Overview: Kubuntu, its parent and some of its siblings

[Schwarzer Kater]

I made a quick comparison table about Kubuntu, its parent and some of its siblings - all of them feature the KDE Plasma desktop environment.
For the time being I am taking both Plasma 5 and Plasma 6 (plus interdependencies) into account.

• Kubuntu LTS is a "long time support" release and is based on / is an official "flavour" of Ubuntu⁽³⁾LTS which is based on Debian.
  A new release is published every two (even) years in April.
• Kubuntu is an "interim" release and is based on / is an official "flavour" of Ubuntu's interim releases which are based on Debian.
  A new release is published every six months in April and October - except for the April when Kubuntu LTS is released.
• Kubuntu Focus is based on Kubuntu LTS (plus the Backports PPAs) which is based on Ubuntu LTS, based on Debian.
• KDE neon is based on Ubuntu LTS which is based on Debian.
• TUXEDO OS is based on KDE neon, Ubuntu LTS (mainly) and Ubuntu's interim releases, based on Debian.

I will try to keep this post up-to-date whenever I have the time (if I overlooked something you can write me a PM) - here you go :

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	Debian 12.6(1)	Kubuntu 22.04.4 LTS(2)(7)	Kubuntu 22.04.4 LTS(2) (with Kubuntu Backports & Kubuntu Backports Extra)	Kubuntu 24.04 LTS(2)(8)	Kubuntu Focus 24.04 LTS(3)(5)	KDE neon(1)(4)	TUXEDO OS 3(3)(5)	Current Release
KDE Plasma	5.27.5	5.24.7	5.27.11	5.27.11	5.27.11	6.1.3	6.1.3	5.27.11 6.1.3
KDE Gear*	22.12.3	21.12.3	22.04.3	23.08.5	23.08.5	24.05.2	24.05.2	23.08.5 24.05.2
KDE Frameworks**	5.103	5.92	5.104	5.115	5.115	6.4	6.4	5.116 6.4
Qt	5.15.8	5.15.3	5.15.3	5.15.13	5.15.13	6.7.2	6.7.0	5.15.17 6.7.2
Mesa	22.3.6	23.2.1	23.2.1	24.0.9	24.0.9	23.2.1	24.0.8	24.1.5
Linux kernel	6.1.x LTS*** from Debian 6.9.x from Debian Backports	6.5.x from Ubuntu	6.5.x from Ubuntu	6.8.x from Ubuntu	6.8.x from Kubuntu Focus	5.15.x LTS from Ubuntu preinstalled 6.5.x*** from Ubuntu	6.5.x from TUXEDO	6.6.x (LTS) 6.10.x (stable)
LibreOffice (example for non-KDE user software)	7.4.7*** from Debian 24.2.5 from Debian Backports	7.3.7*** from Ubuntu 7.6.7 from Ubuntu Backports	7.3.7*** from Ubuntu 7.6.7 from Ubuntu Backports	24.2.4 from Ubuntu	24.2.4 from Ubuntu	(6)	24.2.5 from TUXEDO	24.2.5
KDE PIM	preinstalled (except for KAlarm, Kleopatra and Kontact)	not preinstalled	not preinstalled	not preinstalled	not preinstalled	not preinstalled	not preinstalled
Flatpaks	flatpak not preinstalled	flatpak not preinstalled	flatpak not preinstalled	flatpak not preinstalled	flatpak not preinstalled	flatpak preinstalled (no Flatpaks installed)	flatpak preinstalled (no Flatpaks installed)
Snaps	snapd not preinstalled	snapd preinstalled (Firefox Snap et al. installed)	snapd preinstalled (Firefox Snap et al. installed)	snapd preinstalled (Firefox Snap, Thunderbird Snap et al. installed - the "Minimal Installation" installs no snapd or Snaps)	snapd preinstalled (only the Firmware Updater Snap is installed)	snapd preinstalled (no Snaps installed)	snapd not preinstalled (blocked like Linux Mint does)
Default Session Type	Wayland (X11 preinstalled)	X11 (Wayland not preinstalled)	X11 (Wayland not preinstalled)	X11 (Wayland not preinstalled)	X11 (Wayland not preinstalled)	Wayland (X11 preinstalled)	X11 (Wayland preinstalled/selectable during installation)
	Debian 12.6(1)	Kubuntu 22.04.4 LTS(2)(7)	Kubuntu 22.04.4 LTS(2) (with Kubuntu Backports & Kubuntu Backports Extra)	Kubuntu 24.04 LTS(2)(8)	Kubuntu Focus 24.04 LTS(3)(5)	KDE neon(1)(4)	TUXEDO OS 3(3)(5)

