In a very interesting reading, KDE’s Nate Graham has shared some insights into why the still-in-development KDE Linux distribution chose to depart from traditional Linux system-level package management in favor of a fully immutable design.
The distro rolled out its alpha release in early September — and if you missed the news or haven’t heard of KDE Linux yet, here’s the idea behind it: to deliver a true and best possible KDE-first Linux experience, combining a modern desktop environment with advanced underlying technologies — all straight from the original developers.
In a detailed post titled “KDE Linux deep dive: package management is amazing, which is why we don’t include it,” Graham reaffirms his admiration for Linux package management — calling it one of the ecosystem’s “crowning jewels.” However, he quickly distinguishes between two use cases:
- Building the base operating system itself, where it becomes a “tool of power best suited for OS builders and experts.”
- Installing add-on software, where package management shines.
According to him, while tools like APT, DNF, or Pacman make software installation effortless, they can also create long-term instability when used to assemble or modify the base OS. Graham cites problems such as dependency conflicts, system failures, and non-reproducible environments — all familiar pain points for Linux users.
So, to avoid those complications, KDE Linux’s solution is to build the system image once, using Arch Linux packages as the foundation, then freeze and deliver it as a stable, read-only snapshot. Updates simply replace the old system image with a new one — a model similar to Fedora Silverblue or openSUSE MicroOS. Or, in other words, the kind of immutability that’s become so popular in recent years.
This approach offers several advantages that have been discussed time and time again.
- Predictability: Every installation is identical, enabling consistent testing and support.
- Reliability: Updates are atomic and reversible; users can roll back to earlier images if something breaks.
- Longevity: The system no longer “decays” over time due to local modifications or dependency drift.
All this leads to the fact that instead of relying on system packages, KDE Linux devs have chosen Flatpak as the default method for installing and updating apps. At the same time, Graham acknowledges that while Flatpak isn’t perfect, it solves one of Linux’s longest-standing issues: lack of a universal, reliable application platform.
For advanced users who still need more flexibility, container-based tools like Distrobox, Toolbox, Homebrew, or Nix are fully supported. These allow additional packages to be installed in user space, isolated from the base system, ensuring the OS remains stable even when experimenting.
Regarding when we can expect a stable release, as of late October 2025, Graham reports that KDE Linux is about 40% through its Beta milestone, steadily progressing toward general availability.
Finally, I’d like to share my own take on things. First off, KDE Linux is, without question, a great initiative. However, in my view, the decision to focus so heavily on immutability naturally places the distro in the “made by developers, for developers” niche.
Most everyday Linux users are used to traditional package management systems and feel entirely at home with them. It’s what they know and feel comfortable with. There’s no need to prove that point; names like Debian, Fedora, Arch, and Mint speak for themselves.
And here’s where the paradox lies: immutability is, in many ways, the easier, safer, and more convenient path for developers to ensure consistency and stability in a release. But for users, it’s often the opposite, for one simple reason — immutability still feels like something reserved for power users.
So, will KDE Linux manage to gain widespread adoption with this approach? Honestly, I find it unlikely. It will probably remain a niche choice, appealing mostly to developers and Plasma enthusiasts. Still, as always, only time will tell whether I’m right or wrong.
To me it looks more like the KDE project wants to showcase KDE as a desktop, but they don’t want to deal with general purpose OS problems. So they give out a “kiosk demo distro”.
Yes, package managers are awesome. They make a Linux OS usable. They are the tools that make it possible to have almost all of the sought after FOSS software under the sun. What does KDE say? Yes, we agree. That’s why were not giving it to you, because it can potentially give problems. So here is the limited toy with a base we deem should be enough for you. Now be happy with the meager sub-selection of software in Flatpak. (Or the franken-solution of non-integrated containers on top with – drum roll please – mutable distributions.)
Immutable distributions seem first and foremost for distribution maintainers. Immutability says, I don’t want to deal with your problems and use cases. I will take control of your machine and make sure you can’t do anything that will make my life more difficult.
Graham telling us that not having a package manager is not a problem, because Discover is a “waaaaaaay more user-friendly way to get GUI apps from Flathub or anywhere else” is rich. Discover is the worst graphical package manager by far. It’s a cluttered, slow mess. Gnome software is miles ahead and that isn’t the best one either. Even the ancient Synaptic is better. I can’t see KDE Linux go further than a niche for KDE developers and people truly afraid of using their general purpose computer as anything other than a limited appliance.
I for one am not excited and I can’t wait for the immutability craze to go the way of the dodo. It simply is the wrong tool for the wrong problem. Using Flatpak is adding a versioned, low-level userland on top of an already existing low-level userland. Then just have the balls to remove your own userland and make the Flatpak ones the only supported ones. Then you have a universal platform. Not this layer upon layer upon layer and the inevitable – we only support our own base image, for anything else you are on your own.
Obviously you are not the intended audience for KDE Linux, ans as Grahham also says, that’s perfectly fine!
