Following the official Ubuntu release schedule, Kubuntu 24.04 LTS released right on time on April 25th, 2024. Code-named Noble Numbat, Kubuntu 24.04 LTS will be supported for the next three years, and ships with the 11th release of KDE Plasma 5.27, a new Linux Kernel, as well as many other app upgrades.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room right from the get-go. Kubuntu 24.04 LTS does not ship with KDE Plasma 6. While this is a bit of a disappointment, it’s somewhat understandable as the release cycle of Ubuntu 24.04 and Plasma 6 are a bit out of sync (not that they should be in perfect sync).
Does this make this release a bit less exciting? The short answer is, yes, definitely! However, the switch to Plasma 6 will most probably take place in the 24.10 release (scheduled to October 2024). Still, there’s a lot to talk about.
Even though visually there are not many changes, under-the-hood there are a lot of changes to Kubuntu’s core packages including the new Linux Kernel 6.8, some very nice installer changes (in my honest opinion), upgraded apps, and a nifty set of new wallpapers.
First things first, let’s talk about the installer. Just like in the case of Lubuntu 24.04 LTS, Kubuntu 24.04 LTS also decided to switch to Calamares as its default installer, therefore skipping the new Flutter-based installer found in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
While the Calamares installer is not as fancy looking (or as user-friendly, arguably), I think it works better, at least for Kubuntu. One nice change is the fact that the team behind Kubuntu added three installation modes: Full Installation, Normal Installation, and Minimal Installation.
My favorite one is the Minimal Installation as it allows you to only install the desktop environment, with no apps or tools.
This version of Kubuntu comes with KDE Frameworks 5.115 and KDE Gear 23.08, as well as with a new Linux Kernel 6.8.
Kubuntu 24.04 LTS ships with Firefox 117 (and yes, sad for some, not so sad for others, it’s a snap app as default), LibreOffice 24.2 (available in the Full Installation), Qt 5.15.13, and Digikam 8.2.
There are two new apps installed by default, namely Haruna and Elise, and unsurprisingly, PipeWire is the default audio backend.
Kubuntu 24.04 LTS might not be as exciting of a release as the distro it’s based on (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS). One reason for this “lack of excitement” is the fact that Ubuntu 24.04 LTS comes with a brand new version of GNOME (46), while Kubuntu 24.04 LTS has to do with the 11th release of KDE Plasma (5.27.11).
Still, at least for me, Kubuntu still feels more cohesive as a package than even the mighty Ubuntu. Kubuntu 24.04 LTS might not have Plasma 6, but its desktop environment is a bit smoother to use (again, at least for me) than the current Ubuntu version it is based on (that currently struggles a bit in its quest to switch everything to snap).
