KDE Plasma 6.8 is set to be a significant release as it transitions to a Wayland-only desktop environment, dropping support for the X11 session entirely. This shift mirrors actions taken by the GNOME team, who also moved away from X11 with GNOME 49. However, users need not worry; X11 applications will still function in KDE Plasma 6.8 through the Xwayland compatibility layer.
The announcement comes with ample lead time, as Plasma 6.8 won’t release until October 2027, following the upcoming Plasma 6.6 and 6.7 versions which will still support X11. KDE’s team has assured that most users have already adapted to Wayland, which is becoming the default session on many distributions. In fact, distributions like Kubuntu 25.10 have already eliminated the X11 Plasma session by default.
The motivation behind this decision is to foster progress and innovation. KDE has expressed that moving forward with Wayland allows for new features, optimizations, and faster development cycles. They emphasize the necessity to be adaptable in a rapidly evolving environment, moving past legacy support that can hinder advancements.
For those who rely on X11, alternatives remain as numerous other desktops and distributions continue to offer support. KDE plans to extend the lifespan of versions 6.6 and 6.7 with additional bug fixes in 2027, ensuring users have the choice to delay transitioning to the Wayland-only setup if desired.
With this forward-looking move, KDE aims to create a stronger and more efficient environment, reinforcing their commitment to delivering an exceptional free desktop experience.