standardization.
• The use of XWayland and other compatibility layers is seen as a temporary solution, but some users are concerned about the long-term implications.
• The lack of support for certain features, such as Picture-in-Picture mode in Firefox, is a significant issue for some users.
• The development of Wayland and its compositors is ongoing, and some users are optimistic about the potential for future improvements and standardization.