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KaOS Linux Ditches KDE Plasma for Niri Tiling Desktop
11 Mar
Summary
- KaOS Linux now defaults to the Niri compositor, replacing KDE Plasma.
- Niri offers a unique scrollable tiling window management experience.
- The new Niri desktop is praised for its elegant design and efficiency.

KaOS Linux, a distribution focused on a single desktop environment (Qt-based), has transitioned its default offering from KDE Plasma to Niri. Niri is a distinctive scrollable tiling compositor that arranges windows horizontally, enabling navigation through scrolling. This approach provides a unique user experience, blending elements of both tiling and standard window managers.
The Niri desktop environment is noted for its aesthetic appeal, featuring a well-integrated launcher and an elegant notification panel similar to Budgie's Raven. During installation, users can select their preferred office suite, with pre-installed applications including Elisa music player and Falkon web browser. For software management, KaOS utilizes the pacman package manager, complemented by the user-friendly Octopi GUI app store.
The adoption of Niri has garnered praise for its visual beauty, efficiency, and stability, leading some users to consider migrating to KaOS from other distributions like Pop!_OS. While KDE Plasma remains a highly regarded desktop environment, Niri's innovative features and design have captured significant attention within the Linux community.




