Learn what’s new in the LXQt 2.0.0 desktop environment, which promises Wayland updates soon.
LXQt 2.0.0 Desktop
LXQt, the lightweight and Qt-based desktop environment, has released its latest version, LXQt 2.0.0, based on Qt ≥ 6.6. This release brings a host of new features and improvements, making it an exciting update for users.
This release is significant because, it is the first major release which brings official Qt6 porting. In addition, a significant set of components have already been converted to Wayland. The official Wayland support is on the horizon and planned for later this year with LXQt 2.1.0.
Major distributions such as Lubuntu, Fedora LXQt spin will plan to ship this version later this year, hopefully with Wayland as well.
Let’s have a quick look at the best new features of the LXQt 2.0.0.
LXQt 2.0.0: What’s New
Wayland support
LXQt 2.0.0 has made significant progress in supporting Wayland compositors, including LabWC, Wayfire, kwin_wayland, Hyprland, Sway, and others. Although not all components are fully compatible with Wayland yet, most Wayland compositors have tools that can be used as alternatives. LXQt 2.1.0 will focus on making Wayland the main target.
PCManFM-Qt and LibFM-Qt
The desktop module is now fully compatible with Wayland, thanks to layer-shell-qt6. This allows PCManFM-Qt to provide a real desktop experience not only with X11 window managers but also with Wayland compositors that implement the “layer shell protocol”. Additionally, the MIME types of LXQt Archiver and Arqiver have been updated in LibFM-Qt, and some menu icons have been added.
Fancy Menu
LXQt Panel now features a new default application menu called Fancy Menu, which includes “Favorites”, “All Applications”, and an improved search. The old menu is still available, but is no longer the default. The older menu was there since the beginning; hence it is a significant change to bring a two panel application menu following the trends.
New Fancy Menu in LXQt 2.0.0 Desktop
LXQt Panel, Runner and desktop notification
LXQt Panel now supports Wayland positioning using layer shell. Miscellaneous fixes have also been implemented. Both LXQt Runner and LXQt Desktop Notifications now have full Wayland support.
Overall, these are the key highlights of this release.
Download and Distro Availability
Ubuntu, Fedora will feature this version (hopefully with 2.1.0 with Wayland) in later this year. These two distributions are currently featuring the LXQt 1.4.
Arch Linux users can try this version right now by enabling “extra-testing” in /etc/pacman.conf. Or, you can wait for a few days until it is available in stable. You can also install a fresh Arch Linux system with LXQt using this guide.
Wrapping up
LXQt 2.0.0 is an exciting update for users, offering improved Wayland support, new features, and various fixes. With its focus on lightweight and efficient desktop environment, LXQt 2.0.0 is an excellent choice for users seeking a fast and customizable desktop experience.
via LXQt GitHub