KDE Plasma 5

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KDE Plasma 5

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KDE Plasma 5
Plasma 5 desktop in light (front) and dark (rear) appearance
Basic data

developer KDE
Publishing year 15th July 2014
Current  version 5.19.0
(June 9, 2020)
operating system FreeBSD , Linux , Solaris
programming language C ++ ( Qt )
category Program collection
License GPL and LGPL
German speaking Yes
kde.org/plasma-desktop

KDE Plasma 5 is the fifth generation of the desktop environment developed by KDE primarily for Linux systems . It was first published in July 2014 and is the successor to KDE Plasma Workspaces 4. According to a survey by LinuxQuestions.org, KDE Plasma is the most widespread desktop environment on the Linux desktop even before Xfce (as of 2017).

KDE Plasma 5 is developed on the basis of the KDE Frameworks 5 , a programming framework whose main goal is to make the software structure more modular. This is intended to promote the support of those components that also run on macOS and Windows on these platforms.

Plasma 5 was equipped with the new theme Breeze ( German Brise ). The cross-device convergence has also been expanded. The graphical user interface has been completely redesigned in QML , which uses OpenGL for hardware acceleration, which is intended to increase performance and save energy.

overview

First Plasma 5 technology preview

Software architecture and further development

KDE Plasma 5 is programmed using Qt 5 and KDE Frameworks 5 . Plasma 5 brings expanded support for HiDPI displays. Plasma 5 has a new, standard installed graphical “theme” called “Breeze”. The technical changes also include a new hardware-accelerated graphics stack that uses an OpenGL ( ES ) -based scene graph (canvas).

Converged Workspace Shell

The desktop environment contains a combined graphical shell that can automatically switch back and forth between environments for different target devices. This represents one of the essential changes for normal users when switching from Plasma 4 to Plasma 5: While the fourth generation still provided for a fixed type of workplace environment for each device type (e.g. a netbook ) (for example the "workspace" optimized for netbooks) , the fifth generation contains a "Converged Workspace Shell".

This "summarized" shell is a single, flexible surface that can handle different types of devices and to do so, it instantly and automatically switches between different views. The surface of a tablet computer can, for example, be transformed into a desktop that is otherwise familiar from a PC as soon as a keyboard and mouse are connected.

These changes were gradually integrated into the Wayland display architecture of Plasma 5 (see below: "Implementing Wayland"). In version 5.7, released in July 2016, the automatic detection of a connected hardware keyboard was implemented: the virtual screen keyboard is automatically deactivated when a hardware keyboard is connected and automatically activated again when the hardware is removed. The user could also intervene manually. The functions "tablet mode" and "automatically activated virtual on-screen keyboard" (Qt Virtual Keyboard) were only available when using the Wayland display architecture (which was not standard in the 2010s) - not during normal operation with X11 .

Window systems

KDE Plasma 5 can theoretically use the back ends of a number of window systems, for example X11 or Wayland for Linux or BSD, Quartz for macOS or GDI for Windows.

Hardware accelerated scene graph

Plasma 5 completes the migration to QtQuick started in KDE Plasma 4 . QtQuick 2, included with Qt 5, uses a hardware accelerated OpenGL (ES) scene graph to stitch and render images on the screen. As a result, complex rendering work in terms of computing power can be relocated to the graphics processor , which frees up resources for the main processor of the system. This technology is also faster and more energy efficient.

Implementation of Wayland

From version 5.4, which was released in August 2015, KDE Plasma 5 offers support for image output using the Wayland display architecture; However, this support was still incomplete in version 5.4 ("Technology Preview"), as some functions were missing. Version 5.5 from December 2015 offered the first time to start a technically simple and stable Wayland session. In version 5.6 from March 2016, according to the project, “significant progress” has been made in the Wayland meeting area. However, productive use has not yet been recommended.

From version 5.7 from July 2016, simple steps in a Wayland session were "fully functional" according to the developers; More complex work steps, on the other hand, did not work quite as well as under X11 because they were not yet fully implemented.

Since October 2016 and version 5.8 LTS, the Wayland implementation was ready, according to developer Martin Gräßlin, to be publicly tested and refined in terms of general usability (“we are in a state to start the public beta”). With the further developments in version 5.9 from January 2017, Wayland was so far advanced that experienced users and testers ("enthusiastic followers") could work with Wayland sessions. Among other things, a configuration tool for touchpads was added in 5.9.

