The Lubuntu team has unveiled a glimpse into their upcoming Lubuntu 24.04 LTS release, currently under development. This upcoming release promises some exciting features and improvements, including a new minimal install option, Wayland support, and a revamped installer.
Calamares installer & minimal install
One of the major changes in Lubuntu 24.04 is the continued use of the Calamares installer, instead of the new Flutter-based installer being introduced in Ubuntu. The Lubuntu team found Calamares to be significantly faster and lighter, making it a better choice for their users.
Additionally, Calamares will now offer a minimal install option, allowing users to choose a Lubuntu installation without any pre-installed snap packages. This is ideal for users who prefer a lightweight and customizable experience.
The minimal install only takes 4 GB of disk space, and its lightning fast. It only uses 419 MB of RAM at idle. There are no Snap or Flatpak installed. The default application list is minimal and only includes basic LXQt desktop components. This is perfect for those who want a basic Ubuntu without any bloat.
However, this minimal install does not come with any web browser. So, try not to install Firefox using the apt command, which will install snap. Instead, you can install Firefox Flatpak or any other lightweight web browser.
Live Session and Wayland Support
The Calamares installer will also gain a new live session feature. This allows users to try out Lubuntu before installing it, ensuring it meets their needs. Furthermore, Lubuntu 24.04 will introduce an optional Wayland-based session, providing users with a smoother and more modern display experience. Wayland will become the default session in Lubuntu 24.10.
Other Key Updates:
- Migration to Qt 6 and Wayland: The LXQt user environment in Lubuntu will be migrated to Qt 6, improving performance and enabling smoother integration with Wayland.
- Optional X11 Support: While Wayland will be the primary focus, Lubuntu will continue to offer an optional X11-based session until at least the 26.04 release.
- Improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Management: Connecting to Wi-Fi networks and managing Bluetooth devices will be significantly easier with new graphical interfaces.
- SDDM Configuration Editor: Users can easily customize their login screen appearance and settings with the new SDDM Configuration Editor.
- RedShift Integration: A blue light filter will be integrated into the system, making it more comfortable to use Lubuntu at night.
- New Themes: Several new themes will be available as defaults, including a Windows 11-inspired theme and the somber-at-rond theme.
Overall, Lubuntu 24.04 LTS promises to be a significant release, offering users a faster, lighter, and more customizable experience. For now, these are the updates. As the development progresses towards stability, we will have a dedicated feature guide for this version.
If you want to give it a try, download the daily build images from the below link.
Via Lubuntu blog
Recent articles from DebugPoint.com
- Xfce 4.20: Best New Featureson January 4, 2025
- Cinnamon 6.4 Brings Visual Overhaul: Key Featureson December 9, 2024
- elementary OS 8: 10 Best New Featureson December 2, 2024
- Creating Your Own Home Lab: Essential Setup Tips for Tech Enthusiastson November 26, 2024
- Upgrade to Fedora 41 from Fedora 40 Workstation (GUI and CLI)on November 4, 2024