The fourth experimental release of the Pidgin 3.0 instant messaging client (2.93) has been released. This release is rated as being of pre-alpha quality, not intended for everyday use. Builds are available in Flatpak format (only the source code archive is currently available).
Pidgin 3 has been in development since 2011, after three years of conceptual and conceptual discussions. Pidgin 3 features the GObject type system, GTK4 and Adwaita libraries, the Meson build system, GPlugin for plugin processing, SQLite for storing chat history, and GSettings for managing settings. The API has been completely redesigned. GTK Builder XML is used to define interface elements, and a custom widget library, Talkatu, has been created to display chat history.
The Pidgin 3 interface combines the contact list and chat into a single window. The Finch console client has been discontinued (it may be reintroduced in the future). Currently, only IRCv3 is supported, with new implementations of XMPP, SIP, and Bonjour being developed and partially supported. Pidgin 3 is incompatible with Pidgin 2 and previously created plugins, but can be installed side-by-side with existing Pidgin 2 builds.
Changes in this test release include:
- A backend concept for persistent data storage, such as conversation history and active chats, has been implemented. A SQLite-based backend is available.
- When you close the app, all open chats are saved by default, eliminating the need to manually add a channel to your contact list and enable auto-join. These actions are now performed automatically for private messages, group messages, and chat channels that were open when you closed the app.
- A new application icon has been introduced.
- Added color scheme settings that allow you to switch between dark and light modes or activate the system theme.
- Improved support for IRCv3 and SIP protocols.
Source: opennet.ru
