Distributions - KDE Community Wiki (2024)

KDE Software includes Plasma, KDE Applications, KDE Frameworks, and much more.

This page lists active distributions that ship Plasma 5, distributions on which Plasma 5 can be installed, and ways to get KDE apps in a distribution-agnostic fashion. Please keep these lists in alphabetical order.

Install KDE software page lists tools to use to install the software on many distros.

If you are packaging KDE Plasma, please read the Packaging Recommendations.

These distributions ship Plasma 6 by default or offer it as an easy and formally-supported option during installation, and are recommended for most users.

EndeavourOS

“EndeavourOS is an Arch-based distro that provides an Arch experience without the hassle of installing it manually for x86_64 machines. After installation, you’re provided with a lightweight and almost bare-bones environment ready to be explored with your terminal, along with our home-built Welcome App as a powerful guide to help you along.”

Web page: https://endeavouros.com

Download: https://endeavouros.com/#Download

Fedora KDE

Fedora KDE Plasma Desktop Edition is a variant of the Fedora operating system featuring Plasma 6 as its main user interface.

Web page: https://fedoraproject.org/spins/kde

Download: https://fedoraproject.org/spins/kde/download

Fedora Kinoite

Fedora Kinoite is a variant of the Fedora operating system leveraging the technology from Fedora CoreOS to provide a simple, reliable desktop featuring Plasma 6 as its main user interface.

Web page: https://fedoraproject.org/atomic-desktops/kinoite

Download: https://fedoraproject.org/atomic-desktops/kinoite/download

KaOS

KaOS is a rolling, built-from-scratch operating system and with a focus on KDE and Qt software.

Web page: https://kaosx.us

Download: https://kaosx.us/pages/download/

KDE neon

KDE neon is the latest long-term support (LTS) version of the Ubuntu operating system plus continuously-updated versions of KDE software. KDE neon is available in three editions: User Edition (latest released versions of KDE software), Testing Edition (latest release of KDE software including Beta and Release Candidate), and Unstable Edition (continuous delivery of latest KDE source code from git).

Web page: https://neon.kde.org

Download: https://neon.kde.org/download

Manjaro KDE

Manjaro is an Arch-based rolling release operating system with a graphical installer that offers a KDE edition with Plasma 6.

Web page: https://manjaro.org/download/

Download: https://manjaro.org/download/

Nobara

Nobara is a Linux distribution developed by Thomas Crider (Glorious Eggroll), is based on Fedora Linux. The Nobara Project, to put it simply, is a modified version of Fedora Linux with user-friendly fixes added to it.

Web page: https://nobaraproject.org/

Download: https://nobaraproject.org/download-nobara/

openSUSE

openSUSE is an operating system offering Plasma 6 that comes with its rolling release distribution openSUSE Tumbleweed, which features in frequently updated software versions with best tested package in the openQA system. It doesn't only offer you smooth update to the latest software but acting like an expert as well.

Web page: https://www.opensuse.org/

Download: https://get.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/ (Tumbleweed)

Parch Linux

Parch Linux is an Arch-based Distribution with the goal of being simple and easy to use. Parch Linux provides a minimal Experience for users with a small selection of Pre-installed Applications.

Web page: https://parchlinux.com

Download: https://parchlinux.com/download

TUXEDO OS

Based on the KDE plasma desktop, TUXEDO OS creates a user experience that is also suitable for beginners, with a large and flexible feature set for Linux professionals. TUXEDO OS is a so-called "continuous release", being based on Ubuntu LTS with lots of perks and backports added. In addition, it brings the latest versions of KDE Plasma, Frameworks and Gear.

More on the differences to upstream Ubuntu: https://www.tuxedocomputers.com/en/Infos/Help-Support/Frequently-asked-questions/What-is-the-differences-between-TUXEDO-OS-and-Ubuntu/Kubuntu-_1.tuxedo

Web page: https://tuxe.do/os

Download: https://os.tuxe.do

These distributions ship Plasma 5 by default or offer it as an easy and formally-supported option during installation, and are recommended for most users.

