KDE Plasma icon
KDE Plasma icon

KDE Plasma

 439 likes

Plasma is a cross-device work environment by the KDE Community where trust is put on the user's capacity to best define their own workflow and preferences.

A typical Plasma desktop looks like this

License model

  • FreeOpen Source

Country of Origin

  • DE flagGermany
  • European Union flagEU

Platforms

  • Linux
  • BSD
  • KDE Plasma
  • postmarketOS
4.7 / 5 Avg rating (36)
439likes
25comments

Features

Suggest and vote on features

Properties

  1.  Customizable
  2.  Lightweight
  3.  Privacy focused

Features

  1.  Desktop Environment
  2.  Themes
  3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
  4.  Transparency
  5.  Blurry transparency
  6.  Dark Mode
  7.  Ad-free
  8.  No Tracking
  9.  Support for Multiple Monitors
  10.  Full-Text Search
  11.  No registration required
  12.  Support for scripting
  13.  Optimized for Fastboot mode
  14.  Support for Hot corners
  15.  Works Offline

KDE Plasma News & Activities

Highlights All activities

Recent News

Show more news

Recent activities

  • diegozpy, bb010g, KonsD and Bobby_Reggine liked KDE Plasma
    2 days ago
  • arscynic added Support for Hot corners as a feature to KDE Plasma
    26 days ago
  • App icon
    arscynic added KDE Plasma as alternative to Compiz
    26 days ago
  • arscynic reviewed KDE Plasma  
    27 days ago

    Very powerful, but a bit boastful. Just like Gnome it comes with a lot of "bloatware" which they assume are the best pieces of software. In some cases they are, in some they aren't. Leave that up to the users, or create a minimal plasma install.

    Not without the occasional bugs either.

    Anyway, to not sound overly negative, it is infinitely better than any Microsoft product, and makes computers fun.

  • EmilE1337, u7741339 and jmawebqqhtsjwqlttb liked KDE Plasma
    27 days ago
Show all activities

Comments and Reviews

   
 Post comment/review
Comment summary: KDE Plasma is widely praised for its unparalleled customization, flexibility, and performance. Users appreciate its lightweight nature and seamless integration with apps and devices. It stands out for its stability and ability to emulate other desktop environments. The community behind KDE is seen as supportive, offering a constant stream of improvements and features, making it one of the best desktop environments for Linux. It is highly recommended for both beginners and advanced users for its ease of use and resource efficiency.
Top Positive Comment
Translator5
Jan 22, 2016
8

I tried first time Linux a year ago. My first Linux (except of Android) was Ubuntu with Unity, I think this was v. 14... Yeah, my first Desktop Environment was been Unity... I removed Ubuntu on the same day. :D

Than I tried a Debian just servers for a long time. The time Linux Mint 17.02 was been released I tried my second Desktop Environment (Cinnamon). Cinnamon looks very nice, it really is easier for ex-win users. But Cinnamon used 15% of my CPU and in addition it was really buggy.( I mean it crashes for me every 2h.)

Than I tried out MATE. I wonder it look's so strange like Win2 winNT (never tried on of these). But MATE is working very well, and it is stable. Just I want something what isn't really hungry for resources AND looks good.

Yesterday I bump into KDE. Installed the 300 MB on my Linux Mint 17.3 and "WOW". It do not look like a Tablet like Unity, don't overheat my CPU like Cinnamon and is looks modern. I really want to know why you don't setup the feature for the Desktop Folder to default. Also why some windows looks the same like MATE.

Now my experience to these DE's. Unity: This DE is for Tablet's and 100% not for PC (and totally not for a gaming computer) MATE: Really powersaving, light DE, best for "Pentium 4". Cinnamon: This DE is a developing, and I think it will take time until it is really stable. KDE: It is really nice, but there is everywhere Add for KDE. I mean you just installed it and see everywhere a dammed letter "k". The most standart software is also different, you hasn't thunderbird like in every ether version of Linux Mint, no you have K-Mail.

Really recommend all of the desktop environments! Choose yourself, support Freedom!

[Edited by Translator5, January 24]

Top Negative Comment
K0RR
Mar 18, 2025
1

Multi monitor support sucks.

If you want to mirror a panel with your open windows and pinned launchers… well, that's not possible. You can't even copy it. You have to recreate it manually from scratch for every screen/display.

arsCynic ??
May 24, 2025
0

Very powerful, but a bit boastful. Just like Gnome it comes with a lot of "bloatware" which they assume are the best pieces of software. In some cases they are, in some they aren't. Leave that up to the users, or create a minimal plasma install.

Not without the occasional bugs either.

Anyway, to not sound overly negative, it is infinitely better than any Microsoft product, and makes computers fun.

ZeroNet_io
Apr 18, 2025
0

Features and usability is good, but on a Debian stable version, i am having too often issues with kwin crashes causing freezes + other graphical issues with some app windows. I want to use different DE. I am significantly disappointed with the stability of KDE on a stable version of major Linux distribution Debian.

Joseph Leskey
Mar 18, 2025
0

KDE Plasma is an incredible take on the traditional desktop metaphor. It is at once lightweight, feature-complete, and aesthetically pleasing. What's more, it is arguably the most customizable and flexible desktop environment I have come across. Add to that its solid integration with modern technologies, quality of life features like external device battery monitoring, and the vast KDE ecosystem, and it's really hard to beat it.

ddnn
Oct 8, 2024
0

The best Desktop Environment known to man, especially if you like to customise your experience, but it can also be used as-is.

veddev
Aug 31, 2024
0

Awesome DE, Never switching.

Show more comments
7 of 25 comments

What is KDE Plasma?

Plasma is the KDE workspace. Actually it is a technology that can adapt to many types of devices. Currently there are two varieties of Plasma: The Plasma Desktop environment which is the focus of the majority of our pages and Plasma Mobile, the new cool environment for pads and smartphones.

An important part of Plasma are the "widgets". Widgets are the individual units of the desktop and they include (although they are not limited to) the application menu, icons, the system tray, the clock, etc. Widgets can exist on the desktop itself, or be inserted into the panel, on the screen saver or on the dashboard among other places. Widgets exist for a large number of tasks besides usual desktop helpers, including microblogging (Twitter, identi.ca), unit conversion calculators, weather forecasts, file sharing and much more. Panels and desktops are also special kinds of widgets themselves, meant to contain other widgets.

KDE Plasma Videos

Show 2 more videos

Official Links

KDE Plasma information

AlternativeTo Category

OS & Utilities

Popular alternatives

View all

Top KDE Plasma apps (extensions / mods etc)

View all

Our users have written 25 comments and reviews about KDE Plasma, and it has gotten 439 likes

KDE Plasma was added to AlternativeTo by ondrapelech on Oct 31, 2009 and this page was last updated Oct 6, 2024. KDE Plasma is sometimes referred to as KDE.