Elementary OS 8.0 Released! Wayland and Ubuntu 24.04 Base

Elementary OS announced new 8.0 release this Tuesday! The code-name is Circe, and it’s based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Elementary OS is a desktop Linux distribution that features Pantheon desktop environment along with its own core apps. It used to be attractive, due to its desktop appearance, though now the UI is a bit lagging behind in my opinion.

The 8.0 release features Wayland support! Though, it’s available as OPTIONAL desktop session and named “Secure Session” from the login screen selection menu.

In this session, flatpak apps will be more restricted. When an app wants to do some actions in background, e.g., take a screenshot, it will pop-up dialog and ask to either “Allow” or “Deny” the permission.

And, there are now 4 new portals supported in the release allowing apps to securely access outside from sandbox. They are Color Picker, Screenshot, Screencast, and Wallpaper.

The new session also supports Mixed DPI mode for better user experience on HiDPI notebook with a LoDPI external display, and improves multi-touch gestures on touch screens and tablets.

The bottom dock launcher has been completely re-written in the release with new features.

If multiple windows of an app opened, click on its app icon on the dock will show a window spread, letting you to easily choose which one to work with. Or, you may scroll on app icon to switch focus between the opened windows.

Middle click on an app icon can now launch new window, and Super/Win/Command key + number 1 ~ 9 key combination will launch pinned apps from the dock.

Like GNOME, it now features new quick settings menu in top-right, allows to quickly toggle on/off screen reader, dark mode, onscreen keyboard, change font size, launch settings, and power off menu.

Other changes in elementary OS 8.0 include:

Horizontal swipe gesture to switch between windows.
Ability to disable hotcorners when an app is in fullscreen.
Switch between workspaces by scrolling over panel.
Switch CPU power mode in top panel menu.
Automatically switch CPU power mode, when power supply is plugged in or out.
Switch to Pipewire instead of pluseaudio.
Option to always show scroll-bars.
Use Super (aka, Windows logo or Command key) key to open Applications menu

In addition, elementary OS 8.0 features Ubuntu 24.04 package base plus its own PPAs for native .deb packages.

It has some core apps (e.g., Camera, Video, Screenshot, and Music) installed as Flatpak apps, and supports searching & installing from Flathub repository through AppCenter as it announced. For more, see the official announcement.