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KDE Plasma 5.24 LTS Released! How to install it in (K)Ubuntu 21.10

Last updated: February 10, 2022 — Leave a comment

KDE announced the Plasma desktop 5.24 few days ago! KUbuntu 21.10 users may now install it via the PPA repository.

What’s New in KDE Plamsa 5.24:

The Plasma 5.24 desktop is a Long Term Support (LTS) release that will receive updates and fixes until the next Plasma 6.

It features new overview screen to manage app opened apps. By enabling the feature in System Settings -> Workspace Behavior -> Desktop Effects, user may hold Windows key and press w to trigger overview.

Running PC or laptop with fingerprint reader? In Plasma 5.24, you may now use fingerprint authentication for login, unlock, and running apps need sudo privilege.

The KRunner now has a ‘question mark’ icon on the toolbar. Clicking on it will show a list of available plugins and how to use information.

Other Changes in Plasma 5.24 include:

  • Add ‘Set as Wallpaper’ context menu option for image file in Dolphin.
  • New ‘Configure Display Settings’ desktop context menu option.
  • Drag and drop moving panel position in Edit mode.
  • Pick custom accent color.
  • Display thumbnail for notifications about video files.
  • The ‘Cover Flip’ and ‘Flip Switch’ task switch effects are back
  • Discover now has option to automatically restart after an update.
  • Improved Wayland support, such as support for colors greater than 8 bits, VR headsets with optimal performance, and drawing tablets.

Plasma 5.24 new wallpaper

How to Install Plasma 5.24 in (K)Ubuntu 21.10:

The official Kubuntu Backports PPA has made the new desktop packages for Ubuntu 21.10 based systems.

1. Add KUbuntu Backports PPA:

Search for and open a ‘terminal’ (console) from start menu. When it opens, paste the command below and run to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) for sudo authentication, and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install or Upgrade to Plasma 5.24:

For KUbuntu users, upgrading the desktop environment by running command after setup the PPA:

sudo apt upgrade

For non-KDE desktop, it’s also possible to install the Plasma 5.24 via command:

sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

In case you want to uninstall KDE Plasma later, it’s recommended to take a screenshot of all the packages to be installed before typing ‘y’ to confirm.

How to Restore:

To restore your desktop environment to the previous status, purge the PPA repository which also downgrade all the installed packages:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

For those installed Plasma 5.24 via apt install kubuntu-desktop command, run sudo apt remove command follow with the package names you installed!

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Latte Dock 0.10.0 Released for KDE with Floating Dock/Panel Support

Last updated: August 7, 2021 — Leave a comment

Latte Dock 0.10.0, the popular dock launcher for KDE Plasma, is available with exciting new features.

The release introduced floating dock and panel feature. In “Edit Dock -> Appearance” settings you can move the slider of “Screen edge” under Margins, so the dock/panel will no longer stick to the screen edge.

As well, it now supports having multiple docks and panels on the same screen edge, ten different visibility modes, ondemand sidebars, and adjusting background radius and background shadow size.

Other changes include:

  • inform Plasma Desktop about panels and docks geometries
  • provide internal Widgets Explorer dialog so it works in GNOME and XFCE
  • support multiple Latte Tasks in the same dock or panel
  • improve applets positioning for Justify alignment in latte panels
  • support latte centric applets that can use parabolic effect easily
  • inform window managers about docks visible area
  • support Plasma Margins Area Separators
  • user can specify custom color scheme per layout
  • redesign and improve all layouts dialogs
  • use templates for all layout functionality
  • provide move/copy/paste functionality for docks and panels
  • export layouts and docks/panels as templates for public use

How to Install Latte Dock 0.10.0 in KUbuntu:

There’s no binary package so far unless building from the source tarball. If you intend to install it, firstly download the source from:

Download Latte Dock

Next, extract the source tarball in file manager. Right-click on source folder and select “Open Terminel Here”. When terminal opens, run the installer script to build & install it via command:

sudo ./install.sh

NOTE that the installer will NOT work until you installed all required build dependents. I don’t know exactly what to install, but I just installed all the dev libraries from the official Ubuntu build package.

