System76, the company behind the Linux distribution Pop!_OS, has released version 1.9.0 of the COSMIC desktop environment. Packages for COSMIC 1.9.0 are available in Pop!_OS 24.04 and are expected soon in Fedora, NixOS, Arch Linux, openSUSE, Aeyrin OS, Redox, and CachyOS. The code is written in Rust and is licensed under GPLv3 (for applications) and MPL-2.0 (for libraries).
COSMIC develops as a universal project, independent of any specific distribution and compliant with Freedesktop specifications. The interface in COSMIC is built using the Iced library, which employs safe types, a modular architecture, and a reactive programming model, offering an architecture familiar to developers acquainted with the declarative interface building language Elm. Several rendering engines are provided, supporting Vulkan, Metal, DX12, OpenGL 2.1+, and OpenGL ES 2.0+. Developers are offered a ready-to-use widget set, the ability to create asynchronous handlers, and utilize adaptive layout of interface elements depending on window and screen size.
In addition to using Rust, notable features of COSMIC include hybrid tiled window layout modes and stacked window anchoring (grouping windows like browser tabs), which can be enabled in conjunction with virtual desktops. The project is also developing a compositor server cosmic-comp based on Wayland.
Among the changes:
- The COSMIC Viewer image viewer has been implemented, featuring built-in editing tools (cropping, rotation) with the ability to undo changes.
- A release of the COSMIC OSK on-screen keyboard has been published, supporting input via touchscreen or gamepad.
- The COSMIC Store application manager interface has been revamped, now displaying the developer's name.
- An applet has been added for adaptive display of the on-screen keyboard.
- In the cosmic-comp compositor manager, the ability to show desktop wallpapers and the on-screen keyboard on the system lock screen has been implemented.
- In the cosmic-files file manager, sorting options have been added in the file save dialog.
- Optional support for systemd-homed has been added to the cosmic-greeter login screen.
- The option to hide all visible notifications has been implemented when 'Do Not Disturb' mode is enabled.
- Settings for border thickness have been provided in the panel.
- The configurator now includes settings for the on-screen keyboard and has implemented an option to display the day of the week.
- In the cosmic-settings-daemon, synchronization of font settings for GNOME applications has been ensured.
Source: opennet.ru
