System76 launches first stable versions of COSMIC desktop and Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS

System76 launches first stable versions of COSMIC desktop and Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS

After years of development, System76 has finally released the first stable version of its fully Rust based COSMIC desktop environment together with Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS Linux distro. The launch marks a major shift for the distribution as it moves away from its previous GNOME based shell while keeping the familiar Pop!_OS workflow on top of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat.

The project delivers a full suite of rewritten applications that replace key GNOME components, including COSMIC Files, Terminal, Text Editor, and Media Player, and introduces a new workflow with tiling per workspace or display, visual placement hints, persistent layouts, and workspaces that can be reordered or moved between monitors. Multi display setups use automatic scaling and keep stable layouts when a screen is removed. The update also brings the new COSMIC Store, a launcher with global and file search plus a built in calculator, broader customization through themes and panel layouts, and tools like a screenshot utility and a Welcome app to guide initial setup.

Beyond the new desktop, Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS introduces a newer Linux kernel, updated Mesa drivers, and Flathub enabled by default. The release adds hybrid graphics controls, full disk encryption, a Refresh option that keeps user data during reinstalls, and broader hardware support. It ships with core apps like Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, and Popsicle, and is available on new System76 hardware or as a download for supported devices.

by Mauricio B. Holguin

ddnnjustarandomgwrvan-barre
na
ddnn found this interesting
MORE ABOUT: #Linux Distros#Operating Systems#COSMIC#Pop!_OS
Pop!_OS iconPop!_OS
  94
  • ...

Pop!_OS is a Linux distribution designed for STEM and creative professionals, offering a secure and reliable open-source platform. Rated 4.3, it is based on Ubuntu and features automatic window tiling, enhancing productivity and workflow management. As a Linux-based OS, it provides a stable environment for users to explore and create, with alternatives available for comparison.

Related news

All news about Pop!_OS »

External links

Comments

Lu9
0

Not sure what I'm missing, but the DE looks to be almost fully written in JavaScript rather than Rust, even though Rust is also mentioned in the official announcement, but as a sort of footnote rather than an important piece. Maybe I'm looking at an older repository, but doesn't look like it

1 reply
koralowiec

https://github.com/pop-os/cosmic-epoch - This contains links to multiple "components" repos, I randomly opened 3 of them, and all of them have most of the code written in Rust

ddnn
3

It's not even at Cinnamon's level in terms of applets, let alone KDE, but I still may just switch simply because it has full-fledged auto-tiling, floating, and saveable workspace layouts. I love my Openbox, i3 and Cinnamon setups, but Cosmic is like the one DE/WM to rule them all. That said, nothing beats KDE, but this old laptop can't handle KDE6+.

6 replies
guck_foogle

KDE is great.... assuming all the stars align and all the programs you need run under Wayland.

catalin560

@guck_foogle what do you mean under Wayland? The default is still X11 and support for Wayland was added recently...

guck_foogle

@catalin560 Yeah, for now...... https://blogs.kde.org/2025/11/26/going-all-in-on-a-wayland-future/

ddnn

Quick Update:

  • Screensharing/casting works out of the box with Nvidia cards. Tested with OBS and Signal.
  • Cosmic files cannot handle folders with a lot of media, and is very limited in features, so stick to your previous file manager.
  • Tab tacks are cool, but they do take up some screen real estate, and you cannot edit the amount like in i3WM.
  • Currently, moving a window to another workspace also switches focus to that workspace.
  • Adding customer keyboard shortcuts works, but is a little finicky, so I will be seeking a Wayland alternative to SXHKD.
  • Lastly, DE startup time is inconsistent, and almost seems to freeze, but this could be specific to my system. Once started, it's smooth.
ddnn

PS: *custom not customer.

ddnn

Final Update:

  • Cosmic crashes and reloads when under the same workload that Hyrpland, Cinnamon, i3, and Openbox handle just fine. In my case, it crashed twice. Once when I had a Dolphin file manager window open with multiple tabs that were displaying 1000s of media thumbnails, and once when attempting to launch a Steam game, a basic one (Akane). Long story short, Cosmic is great but expect there to be growing pains until they provide more updates. I will file bug reports with Cosmic and Arch, as I am using it on Arch Linux.
  • Regarding Cosmic Files, the file manager, when I say it cannot handle large media folders, I mean that it seems to be doing nothing as it doesn't load anything to give an indication that it's trying to load them. But when I press back, it immediately goes to the previous folder. This means it doesn't actually freeze/crash, and will either load the files eventually (maybe have to wait minutes) or won't load them at all.
Gu