Last updated: 2024-08-02

Red font in the upper half of the table means that it is the most recent version available in the comparison - no matter what the most current release is.

^* = Over 180 individual programs plus dozens of programmer libraries and feature plugins are released simultaneously as part of KDE Gear.
Applications like the Dolphin file manager, the Kate text editor or the screenshot utility Spectacle belong to them.
^** = KDE Frameworks are 83 addon libraries to Qt which provide a wide variety of commonly needed functionality in mature, peer reviewed and well tested libraries with friendly licensing terms.
^*** = default
⁽¹⁾ = community-driven
⁽²⁾ = community-driven but legally dependent on a company (Canonical who release Ubuntu)
⁽³⁾ = released by a company
⁽⁴⁾ = " […], using the latest [KDE] software the moment it's released will inevitably result in a less stable experience compared to distros that delay software by days, weeks, or months. As such, the ideal KDE neon user is someone excited to use the latest and greatest KDE software who can tolerate some bumps in the road from time to time, not someone with mission-critical reliability needs. […] The proprietary [Nvidia] driver is not supported at all." (from the KDE neon FAQ)
⁽⁵⁾ = some of the additional tools they ship only fully work on their own hardware
⁽⁶⁾ = either Flatpak or Snap: "Users are encouraged not to use [apps from the main repositories], and to instead get apps from Snap or Flatpak using KDE's Discover app store. […] KDE neon focuses on KDE software, most other software is not supported and you should not be surprised if you can not install it or it stops working at any point in time due to an update." (from the KDE neon FAQ)
⁽⁷⁾ = also see Recommended things to do directly after a Kubuntu 22.04 LTS installation
⁽⁸⁾ = also see Essential and strongly recommended things to do directly after a Kubuntu 24.04 LTS installation

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My opinion

The table above is only a snapshot in time, but here are some general recommendations:

• if you want to be up-to-date all around: follow Kubuntu's six-monthly release cycle (with Kubuntu Backports) or use TUXEDO OS (especially if you don't like Snaps)
• if you want Kubuntu LTS with all Backports enabled and additional tools and software (like Google Chrome or Back In Time and much more): Kubuntu Focus
• if you are an "adventurous KDE enthusiast" and want to have the latest KDE stuff and an Ubuntu LTS base system: KDE neon⁽⁴⁾
• if you want to have a more stable system (in the Debian sense): Kubuntu LTS or Debian (also see this suggestion for a Debian 12 KDE Plasma installation)

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Download links

Debian 12: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd...amd64/iso-dvd/
Kubuntu 22.04 LTS: https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/r...jammy/release/
Kubuntu 23.10: out of support - please install Kubuntu 24.04 LTS instead
Kubuntu 24.04 LTS: https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/r...24.04/release/
Kubuntu Focus 24.04 LTS: https://kfocus.org/try/
KDE neon: https://neon.kde.org/download
TUXEDO OS 3: https://os.tuxedocomputers.com/

Kubuntu Backports PPA websites

Kubuntu Backports (currently available for Kubuntu 22.04 LTS and 23.10): https://launchpad.net/~kubuntu-ppa/+...untu/backports
Kubuntu Backports Extra (for Kubuntu 22.04 LTS only): https://launchpad.net/~kubuntu-ppa/+...ackports-extra

[Qqmike]

Good deal, nice! 👍👍

[GreyGeek]

That table sums it up, Schwarzer Kater !
The update command stated 361 files to upgrade.