There’s a ton of distros for us power users, this one is intended not as a toy but as a hassle-free daily driver for those who don’t care about low-level things and are content with installing apps via a software center.
I mean, you surerly have heard how people love Chromebooks for that exact reason. Not only users but also the people who has to administer them.
Rant: I for one can’t wait for the day that people stop taking everything as a personal affront and realize that we FOSS users are blessed with the gift or *choice*.
Excellent rant! I agree wholeheartedly.
So you don’t like my opinion. Well, tough titties.
I suppose that logic means that Android is only for developers?
Immutability seems like it would appeal to organizations, especially security conscious ones, more than individual users. Tech support for 1,000 slightly different systems must be a nightmare (you could not pay me enough to take that job!)
An immutable OS should be much easier to maintain and secure.
Been using Silverblue for a couple of months now and love how it just works. I installed my apps and just got on with using it. Only time I’ve used the terminal since installing on my Laptop was to upgrade to Fedora 43 beta. It’s definitely the way to go to bring in new users who have no interest in using the terminal.
Command line is king. If you’re afraid of the black box, you should be using WinBlows or Mac(e). This “it just works” philosophy is why I say I’m android all day, but I’d give my grandparents and iPhone. Linux gives a user complete control of their computer. It’s not supposed to be easy. Ubuntu is pretty much the same thing. Why is time being wasted on reinventing the wheel?
Distrowatch claims ROLLING. It does not mention appimage. So many critical Linux applications are not yet available in Snap, Flatpak, or appimage.
KDE NEON might seem to be the safer version of KDE. However, according to Grok, there is only one Linux system that includes Ventoy in a compiled version: PC Linux OS. This is also in KDE. It appears to be running the Fedora version of RPM now, rather than the previous Mandriva version of RPM.
First time I’ve read that ummutible systems are for “power users.”
I have used Linux a couple of decades now. I guess newbies would call me a “power user” 🙂 but I prefer immutables nowadays. I grew tired of the tinkering. Even though some distros where stable for a long time, sooner or later they required tinkering to fix it. I just don’t want to bother with the terminal anymore.
But with that said I cant for sure say immutables are more stable. Time will tell but I have not had a single problem that I have to bother with the last one and a half year I have been using bazzite. But I don’t use older laptops i prefer newer hardware on desktop.
Well, I’m not a developer or power user. I’m just an end-user Plasma enthusiast. I’m in the process of installing it over my Linux Mint to see how well I like it over KDE Neon or Kubuntu. This is my first ho at not using a package manager and I’m curious how I’ll like using flatpaks.
Kudos for trying it!
Though, beware there might be bugs and missing things still.
I have one question about serious backup solution. Does this last release of Kubuntu uses Deja Dup already installed, and above all the backup can be automated like every day?
It’s the case with Ubuntu and that’s why I have been so long with it. Deja Duo is the only free tool to backup to Google Drive.
I haven’t found any other distribution with this “essential” possibility. I can’t understand that more than 25 years of Linux distro s it’s not an obvious option for a modern operating system.
So, please, could you check that? I’m tired of installing a distro to soon find it doesn’t able to do it seamlessly.
Thanks
Well, to me immutability seems best suited for Linux beginners while it may be somewhat limiting for advanced users.
So, in a perfect world, I believe, KDE Linux would come immutable out of the box, but with the ability to switch to full-blown Arch power user mode once the novice user has get used to Linux in general and is ready to pull the power mode lever.
Ideally, KDE Linux would offer some helping hand in learning the intricacies of a full-blown Arch system, #gamification.
If you outgrow KDE Linux my guess is that instead of trying to pry it open, you’d switch to a more power-user-friendly distro 🙂
Possibly a more flexible immutable/atomic distro first before jumping directly to full blown Arch.
An end user does NOT need to modify their base system.
If for any reason you need or want to install a single package, you can choose to use Toolbox or Distrobox containers through any Linux distribution (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE, Red Hat, etc.). All are available through Toolbox or Distrobox.
Immutability is more geared toward end users who are unfamiliar or unfamiliar with anything; it provides security, stability, and resilience.
Assuming that an immutable system is only for developers or advanced users is a mistake.
Immutability is ideal for end users who just want to turn on their computer and work on it.
I disagree. End users might want to apply security updates to their base system.
Immutibility is why half of all android users are using OS with known security issues.
BTW, (most) end users couldn’t care less about updates, they find them annoying because they interrupt their workflow.
We admins do care that our users’ systemns are uptodate and also usable, immutability has a several advantages in that regard.
An immutable system is totally upgradable, I really don’t understand how you can believe otherwise.
@Jeff Jamin Samuel is actually correct, think of immutable systems like Chromebooks which are (were?) loved by end users for its simplicity, and by admins for its ease of maintenance.
The problem with Android unpatched vulnerabilities has nothing to do with immutability and more to do with planned obsolescense from the part of phone manufacturers.
Will it be possible to set it on the ext4 system partition?