Distros with KDE Plasma support
Distro Walk – KDE Plasma Distros

© Lead Image © Viktor Gmyria. 123RF.com
KDE Plasma's philosophy of customization has led to some unusual variations that promise a desktop to meet everyone's taste.
KDE and its Plasma desktop are a paradox among Linux distributions. While they regularly poll as the most popular desktop environment, preferred by just under a third of users, a majority of desktop environments use Gnome technology. Consequently, for many users, KDE and its Plasma desktop are largely unknown. Upon encountering KDE Plasma for the first time, I've heard many Gnome users say: "It's like an entirely different operating system."
Founded in 1996 by Matthias Ettrich, KDE was among the first fully-loaded desktops for Linux. Before that, Linux's graphical interfaces were limited to window managers. The name originally stood for "Kool Desktop Environment," but it quickly became just the K Desktop Environment. Several years ago, the KDE project reorganized into a group of sub-projects. The name KDE now applies to the overall project, and the desktop environment is called KDE Plasma. (Other KDE sub-projects include KDE Frameworks and KDE Applications.)
Despite being a response to Motif's proprietary Common Desktop Environment (CDE), KDE quickly ran into problems, because of the Qt library's proprietary license used to build KDE. In fact, this issue led to the creation of Gnome to give Linux a truly free desktop. However, the licensing issues were eventually settled. For years, KDE vied with Gnome for the honor of the most popular Linux desktop. That era ended in 2008, when KDE 4 introduced radical changes that upset the user base, and Gnome 3 experienced similar problems a couple of years later.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.