Debian

Debian is the oldest continuously-produced free operating system with one of the largest communities of developers and users. It is used as the basis for many other distributions but can be used directly and offers Plasma 5 as an option.

Web page: http://www.debian.org

Download: http://www.debian.org/distrib/

Feren OS

Feren OS is an operating system based on Ubuntu's long-term support version featuring Plasma 5 and some KDE apps. It's a highly customised Plasma experience and makes use of KDE neon User Edition's packages to roll its Plasma version. It also rolls other frequently-used packages as well.

Web page: https://ferenos.weebly.com/

Download: https://ferenos.weebly.com/get-feren-os.html

Kubuntu

Kubuntu is an Ubuntu-based operating system featuring Plasma 5 and KDE apps. It is available in long-term support and more frequently-updated versions.

Web page: https://kubuntu.org

Download: https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu

LliureX

LliureX is a project of the Generalitat Valenciana whose objective is the introduction of the new technologies of information and communication based on free software in the education system in the Valencian Community. It's based on KDE Neon.

Web page: https://portal.edu.gva.es/lliurex/es/

Download: https://portal.edu.gva.es/lliurex/es/descargas/

Mageia

Mageia is an operating system that's a continuation of Mandriva and features Plasma 5.

Web page: http://www.mageia.org

Download: http://www.mageia.org/downloads/

MX Linux

MX Linux is a desktop distribution based on Debian's "Stable" branch, it's a mid-weight operating system designed to combine an elegant and efficient desktop with simple configuration, high stability, solid performance and medium-sized footprint. It uses Xfce as the default desktop, but it has a separate KDE Plasma edition available.

Web page: https://mxlinux.org/

Download: https://mxlinux.org/download-links/

Neptune

Neptune is an operating system based on Debian Stable, plus more recent versions of the Linux kernel, device drivers, and popular applications such as LibreOffice. It also features the latest version of Plasma 5.

Web page: http://neptuneos.com/

Download: http://neptuneos.com/en/download.html

Netrunner

Netrunner is an operating system featuring Plasma 5 that's based on tested snapshots of Debian Rolling.

Web page: http://www.netrunner.com

Download: http://www.netrunner.com/download/

Nitrux

Nitrux is a Debian-based operating system focusing on portable universal app formats. It uses NX Desktop / KDE Plasma 5.

Web page: https://nxos.org/

Download: https://nxos.org/

NixOS

NixOS is a Linux distribution with a unique approach to package and configuration management. Built on top of the Nix package manager, it is completely declarative, makes upgrading systems reliable, and has many other advantages. The graphical installation CD contains the NixOS installer as well as X11, Plasma 5 Desktop and several applications.

Web page: https://nixos.org/

Download: https://nixos.org/nixos/download.html

openmamba

openmamba is a an operating system built from sources which provides by default a complete and up-to-date Plasma 5 desktop.

Web page: https://openmamba.org

Download: https://openmamba.org/en/downloads/

OpenMandriva

OpenMadriva is an operating system based on Mandriva featuring Plasma 5. It incorporates many of Mandriva's original tools and utilities.

Web page: https://www.openmandriva.org/

Download: https://www.openmandriva.org/

openSUSE

openSUSE is an operating system offering Plasma 5 that comes in two editions: Tumbleweed, which is a rolling release featuring frequently updated software versions, and Leap, which has discrete releases and ships stable versions of software based on the current commercial SUSE Linux Enterprise product.

Web page: https://www.opensuse.org/

Download: https://get.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/ (Tumbleweed) https://get.opensuse.org/leap/ (Leap)

PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS is an operating system featuring Plasma 5 that uses apt rpm.

Web page: https://www.pclinuxos.com/

Download: https://www.pclinuxos.com/

Rosa

ROSA is is an operating system featuring a highly customized Plasma 5 desktop and a number of modifications designed to enhance the user-friendliness of the workspace.

Web page: https://www.rosalinux.ru/

Download: https://www.rosalinux.ru/

Slackware

The Slackware Linux Project aims at producing the most "UNIX-like" Linux distribution out there.An installable Slackware Live image with Plasma 5 comes with login account "live" (password "live"). Use su or sudo to become root (using the "live" password).