It works in KUbuntu 21.04, though it may be too much.

sudo apt install cmake build-essential extra-cmake-modules g++ gettext kirigami2-dev libkf5activities-dev libkf5archive-dev libkf5coreaddons-dev libkf5crash-dev libkf5dbusaddons-dev libkf5declarative-dev libkf5globalaccel-dev libkf5guiaddons-dev libkf5i18n-dev libkf5iconthemes-dev libkf5kio-dev libkf5newstuff-dev libkf5notifications-dev libkf5plasma-dev libkf5wayland-dev libkf5windowsystem-dev libkf5xmlgui-dev libqt5x11extras5-dev libsm-dev libx11-dev libx11-xcb-dev libxcb-randr0-dev libxcb-shape0-dev libxcb-util-dev libxcb1-dev pkg-config pkg-kde-tools qtbase5-dev qtdeclarative5-dev

And after successfully installed Latte Dock, reboot to apply changes.

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How to Install KDE Plasma 5.21.5 in (K)Ubuntu 21.04 via PPA

Last updated: May 15, 2021 — Leave a comment

KDE Plasma 5.16

For KDE users want to install the latest Plasma 5.21.5 desktop, it’s now available in the backports PPA for (K)Ubuntu 21.04.

Plasma 5.21.5 was released more than a week ago with stability improvements and bug-fixes. As well as the KDE Frameworks 5.81.0, they are now available to install via Kubuntu Backports PPA.

Install Plasma 5.21.5 in (K)Ubuntu 21.04:

Search for and open a terminal emulator from start menu. When it opens, run following commands one by one.

1. Add the PPA.

To add the PPA repository, paste the command below and hit run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

2. Install / Upgrade to Plasma 5.21.5:

For KUbuntu 21.04, simply run apt upgrade to install available upgrades of all packages.

sudo apt upgrade

If you’re going to install KDE Plasma in Ubuntu 21.04, run command:

sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

There are a large list of packages to install. I’d recommend to take a screenshot of what packages to install, in case you want to remove KDE later.

Finally restart your machine to apply changes and enjoy!

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How to Install KDE Plasma 5.14.1 in (K)Ubuntu 18.10

Last updated: October 20, 2018

KDE Plasma 5.12

The latest KDE Plasma desktop 5.14 was finally available to install in (K)Ubuntu 18.10 via the Kubuntu Backports PPA.

KDE Plasma 5.14 was released a week ago. It features:

  • New Display Configuration widget for screen management
  • Audio Volume widget now has a built in speaker test feature
  • Network widget now works for SSH VPN tunnels again.
  • The lock screen now handles user-switching for better usability and security.
  • Import existing encrypted files from a Plasma Vault.
  • The Global menu now supports GTK applications.
  • Plasma Discover gained fwupd support.
  • Plasma Discover now supports for Snap channels.
  • For more details, see the announcement.

Install Plasma 5.14 in (K)Ubuntu 18.10:

Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for ‘terminal’ from software launcher. When it opens, do:

1. Add Kubuntu Backports PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type user password (no asterisks feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install Plasma 5.14 in Kubuntu 18.10:

Either install all system update via Update Manager, or run command in terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade

3. For non-Kubuntu user:

Run command to install Plasma desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install plasma-desktop

or install full KDE desktop environment via command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

Uninstall:

You can purge the Kubuntu Backports PPA, which downgrade Plasma desktop to the stock version (5.13.5) in Ubuntu 18.10 repository.

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports
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How to Install KDE’s Elisa Music Player in Ubuntu 18.04

Last updated: October 10, 2018

KDE Plasma 5.12

For those who to install KDE’s Elisa music player, the official flatpak (containerised software package) is available for most Linux desktops including Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 16.04.

Elisa is a music player developed by the KDE community that strives to be simple and nice to use. We also recognize that we need a flexible product to account for the different workflows and use-cases of our users.

We focus on a very good integration with the Plasma desktop of the KDE community without compromising the support for other platforms (other Linux desktop environments, Windows and Android).

We are creating a reliable product that is a joy to use and respects our users privacy. As such, we will prefer to support online services where users are in control of their data.

How to Install Elisa player in Ubuntu via Flatpak

Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for ‘terminal’ from application launcher. When it opens, run following commands one by one:

1. First install Flatpak framework if not exist (For Ubuntu 16.04, add the PPA first):

sudo apt-get install flatpak

2. Then add the flathub repository:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

3. Finally install the Elisa music player:

flatpak install flathub org.kde.elisa

Once successfully installed, open the music player from application launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the Flatpak package, simply run command in terminal:

flatpak uninstall org.kde.elisa

You may also remove the KDE platform runtime (sandboxed) via command:

flatpak uninstall org.kde.Platform
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