Elementary OS 8.1, a distribution marketed as a fast, open, and privacy-conscious alternative, has been released. Windows и macOSThe project focuses on high-quality design, aiming to create an easy-to-use system with minimal resource consumption and fast startup. Users are offered a custom Pantheon desktop environment. Bootable ISO images (3.1 GB) are available for download for the amd64 architecture (to download for free from the project website, enter 0 in the donation amount field).
Elementary OS's original components are developed using GTK3, the Vala language, and its own Granite framework. The distribution is based on the project's work. UbuntuAt the package and repository support level, elementary OS 8.x is compatible with Ubuntu April 24.04. All additional applications offered for installation through AppCenter, as well as some default applications, are packaged using the Flatpak format. The graphical environment is based on the Pantheon shell, which integrates components such as the Gala window manager (based on LibMutter), the Slingshot launcher, Control Panel Switchboard, Wing top panel, Dock taskbar, and Pantheon Greeter session manager (based on LightDM).
The environment includes a set of applications tightly integrated into a single environment that are necessary to solve user problems. Among the applications, most are the project's own developments, such as the Pantheon Terminal terminal emulator, the Pantheon Files file manager, the Code text editor and the Music (Noise) music player. The project also develops the photo manager Pantheon Photos (a fork from Shotwell) and the mail client Mail (a fork from Evolution).
Key innovations:
- By default, Secure Session is enabled, which uses the Wayland protocol and has a permissions system enabled (which verifies access by Flatpak applications to advanced features such as taking screenshots, changing the desktop background, accessing location data, and continuing background processes after a window is closed). The classic X11-based session remains an option.
- In a secure session, when the password entry dialog is displayed, the rest of the content is dimmed and focus switching is disabled to prevent accidental password entry in other windows.
- The secure session now supports fractional output scaling for comfortable work on screens that don't reach HiDPI but have higher-than-normal resolutions.
- Added new AppArmor profiles to address issues that occur when sandboxing some Flatpak applications, such as Steam.
- The bottom Dock panel now displays icons of applications running in the background without opening windows, and also adds buttons with content. virtual desktopsFor applications with multiple open windows, multiple dots are now displayed under the icon in the panel. Dots for windows located on other virtual desktops are displayed in a different color.
- In the Multitasking View, the bottom panel is now displayed.
- Improved animation when switching desktops and added an animation effect when trying to open a new window for a single-window application.
- In the settings "System Settings → Desktop → Multitasking" you can now call actions when you hover the mouse over the corners of the screen (Hotcorner) when applications are running in full-screen mode (for example, you can call up the application menu without exiting full-screen mode in games).
- In the AppCenter, the app description page now includes information about the app's rating and expanded licensing information. Game controller support is now available for games. Add-on installation via AppCenter is now supported. If an app has screenshots for multiple platforms, the screenshot created for elementary OS is now displayed.
- Labels for paid apps have been added to search and app lists in AppCenter. For free apps, the "Free" label has been replaced with an "Install" button.
- The AppCenter page with information about available updates has been redesigned. Apps with previously installed updates are now sorted by release date, rather than alphabetically, making it easier to track changes when automatic update installation is enabled. The release information dialog now displays the latest versions for all installed apps.
- The system-wide update interface now displays information about the size of updates to be downloaded. A download progress indicator has been added. The update check handler has been rewritten; it now runs only once a day and is not used in demo mode. When using data-based communication channels, a notification about available updates is now displayed instead of automatically downloading updates. Buttons have been added for quickly launching the update manager via the Dock context menu, the application menu, or the search interface.
- Added the ability to assign keyboard shortcuts to call applications or individual actions, such as opening a message composing window in a mail client.
- The login lock screen now supports dark mode.
- Support for multi-monitor configurations has been expanded, and stylus detection has been improved when configuring Wacom graphics tablets. The Bluetooth settings interface has been redesigned.
- The visual style has been updated, for example, rounded corners have been added to notifications and a blur effect has been implemented for desktop elements with a translucent background, such as the panel and notifications.
- A new set of icons has been implemented to indicate the contents of directories on the desktop.
- Added the ability to disable notifications for individual applications.
- The network configurator now includes settings for automatically connecting when a network is available and reducing background data transfer for selected networks. A button has been added for quickly accessing network settings from the panel. An option to disable automatic sleep mode has been added to the quick settings block.
- The set includes an application for working with maps.
- Added an application for monitoring the system status.
- Builds have been created for ARM64-based devices using UEFI. These builds can be used, among other things, for booting computers with Apple Silicon chips and Raspberry Pi boards.
- The package database has been updated to Ubuntu 24.04.3 with core Linux 6.14 и Mesa 25.
Source: opennet.ru