Web Page: http://www.slackware.com/

Download: http://www.slackware.com/

Solus

Solus is a modern operating system to power your daily needs. Install today, update forever. It is a rolling release distribution which offers Plasma 6 as one of its Desktop Environment versions available.

Web page: https://getsol.us/

Download: https://getsol.us/download/

Trisquel

Trisquel is a free GNU/Linux distribution recommended by the Free Software Foundation[1]. It is based on Ubuntu's long-term support version. The Triskel edition features Plasma 5 as its desktop environment.

Web page: https://trisquel.info/

Download: https://trisquel.info/en/download

TTOS Linux

TTOS Linux is an operating system based on Debian offering Plasma 5. It was originally designed as an OEM alternative OS to replace Windows but has since evolved to be a general-purpose Debian-based distribution containing access to TTPC software in its repositories.

Web page: https://www.ttoslinux.org/

Download: https://www.ttoslinux.org/download.html

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Web page: https://archlinux.org

Download: https://archlinux.org/download (see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/KDE for information on how to install Plasma)

Alpine Linux

A security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox

Web page: https://alpinelinux.org/

Download: https://www.alpinelinux.org/downloads/ (see https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/KDE for information on how to install Plasma)

CentOS Stream

CentOS Stream is a Linux distribution that tracks just ahead of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) development, positioned as a midstream between Fedora Linux and RHEL.

KDE Plasma 5 is provided for CentOS Stream 8 and 9 through the Fedora Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) project.

CentOS Stream website: https://centos.org/centos-stream/

EPEL website: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/epel/

To install for CentOS Stream 9:

# dnf config-manager --set-enabled crb# dnf install epel-release epel-next-release# dnf install @kde-desktop-environment

To install for CentOS Stream 8:

# dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools# dnf install epel-release epel-next-release# dnf install @kde-desktop-environment

FreeBSD

Main page: FreeBSD

You can get a modern KDE Plasma desktop by installing one of the following meta-ports depending on how much you want:

Install Plasma5 meta-port

# pkg install plasma5-plasma

Install Plasma5 and KDE Applications

# pkg install kde5

Alternatively you can point your desired ports builder at

x11/plasma5-plasma

or

x11/kde5

Gentoo

Gentoo is a free operating system based on Linux that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

Web page: https://gentoo.org/

Download: https://gentoo.org/downloads/ (see https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/KDE for information on how to install Plasma)

Knoppix

KNOPPIX is a bootable Live system on CD, DVD or USB flash drives, consisting of a representative collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

Web page: http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Download: http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html

Nutyx

NuTyX is a French GNU/Linux distribution created from Linux From Scratch and Beyond Linux From Scratch.

Web page: http://www.nutyx.org/

Download: http://downloads.nutyx.org/

Parrot Security OS

Parrot Security is an operating system that's based on the Debian and focused for security testing, software development and privacy defence, all in one place.

Web page: https://parrotlinux.org/

Download: https://www.parrotsec.org/download/

Outside of the above-mentiond distributions, you can download and install KDE apps using any of the following methods:

AppImage Packages

KDE apps with AppImages:

  • Krita is professional painting program.
  • Kdenlive is a Non-Linear Video Editor.
  • KDevelop is a cross-platform IDE for C, C++, Python, QML/JavaScript and PHP.
  • digiKam is a Professional Photo Management tool.

Flatpak Packages

You can find latest stable releases of most KDE apps on Flathub. Information about nightly builds and how to develop targeting Flatpak can be found at Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Flatpak.

Snap Packages

You can find latest stable releases of most KDE apps on The Snap Store.

Windows Packages

You can find a number of KDE apps on the Microsoft Store.

You can build lots of KDE applications for Windows 7, 8 and 10 using Craft. See Craft.

Distributions - KDE Community Wiki (2024)

FAQs

Which distributions use KDE? ›

These distributions ship Plasma 6 by default or offer it as an easy and formally-supported option during installation, and are recommended for most users.
  • EndeavourOS. ...
  • Fedora KDE. ...
  • Fedora Kinoite. ...
  • KaOS. ...
  • KDE neon. ...
  • Manjaro KDE. ...
  • Nobara. ...
  • openSUSE.
Jun 23, 2024

What are the 3 major families of Linux distributions? ›

There are three main “families” of Linux distributions: Debian, Red Hat, and SUSE. Most other Linux distributions use one of these three distributions as their foundation.

