KDE Plasma desktop environment

 

There are many desktop environments available in Linux. KDE Plasma is widely considered one of the best Linux desktop environments. It is praised for speed, customization, and modern features, though some users note occasional bugs and complexity.

KDE Plasma: Pros and Cons

Aspect	Strengths	Weaknesses
Performance	Lightweight, fast, efficient resource usage	Wayland support still evolving; occasional glitches
Customization	Highly configurable: themes, widgets, layouts	Can overwhelm beginners with too many options
Features	Advanced tools like HDR wizard, per-desktop tiling, adaptive dark mode	Frequent updates sometimes introduce instability
User Experience	Polished, modern, attractive interface	Some reviewers note regressions compared to earlier versions
Community & Support	Large, active KDE community; strong documentation	Fragmentation across distros can affect consistency

To have a taste of KDE Plasma, you may install the following distros whch have the pre-installed KDE Plasama:

• KDE Neon (the official KDE distro)

• Kubuntu (Ubuntu + KDE):

• openSUSE Leap/Tumbleweed desktop.

• Fedora KDE Spin

Also You can add KDE Plasma to your Existing Linux System using the following steps. For example

installing KDE Plasma on Ubuntu

1. Update your system

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

2. Install KDE Plasma

• Minimal desktop (lighter, fewer apps):

  • sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop

• Full Kubuntu desktop (all KDE apps):

  • sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

3. Choose Display Manager

During installation, you’ll be asked to pick a display manager.

• Select SDDM (Simple Desktop Display Manager) for the best KDE experience.

• If you already use GDM (GNOME’s manager), you can keep it, but SDDM integrates better with Plasma.

4. Reboot

sudo reboot

5. Log into KDE Plasma

At the login screen, choose KDE Plasma from the session menu, enter your password, and you’re in!

Installing KDE Plasma on Fedora

1. Update system

   1. sudo dnf update

2. Install KDE Plasma desktop group

   1. sudo dnf install @kde-desktop

3. Reboot

   1. sudo reboot

4. At login, select Plasma (Wayland) or Plasma (X11) depending on your preference.

Installing KDE Plasma on Arch Linux

1. Update system

   1. sudo pacman -Syu

2. Install Plasma and KDE apps

   1. sudo pacman -S plasma kde-applications

3. Enable SDDM (display manager)

   1. sudo systemctl enable sddm

      sudo systemctl start sddm

4. Reboot or log out, and log into KDE Plasma.

sudo pacman -S plasma kde-applications VS sudo pacman -S plasma

Comparison

Command	What It Installs	Use Case
sudo pacman -S plasma	Installs the core Plasma desktop environment only. This gives you the desktop shell, window manager, and essential components to run KDE Plasma.	Best if you want a minimal setup and prefer to choose your own apps (file manager, terminal, etc.).
sudo pacman -S plasma kde-applications	Installs Plasma plus the full suite of KDE applications (like Dolphin file manager, Konsole terminal, Gwenview image viewer, Okular PDF reader, KMail, etc.).	Best if you want the complete KDE experience with all the official apps integrated.

Which Should You Choose?

• Minimalists / Advanced users → sudo pacman -S plasma

  • You’ll get a clean desktop and can install only the apps you want.

• New users / KDE fans → sudo pacman -S plasma kde-applications

  • You’ll have a ready-to-use desktop with all the KDE apps preinstalled.

Notes

• Both commands require you to also enable a display manager (usually sddm) to log in:

  sudo systemctl enable sddm

  sudo systemctl start sddm

• The kde-applications group is quite large, so expect a longer install and more disk space usage.

• You can always start minimal and add apps later with:

  sudo pacman -S dolphin konsole okular

the most useful KDE apps that come with the kde-applications group on Arch Linux. This way you can decide if the full install is worth it or if you’d rather go minimal and add apps selectively.

📂 Core KDE Applications

• Dolphin → File manager (powerful, supports tabs, split view, network shares, previews).

• Konsole → Terminal emulator (highly customizable, tabs, profiles).

• Kate → Advanced text editor (syntax highlighting, plugins, great for coding).

• Okular → Document viewer (PDF, ePub, comics, scientific papers).

• Gwenview → Image viewer (fast, clean, supports basic editing).

• KCalc → Scientific calculator.

🎨 Multimedia & Creativity

• Kdenlive → Non-linear video editor.

• Elisa → Music player (modern, lightweight).

• Dragon Player → Simple video player.

• Spectacle → Screenshot tool.

• KolourPaint → Basic paint program (like MS Paint but with extras).

🌐 Internet & Communication

• KMail → Email client (part of Kontact suite).

• Konversation → IRC client.

• KGet → Download manager.

• KDE Connect → Sync phone with desktop (notifications, file transfer, remote control).

🛠️ Utilities & System Tools

• KSysGuard → System monitor.

• Ark → Archive manager (zip, tar, rar).

• K3b → Disc burning tool.

• KWallet → Password manager.

🧭 Education & Extras

• KStars → Astronomy software.

• Marble → Virtual globe (like Google Earth).

• Cantor → Math/science notebook interface.