After months of development, the first alpha release of Mageia 10 is now available for public testing, allowing users to assist developers in identifying bugs ahead of the final release expected in April 2026. This new version is built on the long-term supported Linux kernel 6.12 LTS and features desktop environments including KDE Plasma 6.5, GNOME 49, and Xfce 4.20.
The alpha version showcases KDE Plasma 6.5.4, complemented by KDE Frameworks 6.21 and KDE Gear 25.12, all utilizing the Qt 6.10 framework. Notably, the GNOME edition is designed to work exclusively with Wayland, while the KDE Plasma and Xfce editions still offer support for X11.
Mageia 10 aims to enhance user experience right from the installation, coming pre-packaged with the Mesa 25.1 graphics stack for Intel/AMD systems, and integrated NVIDIA driver support, ensuring a smoother out-of-the-box experience. Alongside these features, many default applications have been updated to their latest versions for improved functionality.
As always, Mageia maintains its commitment to usability with a traditional setup wizard for first-time installations, allowing for easy configuration of keyboard layouts, system language, and time zones. The operating system utilizes DNF 4.23 and RPM 4.20.1 for package management.
Community involvement is crucial for ensuring the quality of Mageia 10, and users are encouraged to report any bugs they encounter during testing by visiting the bug reporting site. The alpha release is available for download in KDE Plasma, GNOME, and Xfce editions, along with 32-bit support for the Xfce edition.
For those interested in participating in the testing process, the installation or live ISO images can be downloaded from the official Mageia website. This release represents a community-driven effort, and contributions in the form of feedback are invaluable to the developers.