Is xfce better than KDE? ›

Xfce is faster than KDE and GNOME. It has a low CPU usage; therefore, it offers the best performance if you intend to run numerous applications simultaneously. After Xfce, the second place goes to KDE as a quicker desktop environment than GNOME.

Why does Linux have so many distributions? ›

The diversity of Linux distributions is due to technical, organizational, and philosophical variation among vendors and users. The permissive licensing of free software means that users with sufficient knowledge and interest can customize any existing distribution, or design one to suit their own needs.

What is the most stable distro with KDE? ›

Debian. openSUSE tumbleweed is amazing but there is a higher possibility of breakage than with debian (not that I ever experienced any when I used it). Most *stable* KDE is probably openSUSE Kalpa (formerly MicroOS) simply because it is immutable.

What is the best distro to try KDE Plasma 6? ›

KDE neon is derived from Ubuntu LTS releases but follows a rolling release model for KDE software, which means that you'll get access to the latest Plasma releases as soon as possible. Being maintained by a prominent KDE developer, KDE neon is the recommended distro for trying out the latest Plasma releases.

Which Linux distro has the largest community? ›

Debian and Ubuntu Server have the largest communities, RHEL provides the highest level of support, AlmaLinux is a free fork of RHEL, and Fedora is ideal for power users. Make sure to consider all of these factors when deciding which Linux distro is best for web hosting.

Is CentOS being discontinued? ›

CentOS Linux 7 reached end of life (EOL) on June 30, 2024. This article will cover what that means, how you can prepare, and how Red Hat can help ease your migration.

What is the most widely used Linux distribution? ›

1. Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution known for its user-friendly interface and extensive software library. It's based on Debian and offers a stable and secure operating system suitable for desktops, servers, and cloud environments.

Does KDE use a lot of RAM? ›

Have been dabbing with KDE Neon Plasma 6 and RAM usage has increased significantly from previous iteration. It uses at least 5Gs instead of previous 3.5 with CPU usage floating about 20-30 range.

What is better than KDE? ›

GNOME: Provides a more streamlined approach. Theme and extension support allows some personalization, but not to the same extent as KDE.

Is GNOME faster than KDE? ›

It's worth it to try KDE Plasma rather than GNOME. It's lighter and faster than GNOME by a fair margin, and it's far more customizable. GNOME is great for your OS X convert who isn't used to anything being customizable, but KDE is an utter delight for everyone else.

What is the most robust Linux distribution? ›

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Recognized for its robustness, security features, and comprehensive support services, RHEL is the preferred choice for businesses seeking a dependable operating system for their servers and workstations.

Why is Linux not used more widely? ›

Linux has been criticized for a number of reasons, including lack of user-friendliness and having a steep learning curve, being inadequate for desktop use, lacking support for some hardware, having a relatively small games library, and lacking native versions of widely used applications.

What is the Linux car analogy? ›

Imagine Linux as a car, and the kernel as its powerful engine. Our car zooms along thanks to this heart of the machine. But here's the catch: while the engine is essential, it's not the entire car.

Which OS uses KDE? ›

KDE stands for K Desktop Environment. It is a desktop environment for Linux based operation system.

What distro is KDE neon based on? ›

KDE neon is a Linux distribution developed by KDE based on Ubuntu long-term support (LTS) releases, bundled with a set of additional software repositories containing the latest versions of the Plasma 6 desktop environment/framework, Qt 6 toolkit and other compatible KDE software.

What distributions use SELinux? ›

Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) is a security architecture created by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and Red Hat. This security module is available for most Linux distributions but is mainly used on RHEL and Fedora. SELinux enforces Mandatory Access Control (MAC) policies.

What distribution is Arch Linux based on? ›

Arch Linux is an independently developed, x86-64 general-purpose GNU/Linux distribution that strives to provide the latest stable versions of most software by following a rolling-release model.

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