As of version 5.12 LTS from February 2018, the plasma desktop was fully functional under Wayland; X11 was no longer required for plasma. The plasma developers also gave Wayland a user guarantee that errors under Wayland would be continuously corrected during the support process for version 5.12 LTS.

According to developer Jan Grulich, Wayland should work just as well in KDE Plasma during 2019 as the older X11 technology. In version 5.14 from October 2018 there were still problems with remote desktop functions. In June 2019 (version 5.16), for example, there was a serious problem ("Showstopper") with Nvidia graphics cards according to the KDE Community Wiki. Remote maintenance through access to the personal computer via the Internet (remote support), for example through TeamViewer , only partially worked in version 5.16.

The function of the automatic screen rotation for tablet computers (with acceleration sensor) was functionally integrated in version 5.18 in February 2020 (only with Wayland). The cursor has been made functional for dragging and dropping in version 5.19.

Nevertheless, Wayland was not suitable for productive use until mid-2020 due to further existing serious errors, and the X11 architecture remained the standard architecture of KDE Plasma. In comments from users on the Internet, this development was criticized as very slow in January 2020.

Development and release cycle

Since the KDE Software Compilation was divided into the three components KDE Plasma, KDE Frameworks and KDE Applications , each of these sub-projects can advance their development work at their own pace. The "KDE Plasma 5" project has its own release cycle, with a main version (feature release) appearing every three months and bug fixes appearing in the intervening time. According to the current plans (as of July 2019), further versions of KDE Plasma 5 should appear continuously until at least January 2021.

  • Version 5.1: October 2014
  • Version 5.2: January 2015
  • Version 5.3: April 2015
  • Version 5.4: August 2015
  • Version 5.5: December 2015
  • Version 5.6: March 22, 2016
  • Version 5.7: July 5, 2016
  • Version 5.8 LTS: October 4th, 2016; bears the addition "LTS" for "Long Term Support" (long-term support). According to the developers, the desktop environment with version 5.8 is so stable that it can be recommended for all users.
  • Version 5.9: January 31, 2017
  • Version 5.10: May 30, 2017
  • Version 5.11: October 5, 2017
  • Version 5.12 LTS: February 6, 2018
  • Version 5.13: June 12, 2018.
  • Version 5.14: October 9, 2018.
  • Version 5.15: February 12, 2019.
  • Version 5.16: June 11, 2019.
  • Version 5.17: October 15, 2019.
  • Version 5.18 LTS: February 11, 2020.
  • Version 5.19: June 9, 2020.
  • The next version 5.20 is to appear on October 13, 2020.

Use in practice

Personal computers and tablet computers

KaOS has been using Plasma 5 since February 24, 2015. Version 15.04 of Kubuntu , which was released in April 2015, then used Plasma 5 as the second distribution as the standard workstation environment. The Fedora KDE spin using version 22, which was published in May 2015 by default plasma 5. Linux Mint sat plasma 5 since September 2016 and the main output 18 "Sarah" (KDE version) by default, replacing KDE Plasma fourth Debian has also officially deployed Plasma 5 since Debian 9 (“Stretch”) was released on June 17, 2017.

Cellphone

In July 2015, an early developer version of the smartphone-optimized version of KDE Plasma 5 was presented. The work surface called “Plasma Mobile” already worked with restrictions on the smartphone at the time, “ Nexus 5 ”. For the summer of 2016, the developers announced a usable version of the workspace. In the future, Android apps should also be supported insofar as this is permitted under license law and technically possible. Together with other components and apps, the goal was to develop a complete KDE mobile phone system called “Plasma Phone”.

