The release of the Ubuntu Sway Remix 25.04 distribution is now available, providing a pre-configured and ready-to-use desktop based on the mosaic composite manager Sway. This distribution is an unofficial edition of Ubuntu 24.10, created with both experienced GNU/Linux users and beginners in mind, allowing them to try a mosaic window manager environment without long setup times. Builds for amd64 and arm64 (Raspberry Pi) architectures are prepared for download.
The distribution environment is based on Sway—a compositor that uses the Wayland protocol and is fully compatible with the i3 mosaic window manager—as well as the Waybar panel, the PCManFM-GTK3 file manager, and tools from the NWG-Shell project, such as the Azote desktop wallpaper manager, the fullscreen application menu nwg-drawer, a script display utility nwg-wrapper (used to show hotkey hints on the desktop), the GTK theme, cursor, and font configurator nwg-look, and the Autotiling script that automatically arranges open application windows like dynamic mosaic window managers.
The distribution includes both graphical applications such as Firefox, Qutebrowser, Audacious, Transmission, Libreoffice, Pluma, and MATE Calc, as well as console applications and utilities like the Musikcube music player, MPV video player, Swayimg image viewer, Zathura PDF viewer, Neovim text editor, Ranger file manager, and others.
Another feature of the distribution is the complete abandonment of the Snap package manager; all programs are provided as standard deb packages, including the Firefox web browser, for which the official PPA repository from the Mozilla Team is used. The installer of the distribution is based on the Calamares framework.
Key Changes:
- The package base has been updated to the Ubuntu 25.04 release;
- Released Sway 1.10, which features a new rendering engine that significantly improves performance, supports ICC color profiles, allows disabling vertical synchronization via the tearing-control-v1 protocol, and enhances output device configuration algorithms, among other improvements;
- The swaylock screen locker has been replaced with gtklock, improving integration with the system theme and providing a more familiar interface for users;
- Wofi is now used as the keyboard-oriented application menu and window switcher by default, enhancing compatibility with scripts written for Rofi;
- A small application for selecting emojis has been added;
- A power-profiles-daemon module has been added to the Waybar panel for switching system power-saving modes (economical, balanced, or maximum performance mode);
- The weather display module on the Waybar panel is disabled by default due to issues with obtaining weather information in some regions. The module can be manually activated in the Waybar configuration file;
- The system installer has been significantly improved. The image unpacking on disk, locale settings, and system cleanup after installation have been accelerated. Minor issues with installation on UEFI systems have been resolved;
- Minor interface optimizations have been made for use on low-resolution screens (up to 1280×720);
- Issues with mouse cursor scaling on ultra-high-resolution screens have been fixed. The Breeze cursor theme has been replaced with the Yaru theme.
- The Sway Input Configurator application has been updated, resolving issues with keyboard layout settings, fixing interface bugs, and conducting minor codebase refactoring.
Source: opennet.ru
