KDE Plasma 6 Alpha "megarelease" is Out for Testing

The KDE team proudly presents the alpha release of KDE Plasma 6, KDE Frameworks 6 libraries, and KDE Gear + applications. This groundbreaking release is being heralded as a “megarelease” by the team, and it marks a significant step in the evolution of the KDE ecosystem.

As we all look forward to the stable versions of KDE Plasma 6.0, KDE Gear 24.02, and KDE Frameworks 6.0, today’s alpha release serves as a vital milestone. It signifies the point at which development transitions from feature enhancement to stabilization and bug fixing.

Upcoming milestones include a Beta 1 release by November end and another Beta 2 before Christmas. This should followed by two release candidates on January 2024. If all goes well, the final KDE Plasma 6, alongside applications and framework, will debut on February 28, 2024.

What’s New in Plasma 6?

KDE Plasma 6 is the highly anticipated new iteration of the Plasma desktop environment. This version incorporates the latest Qt release, Qt 6, which serves as the foundational framework for the Plasma desktop. With Plasma 6, you can expect a plethora of new features, enhanced support for cutting-edge hardware, and a foundation that accommodates forthcoming hardware and software technologies.

While a comprehensive list of features will be detailed in a dedicated highlights article soon, it’s worth mentioning that Plasma 6 introduces several exciting new technologies, thanks to Qt and various evolving tools. This means an even better desktop experience for you, the user.

KDE Plasma 6 Alpha running in Neon Unstable

Here’s a sneak peek at the new features:

Basic opt-in HDR support
More types of default apps can be chosen
Islamic calendar support
Conversion between time zones in KRunner
Power profiles OSD
Support for sound themes
New “Ocean” default sound theme
The Autostart KCM now provides detailed technical information about why entries failed to start
Optional automatic background crash reporting
Custom sort ordering for KRunner search results
Overview and Desktop Grid effect combined into one with better gestures
Colorblindness correction filters
Display mirroring/reflection on Wayland

Ready to Test?

If you can’t wait to get your hands on KDE Plasma 6 and explore its new capabilities, you can dive right in by using the KDE Neon unstable edition & other mediums (link below). However, it’s essential to keep in mind that this is an alpha release, which means it’s not intended for production systems or daily use. Expect to encounter bugs and potential instabilities along the way.

Should you come across any issues, the KDE team encourages you to report them on the official bug tracking system at https://bugs.kde.org/. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the future of KDE Plasma 6.

If you are feeling adventurous and ready to explore, use any of the ISO files below and give a hand in testing this mega release.