Web links

Commons : Screenshots of KDE Plasma 5  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Licensing information for KDE packages ( Memento from February 9, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ New Plasma brings a cleaner interface on top of a new graphics stack. kde.org, July 15, 2014, accessed May 16, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols: The most popular Linux desktop programs are ... | ZDNet . In: ZDNet . ( zdnet.com [accessed April 29, 2018]).
  4. ↑ Howard Chan: Frameworks 5. kde.org, September 25, 2013, accessed on May 16, 2015 (English).
  5. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.0 Released. KDE, July 15, 2014, accessed August 19, 2014 .
  6. ↑ Joey Sneddon: KDE Plasma 5 Arrives with Fresh New Look, True Convergence. OMG! Ubuntu !, July 15, 2014, accessed February 11, 2015 .
  7. ↑ Jos Poortvliet: Qt 5.2 - Foundation for KDE Frameworks 5. Dot.kde.org, December 17, 2013, accessed on March 10, 2014 (English).
  8. ↑ Liane M. Dubowy: Plasma 5: The KDE desktop in new splendor. heise.de, July 15, 2014, accessed on May 16, 2015 .
  9. ↑ a b KDE - KDE Plasma 5.7 Release. In: www.kde.org. Retrieved July 11, 2016 .
  10. ↑ Qt Virtual Keyboard 5.14.2. Retrieved May 9, 2020 .
  11. ↑ Qt5-Virtual Keyboard - Virtual keyboard for the touchscreen under KDE / Linux | | Linux Bible Austria. Retrieved on May 9, 2020 (German).
  12. ↑ r / kde - Virtual Keyboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020 (American English).
  13. ↑ Martin Flöser: Virtual keyboard support in KWin / Wayland 5.7. In: Martin's blog. May 25, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2019 (American English).
  14. ↑ Thorsten Leemhuis: KDE Plasma 5.4 presented with Wayland support. heise.de, August 26, 2015, accessed on January 10, 2016 .
  15. ↑ a b Jonathan Riddell: Plasma 5.5 With Beautiful New Artwork. kde.org, December 8, 2015, accessed January 10, 2016 .
  16. ↑ Sebastian Grüner: KDE: Plasma 5.6 is becoming more colorful and interactive. In: www.golem.de. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016 .
  17. ↑ https://www.kde.org/announcements/plasma-5.7.0.php
  18. ↑ Martin Graesslin: Wayland improvements since Plasma 5.8 release. In: Martin's blog. October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016 .
  19. ↑ KDE - Plasma 5.9 Kicks off 2017 in Style. In: kde.org. January 31, 2017, accessed February 1, 2017 .
  20. ↑ Sebastian Grüner: Unix desktop: KDE Plasma 5.12 starts faster and brings LTS. In: www.golem.de. February 7, 2018, accessed February 12, 2018 .
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  28. ↑ Schedules / Plasma 5 - KDE Community Wiki. Retrieved July 23, 2019 .
  29. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.6.3, bugfix release for April. kde.org, April 19, 2016, accessed April 19, 2016 .
  30. ↑ KDE - KDE at 20: Plasma 5.8 LTS. Here for the Long Term. In: www.kde.org. Retrieved October 10, 2016 .
  31. ↑ KDE - Plasma 5.9 Kicks off 2017 in Style. Retrieved February 1, 2017 .
  32. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.10, Simple by Default, Powerful when Needed - KDE.org. Retrieved June 4, 2017 .
  33. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.12.0 LTS, Speed. Stability. Simplicity. - KDE.org. Retrieved February 12, 2018 .
  34. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.14: Reliable, Light and Innovative. - KDE.org. Retrieved October 14, 2018 .
  35. ↑ Release AnnouncementsPlasma 5.15.0. Retrieved February 12, 2019 .
  36. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.16: Now Smoother and More Fun - KDE.org. Retrieved June 11, 2019 .
  37. ↑ KDE Plasma 5.17. Retrieved October 15, 2019 .
  38. ↑ Plasma 5.18.0 LTS. Retrieved June 10, 2020 .
  39. ↑ Plasma 5.19. Retrieved June 10, 2020 .
  40. ↑ Schedules / Plasma 5 - KDE Community Wiki. Retrieved June 10, 2020 .
  41. ↑ KaOS ISO 2015.2. kaosx.us, February 25, 2015, accessed December 31, 2018 .
  42. ↑ Kubuntu April 15. kubuntu.org, April 22, 2015, accessed May 25, 2015 .
  43. ↑ F22 release announcement. fedoraproject.org, accessed June 18, 2015 .
  44. ↑ Linux Mint 18 "Sarah" KDE released! Retrieved September 12, 2016 (American English).
  45. ↑ What is KDE? debian.org, accessed January 21, 2018 .
  46. ↑ Oliver Diedrich: Plasma Mobile brings KDE 5 to smartphones. heise.de, July 26, 2015, accessed on January 10, 2016 .
  47. ↑ Plasma, in your pocket. KDE eV, accessed on January 21, 2018 (English).
  48. ^ Sebastian Kügler: Plasma Mobile, a Free Mobile Platform. kde.org, July 25, 2015, accessed January 30, 2016 .
  49. ↑ Plasma Phone is a complete software stack for mobile devices that consists of the following technologies. KDE eV, accessed on January 21, 2018 (English).