Deepin

Overview

Deepin (Chinese: 深度操作系统, pinyin: Shēndù Cāozuò-xìtǒng) is a free, open-source Linux distribution that focuses on a beautiful, user-friendly, and modern desktop experience. It is based on the Debian stable branch and uses the self-developed Deepin Desktop Environment (DDE) (based on the Qt framework). It was developed by Deepin Technology (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tongxin Software) in Wuhan, China. It was originally named Hiweed Linux, renamed Deepin in 2008, and based on Debian (previously based on Ubuntu) since 2014. Deepin provides an intuitive interface, rich pre-installed applications (such as Deepin File Manager, Deepin Music) and Deepin App Store (about 40,000 applications), supports 33 languages, has more than 3 million users worldwide, and has accumulated more than 80 million downloads. Deepin 25 (released in 2024) introduces AI features (such as UOS AI 2.8 chatbot) and RISC-V support, targeting desktop users, developers and emerging architectures.

History and Development

• Origin:
  • 2004: Started with Hiweed Linux, based on Debian, with the goal of providing a friendly Linux experience for Chinese users.
  • 2008: Renamed to Deepin, switched to Ubuntu and GNOME foundation.
  • 2011: Founded Deepin Technology, obtained commercial investment, and promoted professional development.
  • 2014: Switched to the Debian stable branch, released Deepin 2014, and introduced self-developed DDE (based on Qt).
  • 2015: Joined the Linux Foundation to expand international influence.
• Development history:
  • 2016-2019:
    • Deepin 15 (2015) optimized DDE and was hailed as the "most beautiful desktop environment" (TechRepublic).
    • In 2018, Deepin was accused of being "spyware" because the App Store used the CNZZ statistics tool. Deepin clarified that it only collected anonymous data (such as screen size, browser information) and removed CNZZ on July 20, 2018.
    • In 2019, Huawei began to pre-install Deepin on laptops.
  • 2020-2023:
    • Deepin 20.2 (2021) upgraded the kernel to 5.10 (LTS) and 5.11 (stable), based on Debian 10.8.
    • Deepin 20.8 (2022) optimized the UI and app store.
    • In 2022, the linglong package manager was introduced to support cross-distribution applications.
    • X's post said "The desktop of Deepin 20.5 is stunningly beautiful".
  • 2024-2025:
    • Deepin 23 (August 15, 2024): Release of a new music player, AI integration (UOS AI 2.8, including text processing and chatbots), and support for RISC-V.
    • Deepin 25 (2024): Theme "All Advancing, All Renewed", optimization of 1000+ items, support for Wayland, RISC-V, and joining the "Prosperity 2036" plan (promoting the RISC-V ecosystem).
    • X's post said "Deepin 25's AI features and RISC-V support make it a pioneer in future desktop systems."
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by Deepin Technology and the community, hosted on deepin.org, GitHub and forums (forum.deepin.org).
  • Supports WeChat, Telegram and X.
  • More than 3 million users and more than 80 million downloads in 2022.
• Open Source License:
  • The core code is GPL v3, and some components are MIT.

Main Features

Deepin is known for its beautiful, intuitive and modern appearance, suitable for desktop development and multimedia tasks. Here are its main features:

Deepin Desktop Environment (DDE)

1. Features:
   • Qt-based DDE provides an elegant, modern interface, including Deepin File Manager (similar to Nautilus and Windows File Manager), Deepin Calendar (supports year/month/week/day views), Deepin Terminal, etc.
   • Supports Wayland (Deepin 25) and multiple desktop environment switching.
2. Deepin App Store and linglong
   • Provides about 40,000 applications.
   • Linglong package manager (introduced in 2022) supports cross-distro applications.
3. AI integration (Deepin 25)
   • UOS AI 2.8 (2025) provides text processing AI agents, customized chatbots, and "Grand Search" (AI search).
4. Pre-installed applications
   • Including Deepin Music, Deepin Movie, Deepin Screen Capture, Deepin Installer.
5. RISC-V and embedded support
   • Deepin 25 supports RISC-V architecture and joins the "Prosperity 2036" plan.

Advantages and limitations

Advantages

• Beautiful interface:
  • DDE is known as the "most beautiful Linux desktop environment" (TechRepublic, FOSS Linux).
  • X post said "Deepin 25's desktop design is amazing."
• User-friendly:
  • Intuitive interface and Chinese support.
• AI features:
  • UOS AI 2.8 enhances data analysis and document processing.
• Rich ecology:
  • Deepin App Store and linglong provide extensive application support.
• Cross-platform support:
  • DDE can be installed on Fedora, openSUSE, Arch Linux.

Limitations

• Security controversy:
  • In 2018, the CNZZ statistics tool caused a "spyware" controversy, and Umeng+ still collects anonymous data in 2025.
• Resource usage:
  • Early GTK/HTML versions have higher usage, and the Qt version (after Deepin 15.7) is optimized but still requires 2GB+ RAM.
  • Solution: Run on high-end hardware (such as 8GB RAM).
• DDE removal:
  • On May 7, 2025, openSUSE removed DDE due to packaging violations.
  • Solution: Use Deepin or UbuntuDDE.
• Limited customization:
  • DDE has fewer customization options than KDE or GNOME.
  • Solution: Accept the default beautiful design.

Summary

Deepin is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Debian. It is known for its beautiful DDE, user-friendly interface and rich application ecosystem. It supports AI (UOS AI 2.8) and RISC-V (Deepin 25). It provides Deepin App Store, Linglong package manager and pre-installed applications. It has more than 3 million users worldwide and complete Chinese support. Deepin is suitable for beautiful desktops and development scenarios.