[Schwarzer Kater]

GreyGeek: After adding Kubuntu Backports, I assume.

[GreyGeek]

Yes!
............

[claydoh]

Just to note, Tuxedo is using KDE neon's repos for it's Plasma.

[Schwarzer Kater]

A slight correction: Tuxedo do use KDE neon's packages for KDE-related stuff, but they use their own repositories - they test the stuff for a while first, before they make it available through their own repositories.

So one could say that KDE neon sometimes is a bit more "bleeding edge" for a while than TUXEDO OS 2 concerning KDE stuff.

[claydoh]

So they are the Manjaro to KDE neon? lolol (I could not resist )
Still it is KDE neon's Plasma. The usual Linux inter-breeding and layer abstractions.
Basically, a KDE neon with modifications for the OEM hardware.

[Schwarzer Kater]

Fortunately Tuxedo seems to be more competent than the Manjaro people.
And I am quite glad that a manufacturer chose KDE Plasma for their Linux systems - unlike System76 with Pop!_OS…

[Montmorency]

And I am quite glad that a manufacturer chose KDE Plasma for their Linux systems - unlike System76 with Pop!_OS…

Well said.

[claydoh]

Fortunately Tuxedo seems to be more competent than the Manjaro people.

They have set the bar quite low, unfortunately.

I could not resist the very much tongue-in-cheek comparison.

[oshunluvr]

I've been distro shopping because I'm building a new PC for my wife and she needs solid and easy to use, NOT bleeding edge. I'm liking Zorin because it's beginner based and has a windows-classic interface. She's using Win 8 Pro at the moment. I hadn't known about TUXEDO. D/Ling now...

Zorin:
Plasma 5.18.8
Frameworks 5.68.0
Qt 5.12.8
Kernel 5.15.0-76

[Schwarzer Kater]

I do have several ("computer-unsavvy") customers who use Zorin OS after my consultation and are very satisfied - they like Zorin's design language, just use it "as is" and don't care about new and shiny software.
Interestingly they are all female.

Zorin OS is an (at present) Ubuntu 20.04-based, specialized GNOME distribution with a well designed and consistent UI.
It relies heavily on Flatpak and is targeted mainly at "normal" users / users who have switched from e.g. Windows. (they have some tools for that and implemented some little things which make this easier for "normal" users).

The only other desktop environment that is officially supported by the brothers Zorin is Xfce in their "Lite" edition (in reality it is the "heaviest" implementation of Xfce in any distribution out there , but also the most beautiful IMHO…).

But Zorin OS has nothing to do with KDE Plasma and is not meant to be used with KDE Plasma (like Linux Mint Cinnamon etc.).
One can install KDE Plasma 5.18.8 from the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS repositories (but why would anybody want that?).

I am looking forward to your evaluation of TUXEDO OS 2 - but I think your other half could also be equally happy with Kubuntu LTS (if it supports the hardware you have in mind for your wife).

[oshunluvr]

I do have several ("computer-unsavvy") customers who use Zorin OS after my consultation and are very satisfied - they like Zorin's design language, just use it "as is" and don't care about new and shiny software.
Interestingly they are all female.

Zorin OS is an (at present) Ubuntu 20.04-based, specialized GNOME distribution with a well designed and consistent UI.
It relies heavily on Flatpak and is targeted mainly at "normal" users / users who have switched from e.g. Windows. (they have some tools for that and implemented some little things which make this easier for "normal" users).

The only other desktop environment that is officially supported by the brothers Zorin is Xfce in their "Light" edition (in reality it is the "heaviest" implementation of Xfce in any distribution out there , but also the most beautiful IMHO…).

