System76, the developers behind the Linux-driven Pop!_OS, have introduced the third alpha version of their desktop, Cosmic. This version, written in Rust language, is based on a different platform compared to the previous iteration, which was Gnome Shell-based. ISO images are available for testing on systems with NVIDIA GPUs (3 GB) and intel/amd (2.6 GB), built on a test assembly of the Pop!_OS 24.04 distribution. Ready-made packages are also accessible for fedora, nixos, arch linux, opensuse, serpent os, Redox, and Cachyos.
Cosmic is positioned as a universal project that adheres to Freedesktop specifications and is not tied to a specific distribution. To construct the interface in Cosmic, the library ‘id’ is utilized, incorporating safe types, modular architecture, reactive programming, and a familiar declarative construction of interfaces using ELM. The project includes support for multiple graphics drawing like Vulkan, Metal, DX12, Opengl 2.1+, and Opengl ES 2.0+. Additionally, developers have access to a set of widgets, the ability to create asynchronous handlers, and utilize adaptive layout for interface elements based on window and screen size. Cosmic also works on a composite server, cosmic-comp, relying on Wayland.
Main changes from the second alpha version of Cosmic include:
- The addition of options for automatic screen shutdown and system sleep mode in power control settings.
- The inclusion of an experimental settings block in the appearance section that permits changes to system fonts, selection of a monomic font, icon customization, and graphic toolkit design configuration.