KDE Plasma

Plasma
Developer(s)KDE
Initial release11 January 2008; 16 years ago (2008-01-11)[1]
Stable release
6.2.3[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 5 November 2024
Preview release
n/a
Repository
Written inC++, QML
Operating systemUnix-like
PredecessorKDesktop
TypeShell
LicenseGPL 2.0 or later[3]
Websitekde.org/plasma-desktop

Plasma is a set of graphical shells developed by KDE for Unix-like operating systems. With the KDE brand repositioning in 2009, Plasma 4.4 succeeded KDE 4.3. Currently, it has four workspace variants: one for desktop PCs and laptops (Plasma Desktop)[a],[4][5][6] one for TVs (Plasma Bigscreen),[7] one for smartphones (Plasma Mobile),[8] and another for embedded and touch-enabled devices (Plasma Nano).[9] Plasma Desktop, in its default configuration, resembles KDesktop from K Desktop Environment 3 and Microsoft Windows XP; however, extensive configurability allows radical departures from the default layout.[4]

Its technology is a fundamental rewrite of several desktop interaction programs included in previous KDE desktop environments for Unix-like systems, focusing on eye candy and special graphical effects. Plasma replaces the previous KDesktop shell, Kicker taskbar and SuperKaramba widget engine used in the K Desktop Environment 3 series with a unified system of widgets that can be configured and replaced with alternative designs.

Since the split of the KDE Software Compilation into KDE Plasma Workspaces, KDE Frameworks and KDE Applications, each subproject can develop at its own pace.[10] Plasma 5 is on its own release schedule, with feature releases every four months, and bugfix releases in the intervening months.

  1. ^ "4.0 Released". KDE. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  2. ^ "KDE Plasma 6.2.3, Bugfix Release for November". 5 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  3. ^ "COPYING of Plasma Workspace". KDE Invent. Archived from the original on 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  4. ^ a b "Plasma Desktop". Retrieved 2010-11-21.
  5. ^ "Plasma Desktop's repository". GitLab. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  6. ^ "Plasma Workspace's repository". GitLab. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Bhartiya, Swapnil (July 25, 2015). "KDE Community announces fully open source Plasma Mobile". ITWorld. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Release schedule for Plasma 5". KDE. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2016-03-31.


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