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KDE Plasma 5

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Developer(s)KDE
Initial release15 July 2014; 10 years ago (2014-07-15)[1]
Repository
Written inC++, QML
Operating systemUnix-like
PlatformFreeBSD and Linux
PredecessorKDE Plasma 4
TypeDesktop environment
LicenseLGPLv2.1+
Websitekde.org/plasma-desktop

KDE Plasma 5 is the fifth and current generation of the graphical workspaces environment created by KDE primarily for Linux systems. KDE Plasma 5 is the successor of KDE Plasma 4 and was first released on 15 July 2014.[1][2][3] It includes a new default theme, known as "Breeze", as well as increased convergence across different devices. The graphical interface was fully migrated to QML, which uses OpenGL for hardware acceleration, which resulted in better performance and reduced power consumption.[1][2]

Overview

KDE's mascot Konqi and Plasma desktop

Software architecture

KDE Plasma 5 is built using Qt 5 and KDE Frameworks 5,[4] predominantly plasma-framework.[5]

It improves support for HiDPI displays and ships a convergable graphical shell, which can adjust itself according to the device in use. 5.0 also includes a new default theme, dubbed Breeze. Qt 5's QtQuick 2 uses a hardware-accelerated OpenGL(ES) scene graph (canvas) to compose and render graphics on the screen, which allows for the offloading of computationally expensive graphics rendering tasks onto the GPU, freeing up resources on the system's main CPU.[1]

Windowing systems

KDE Plasma 5.0 uses the X Window System. Support for Wayland was prepared in the compositor and planned for a later release.[1] It was made initially available in the 5.4 release.[6] Stable support for a basic Wayland session was provided in the 5.5 release (December 2015).[7]

Development

Since the split of the KDE Software Compilation into KDE Plasma, KDE Frameworks and KDE Applications, each subproject can develop at its own pace.[8] KDE Plasma 5 is on its own release schedule, with feature releases every three-to-four months, and bugfix releases in the intervening months.

Desktop features

KDE Plasma with the Breeze Dark theme, with Konsole and Dolphin, core KDE applications.
  • KRunner – Search feature with several available plugins. In addition to quick launching apps, it searches files and folders, and performs numerous other tasks such as foreign currency conversion and measurement conversion. It also functions as a calculator.[9]
  • Activities – "virtual desktops", which have their own layouts and wallpapers. They can be named and navigated through the Activities menu.
  • Customize desktops, layouts and panels on multiple monitors
  • Widgets, called "Plasmoids", can be added to the panel or desktop
  • Dolphin file manager – bulk rename files, can be customized through "service menus" that add new functions to the context menu[10]
  • Session Management
  • Spectacle – for making screenshots

Linux distributions using Plasma

Plasma 5 is a default desktop environment (or one of the defaults) on Linux distributions, such as:

Plasma Mobile

Plasma Mobile
Developer(s)KDE, Blue Systems
Preview release
2020-02-03 / 3 February 2020; 4 years ago (2020-02-03)
Repository
Written inC++, QML
Operating systemLinux
LicenseGPLv2
Websiteplasma-mobile.org

Plasma Mobile is a Plasma variant for smartphones.[20] It is currently available for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 5X, supported devices on postmarketOS, and the PinePhone.[21]

After Plasma Active sponsor Coherent Theory (under the Make·Play·Live brand)[22][23] had given up their ambitions to release a tablet computer,[24] Blue Systems emerged as new sponsor and shifted the focus of Plasma's handheld work towards smartphones.[25][26]

The official announcement of the new form-factor interface was on 25 July 2015 at Akademy, accompanied by a working prototype running on a Nexus 5.[20] Plasma Mobile runs on Wayland and it is compatible with Ubuntu Touch applications.[25] While not a priority, Android application support through Anbox could eventually come to the OS.[27][28]

History

The first Technology Preview of Plasma 5 (at that time called Plasma 2) was released on 13 December 2013.[29] On 15 July 2014, the first release version – Plasma 5.0 – saw the light of day.[1] In spring 2015, Plasma 5 replaced Plasma 4 in many popular distributions, such as Fedora 22,[30] Kubuntu 15.04,[31] and openSUSE Tumbleweed.[32]

Releases

See also: KDE Software Compilation § Release cycle

Feature releases are released every four months (up to 5.8 every three months) and bugfix releases in the intervening months.[8] Following version 5.8 LTS KDE plans to support each new LTS version for 18 months with bug fixes, while new regular releases will see feature improvements.[33]

