Kalpa Desktop is an atomic and transactional Linux distribution derived from openSUSE Tumbleweed and MicroOS. It provides a KDE Plasma desktop.
Kalpa Desktop combines the advantages of a rolling distribution, a read-only root file system, and Btrfs snapshots. Software is installed via Flatpaks, updates occur in the background without user interaction, and changes only take effect after a reboot. If the system fails to boot into a working session after an update, it automatically reverts to the last successfully booting snapshot. Kalpa Desktop is aimed at users accustomed to iOS or Android, where the operating system is static, automated, and reliable, and apps are the primary focus. Kalpa Desktop is based on openSUSE Tumbleweed (KDE Plasma desktop) and openSUSE MicroOS (base system).
Kalpa is currently offered in Alpha state, so it’s best suited to testers and users interested in immutable desktop Linux rather than those looking for a fully polished general-purpose distribution.
Kalpa requires the following minimum hardware for installation:
- UEFI
- 120GB Hard Drive Dedicated to Kalpa, using a GPT Partition Table
- x86_64 compatible processor
- 8GB RAM (Not strictly required, but experience will degrade with less RAM)
| Working state: | Active |
| Desktop: | KDE Plasma |
| Init Software: | systemd |
| Package Management: | Flatpak |
| Release Model: | Rolling |
| Platforms: | x86_64, aarch64, armv6hl, armv7hl |
| Home Page: | kalpadesktop.org |
| Developer: | Shawn W Dunn |
This entry was written with the assistance of a visitor who completed the distro form.
| This article is part of our Big List of Active Linux Distributions. |
What's a Linux distribution ("distro")? |
| A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system. Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies. Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros. |