State of Kdenlive (kdenlive.org)

Article summary

The Kdenlive team has released their 2026 update, highlighting the project's progress and future plans. The update includes new features such as automatic masking, improved audio waveform generation, and a redesigned audio mixer. The team has also strengthened collaboration with the MLT developers and contributed to OpenTimelineIO. Kdenlive has been downloaded over 11 million times in 2025, with a growing community of contributors and users.

Main themes

• Kdenlive updates
• Video editing software
• Open-source development
• Community involvement
• Software stability
• FOSS alternatives

What commenters say

• Kdenlive's stability issues, such as crashing and losing work, are a major concern for some users, who recommend using alternative software like DaVinci Resolve for critical projects.
• The Kdenlive team's efforts to improve the software's features and user interface are appreciated by many users, who find it a capable and free alternative to proprietary video editing software.
• Some users argue that open-source projects like Kdenlive do not see other similar projects as competitors, but rather as collaborators in the development of free and open-source software.
• The relationship between KDE and Qt is seen as healthy and productive, with collaboration and maintenance of Qt modules, despite Qt being a commercial company with LGPL licensing.
• Kdenlive's ability to run on multiple platforms, including Windows and macOS, is a significant advantage, thanks to the Qt framework's cross-platform capabilities.
• Some users recommend pairing Kdenlive with other FOSS software, such as OBS and Tenacity, to create a powerful and free media creation stack.