Plasma 5 releases
Version Date Key features
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.0[1] 15 Jul 2014 First release.
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.1[34] 15 Oct 2014 Ported missing features from Plasma 4.
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.2[35] 27 Jan 2015 New components:
  • BlueDevil – integrates Bluetooth technology within Plasma and KDE Applications
  • KSSHAskPass – front-end for ssh-add which stores the password of the ssh key in KWallet
  • Muon – a collection of package management tools for Debian-based systems, using the apt-xapian index and the Synaptic search algorithm
  • sddm-kcm – config module for SDDM themes
  • KScreen – screen management software[36] Hooks into KDE System Settings, makes use of KDE Daemon and KGlobalAccel
  • kde-gtk-config – GTK 2 and 3 style configurator
  • KDecoration – a plugin-based library to create window decorations. These window decorations can be used by window manager which re-parents a client window to a window decoration frame.
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.3[37] 28 Apr 2015 Tech preview of Plasma Media Center. New Bluetooth and touchpad applets. Enhanced power management.
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.4[38] 25 Aug 2015 Initial Wayland session,[6] new QML-based audio volume applet, and alternative full-screen application launcher.[39]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.5[40] 8 Dec 2015 Improved Wayland support.[41][42]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.6[43] 22 Mar 2016 Increased security.[44]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.7[45] 5 Jul 2016 Wayland: "basic workflows now fully functional". Automatic virtual keyboard.[45]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.8 LTS[46] 4 Oct 2016 Long Term Support version.[47][48]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.9[49] 31 Jan 2017 Wayland improvements,[50] global menu support.[51]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.10[52] 30 May 2017 Performance improvements.[53]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.11[54] 7 Nov 2017 System Settings redesign.[54] Notification history.[54] Added Plasma Vaults.[55] Wayland improvements.[56]
Old version, yet still maintained: 5.12 LTS[57] 6 Feb 2018 Increased stability and speed. Wayland improvements.[57]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.13[58] 12 Jun 2018 Integration with non-KDE web browsers; new lock and login screens; improved Discover appearance; new screen layout selection dialog upon connection of a new screen.[59]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.14[60] 9 Oct 2018 GTK global menu integration. Wayland improvements.[60]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.15[61] 12 Feb 2019 Wayland now supports virtual desktops, touch drag-and-drop; and foundations: XdgStable, XdgPopups and XdgDecoration protocols are now fully implemented.[61]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.16[62] 11 Jun 2019 Revamped notification system with Do Not Disturb, grouping in history, critical notifications in fullscreen apps, and better file transfer progress notifications; support for the NVIDIA proprietary driver on Wayland; full support for WireGuard VPNs; full touchpad configurability on X11 with Libinput; modernized login, lock, and logout screens; UI improvements throughout Plasma and Discover[62]
Old version, no longer maintained: 5.17[63] 15 Oct 2019 Night Color available for X11. Plasma now recognizes when a program is running in full-screen mode and prevents pop-ups. Wayland: Plasma now comes with fractional scaling.[63]
Old version, yet still maintained: 5.18 LTS[64] 11 Feb 2020 Easier system settings. Interactive notifications. Emojis. New wallpapers. Improved GTK app integration.
Old version, yet still maintained: 5.19[65] 9 Jun 2020 New system monitoring widgets. New Info Center app. Improved System Tray visuals and interaction. Timezones visible in clock pop-up. Inline reply function for notifications from supported apps. Global animation speed setting.
Current stable version: 5.20[66] 13 Oct 2020 S.M.A.R.T. disk monitoring. "Highlight changed settings" feature in System Settings. Icons-Only Task Manager and clock shows date by default. Redesigned status OSDs. More options and improvements for switching between grouped Task Manager tasks. Window corner-tiling shortcuts. Adjustable per-channel audio balance. Middle-click on notifications icon to enter Do Not Disturb mode. Wayland: support for screencasting, shared clipboard, middle-click paste, window thumbnails, and adjusting the scrolling speed.
Legend:
Old version, not maintained
Old version, still maintained
Latest version
Latest preview version
Future release

Future Planning

Plasma 6: According to the official schedule,[67] "Following 5.18 LTS, our next Plasma 5 LTS will likely be at the same time as the first Plasma 6 release, no date has been set yet".

  • Default lock screen of Plasma 5
    Default lock screen of Plasma 5
  • Plasma 5 showing KRunner and display management
    Plasma 5 showing KRunner and display management
  • Power management and keyboard brightness OSD
    Power management and keyboard brightness OSD
  • Shutdown screen of Plasma 5
    Shutdown screen of Plasma 5
  • Login screen of Plasma 5
    Login screen of Plasma 5
  • Plasma System Settings
    Plasma System Settings

References

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  2. ^ a b Sneddon, Joey-Elijah (July 15, 2014). "KDE Plasma 5 Arrives with Fresh New Look, True Convergence". OMG! Ubuntu!. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  3. ^ Gilbertson, Scott (August 18, 2014). "KDE Plasma 5—For those Linux users undecided on the kernel's future". Ars Technica. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Jos Poortvliet (2013-12-17). "Qt 5.2 - Foundation for KDE Frameworks 5". Dot.kde.org. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  5. ^ "plasma-framework readme".
  6. ^ a b Grässlin, Martin (2015-06-29). "Four years later". blog.martin-graesslin.com. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
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  26. ^ "Embracing Mobile". sebas' blog. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  27. ^ "FAQ". www.plasma-mobile.org. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
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  33. ^ Bhartiya, Swapnil. "KDE celebrates 20th birthday and goes LTS". CIO. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
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  61. ^ a b "Plasma 5.15 Release Announcement". KDE.
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  67. ^ "Schedules/Plasma 5". KDE. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Using KDE
Wikimedia Commons has media related to KDE 5.
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