KaOS

Overview

KaOS is a free, open-source, independent Linux distribution focused on the KDE Plasma desktop environment and the Qt toolkit. It uses a rolling release model and is not based on any other distribution (such as Ubuntu or Arch). Instead, it is built from the ground up to provide the latest and most optimized KDE experience. Maintained by a community team led by Fabio Castelli and Anke Boersma, KaOS is designed for desktop users. It ships with the KDE Plasma desktop by default, along with pre-installed KDE/Qt applications such as LibreOffice, Firefox, the Dolphin file manager, and the Konsole terminal. It supports the x86_64 architecture. It emphasizes simplicity, efficiency, and elegance, making it suitable for KDE enthusiasts, developers, and everyday users alike. It provides the Calamares graphical installer and the pacman package manager. The latest version is KaOS 2024.09 (released in September 2024), featuring KDE Plasma 6.1.5, Linux kernel 6.10.10, Mesa 24.2.2, and Wayland support.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • March 2013: KaOS was first released. Created by Anke Boersma, Fabio Castelli, and their team, the goal was to create an independent distribution focused on KDE/Qt, avoiding the clutter of package dependencies found on other distributions.
  • KaOS was inspired by Arch Linux's rolling release model, but is built completely independently, using the pacman and mkpkg tools.
• Development History:
  • 2014: Early releases optimized KDE Plasma 4, supported rolling updates, and the community began to grow.
  • 2015: KaOS 2015.10 was released, introducing KDE Plasma 5, emphasizing productivity and aesthetics. - 2019: KaOS 2019.10 optimizes KDE Plasma 5.17 and improves the Calamares installer, with the X post calling it "the best choice for KDE lovers."
  • 2022: KaOS 2022.06 switches to KDE Plasma 5.25, introducing Wayland support and arm64 testing.
  • 2024: KaOS 2024.09 ships with KDE Plasma 6.1.5, kernel 6.10.10, Mesa 24.2.2, support for RISC-V betas, and faster rolling updates.
  • Future Plans: KaOS plans to expand arm64 and RISC-V support, optimize KDE Plasma 6.2, and explore AI integration.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by the KaOS team, hosted at kaosx.us, GitHub, and the forum (forum.kaosx.us).
  • Supports English and multiple languages (Chinese is available through the KDE system settings).
  • A Reddit user called KaOS "a pure haven for KDE, with stable rolling updates."
• Open Source Licenses:
  • GPL v2 (core components), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

KaOS is built around KDE/Qt integration, rolling updates, and aesthetics, making it suitable for desktop users and developers. Here are its key features:

1. Dedicated KDE/Qt Ecosystem
   • KDE Plasma 6.1.5 is used by default, with pre-installed KDE/Qt applications (such as Dolphin, Konsole, Kate, and Krita). - KWin window manager supports Wayland and X11, optimized for multi-monitor use.
2. Rolling Update Model
   • Rolling updates ensure the latest KDE/Qt software, based on pacman and mkpkg.
3. Calamares Installer
   • A graphical installer with support for UEFI and BIOS, encrypted partitions, and LVM.
4. Performance Optimization
   • Kernel 6.10.10, Mesa 24.2.2, support for NVIDIA/AMD/Intel graphics cards, Wayland, and X11.
   • Minimum requirements: 4GB RAM, 20GB disk (8GB RAM, 50GB disk recommended).
5. Security and Privacy
   • Support for firewalld and ufw, with secure default configurations.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• KDE/Qt Integration:
  • Highly optimized KDE Plasma, superior to mixed environments of other distributions.
  • X's post claims, "KaOS is a KDE lover's paradise."
• Rolling Updates:
  • Latest KDE/Qt software.
• Independently built:
  • No dependencies on other distributions, providing a clean experience.
• Aesthetics and Performance:
  • KDE Plasma 6 is smooth and aesthetically pleasing.
• Community Support:
  • Active community, forums, and GitHub for help.

Limitations

• x86_64-only:
  • Only supports 64-bit x86_64, no ARM or 32-bit.
• Rolling Update Risks:
  • Potentially unstable, requiring regular backups.
• Community Size:
  • Smaller than Ubuntu, documentation primarily in English.
• KDE-only:
  • Focused on KDE/Qt; GNOME or Xfce users will need to install manually.

Summary

KaOS is a free, open-source, independent Linux distribution focused on KDE Plasma 6.1.5 and the Qt ecosystem. It uses a rolling release model and supports the x86_64 architecture. It ships with KDE Plasma by default, along with the pacman package manager and the Calamares installer. The latest release, 2024.09 (September 2024), features kernel 6.10.10 and Mesa 24.2.2, making it ideal for KDE enthusiasts and developers. KaOS features outstanding KDE/Qt integration and rolling releases, but is limited to x86_64 and has a small community.