CachyOS is an Arch-based rolling Linux distro that aims to provide users with improved performance while being simple. Betting on the XFS file system by default, it comes with an easy-to-use GUI installer (Calamares), making CachyOS an attractive choice for new users to the Arch ecosystem.
In the latest news from the dev team, the February 2024 release has been officially announced, focusing on essential maintenance and improvements that promise to enhance the overall user experience.
What’s New in CachyOS February 2024 Release
One of the most notable changes in this release is the major upgrade to the latest glibc 2.39. Moreover, the update introduces a new version of the NVIDIA driver, 550.54.14, catering to users’ needs with NVIDIA graphics cards.
The CachyOS team has also addressed some issues with rEFInd, the boot manager used by the distribution. Enhancements have been made to offer greater layout flexibility by relocating rEFInd from “/boot/efi” to “/boot.”
This change supports various filesystems and encryption options, making it easier for users to customize their boot process to their security and performance needs.
The Live ISO experience has been streamlined in this release, providing users with a cleaner and more synchronized introduction to CachyOS. Additionally, the launch installer now includes helpful recommendations for online installation, simplifying the setup process for new users.
Moreover, the update brings new shell configurations for those who love to customize their terminal experience. Users can now opt to disable fastfetch and utilize a new “update” alias, offering more control over their terminal interactions.
KDE users will appreciate the inclusion of phonon-qt5-vlc, enhancing multimedia support within the KDE environment. The package updates include the latest Linux kernel 6.7.6, Mesa 24.0.1, GCC 13.2, and more.
However, it’s important to note that the GNOME ISO will not be available for this release due to a bug in Mesa 24 affecting GNOME on NVIDIA cards. The team is likely working on resolving this issue for future updates.
Last but not least, this release sets the stage for the highly anticipated Plasma 6 update, which will be released in just a few days, ensuring compatibility with its transition to QT6.
For a complete list of changes, refer to the release announcement. Updated installation images are available from the downloads section of the project website.
In addition to the default Plasma, during the installation, CachyOS provides the entire range of desktop environments that Linux users can imagine.
This includes GNOME, Xfce, MATE, LXQt, Openbox, the tiling window managers i3, Hyprland, Sway, bspwm, the less popular and exotic Wayfire, CuteFish, and others.
Additionally, users can choose to install CachyOS without a graphical desktop environment, allowing them, true to the Arch philosophy, to tailor their system precisely to their preferences.
