System76 has published a detailed development roadmap for the COSMIC desktop environment, outlining the company’s planned priorities for Epoch 2 and Epoch 3 phases of its Rust-based desktop project.
One thing worth keeping in mind is that COSMIC is designed as a rolling-release desktop environment that delivers weekly updates as work is completed and validated through quality assurance, with each Epoch (the project is currently in Epoch 1) representing approximately six to eight months of development. With that clarified, here is what lies ahead.
Epoch 2 will focus on foundational improvements to COSMIC’s core libraries, applets, and system components. Key initiatives include rebasing core UI libraries and adding capabilities to reduce CPU and memory usage, improve responsiveness, and broaden system support.
Among the major development targets for Epoch 2 are:
- Core desktop enhancements, including support for input method editors and animation frameworks, time-travel debugging tooling, and hot reloading for faster developer iteration.
- Reactive rendering optimizations that reduce CPU usage and enable multi-threaded image decoding and parallel GPU uploads.
- COSMIC Sync foundations, which lay the groundwork for cross-device configuration synchronisation in future releases.
- Applet and user interface improvements, including configurable notifications, a workspace-aware app tray, and a clipboard manager deeply integrated with COSMIC Sync.
- System utilities and accessibility work, including better printer settings, window-management options, named workspaces, and enhancements to screen reader flows.
Additionally, Epoch 2 will feature some highly requested aesthetic and usability improvements from the community, including dynamic wallpapers, improved accessibility shortcut navigation, and an expanded set of desktop configuration options.
Epoch 3 will be focused on refining the desktop experience by enhancing visual polish and interactive elements. Highlights of planned work include:
- Comprehensive desktop animations for workspace transitions, login sequences, application launching and closing, and applet interactions that contribute to a cohesive look and feel.
- Expanded compositing features such as HDR support, night light functionality, gamepad/controller support, and session restoration to retain window arrangements across reboots.
- Panel and applet enhancements with hot-loading support, improved notification designs, and multi-device network status controls.
- Theming and personalization options that allow more granular control over shaders, wallpapers, accent matching, and hardware-integrated lighting.
- Application ecosystem updates, including enhancements to file management, terminal customization, spell-checking in the editor, system monitoring, and a growing store of installable themes and apps.
Finally, on the accessibility side, planned additions to Epoch 3 include live captions, mobility options, and improved cursor support.
For more information, see System76’s announcement.