But Zorin OS has nothing to do with KDE Plasma and is not meant to be used with KDE Plasma (like Linux Mint Cinnamon etc.).
One can install KDE Plasma 5.18.8 from the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS repositories (but why would anybody want that?).

I am looking forward to your evaluation of TUXEDO OS 2 - but I think your other half could also be equally happy with Kubuntu LTS (if it supports the hardware you have in mind for your wife).

TL/DR: My wife has used Linux in the past and has no problem with the basics (see longer tale below if interested). She had to have Win 8 Pro for her work but now the company transitioned to AWS so they don't care what OS she uses. I would like something for her that is nearly immutable (because she breaks things, lol) and I would admin it remotely. I definitely want it on BTRFS but beyond that, it's not my playground.

To TUXEDO: The initial install didn't go well at all. The installer locked up and crashed at "Setting Locales". However after 3 failures, rather than selecting "Install" from the boot menu, I booted to the live session and used the icon on the desktop to launch the installer, which went flawlessly. The ISO boot install menu options were slightly different from the menu presented when clicking on the desktop icon so I assume they have a custom pre-loaded config for Calamares that has an issue. Right away I liked that it was "de-snapped" and they even put Firefox on there, which is nice for the FF users who may not have the skill to go through all the shenanigans required to keep FF non-snapified.

Final test will probably be installing both and letting the missus choose. I'll be scripting snapshots/backups and updating via ssh so she won't even know I'm there...

...mmmuuuuhhhaaaa

[The wife's Linux journey] Not a techie computer person at all, but needs to use her PC daily for work. Rewind to when we first met 21 years ago and she had a many years old name brand desktop using Win 95 for solitaire, email, and web browsing - not much else. As always with Winblows, it had gotten slower and slower to the point of being almost unusable. I told her I could fix it by putting Linux on it. She agreed and I set it up to look as "Win 95" as possible. It was "fast" again and she was happy. A couple years later it finally died for good so I bought her a new laptop with Windows ME on it and handed it over out-of-the-box. It took about 2 weeks then she handed it back and said "Would you put Linux on this please? I can't use this crap."

Small add-on; my pre-teen niece would go to my mother-in-laws house and managed to get a virus from something she was doing just about every time she was there. I got tired of "cleaning" it so I converted grandmas PC to Linux as well. At 75 she only used email and solitaire and never noticed the change. My niece was unhappy because whatever she was doing no longer worked, lol.

[claydoh]

I would like something for her that is nearly immutable

If Plasma is useful for this, Kionite (or Silverblue) is mostly immutable, which is too strong a word for this type of system tbh.

Software is mostly flatpak, no passwords required there, and is BTRFS ootb, and previous versions are bootable from Grub . I haven't looked to see what parts of Plasma are flatpak or native, and I can't tell any difference between neon and this on my system in terms of performance.

Admin is different, not just the different methods for package management, but system admin via ssh is standard Linux fare as far as I can tell.

System updates do require reboots to take effect, and one can overlay things on top of or alongside or something-something-a-bit over my head, in terms of explaining ability.

It's not an unrooted phone or stock Chromebook in terms of system access, it just take some extra steps to learn.

Worth investigating, imo.

[oshunluvr]

Interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks!

[claydoh]

It's not a new type of system, been around a little while. OpenSUSE' has a similar offering, as does Ubuntu, though their desktop focused version is very newly announced.

VanillaOS is a popular newish entry into this arena.

[GreyGeek]

I've been distro shopping because I'm building a new PC for my wife and she needs solid and easy to use, NOT bleeding edge. I'm liking Zorin because it's beginner based and has a windows-classic interface. She's using Win 8 Pro at the moment. I hadn't known about TUXEDO. D/Ling now...

Zorin:
Plasma 5.18.8
Frameworks 5.68.0
Qt 5.12.8
Kernel 5.15.0-76

It's been a month! I'm curious, what did you finally get for her?
Asking for a friend!