The third experimental release of the Pidgin 3.0 (2.92) instant messaging client has been introduced. This release is marked as having a pre-alpha quality level and is not intended for everyday use. Builds are prepared in Flatpak format (currently only a code archive is available).
The Pidgin 3 branch has been in development since 2011, following three years of discussion at the conceptual and idea level. Pidgin 3 transitions to the GObject type system, uses GTK4 and Adwaita libraries, adopts the Meson build system, employs GPlugin for plugin handling, utilizes SQLite for chat history storage, and incorporates GSettings for managing settings. The API has been completely redesigned. For defining interface elements, GTK Builder XML is utilized, and a custom widget library, Talkatu, has been created for displaying chat history.
The interface combines the contact list and chat into a single window. The delivery of the console client Finch has been discontinued (it may be brought back in the future). Currently, only IRCv3 protocols are supported, and new implementations of the XMPP, SIP, and Bonjour protocols are being developed, albeit only partially supported. The Pidgin 3 branch is incompatible with Pidgin 2 and previously created plugins, but it can be installed alongside existing Pidgin 2 builds.
The most notable improvement in the new version is the addition of the Appearance, Privacy, and Development sections to the configurator. The Appearance section offers an option to show formatting elements in messages. In the Privacy section, you can disable sending data for typing indication. The Development section allows for the activation of a developer mode that simplifies plugin debugging and provides access to still-in-development features, such as support for Bonjour and XMPP protocols.
Source: opennet.ru
