System76, the developers behind the Linux-based Pop!_OS, have announced the release of the seventh alpha version of the Cosmic desktop environment. Cosmic is built using the Rust language and is not to be confused with the previous iteration based on Gnome Shell. This new version is available for testing through ISO images for NVIDIA (3.3 GB) and intel/amd (2.9 GB) systems. Packages are also available for various distributions including Fedora, NixOS, Arch Linux, openSUSE, Serpent OS, Redox, and Cachyos.
Cosmic is being developed as a universal project that adheres to Freedesktop specifications. It utilizes the id library for interface building, which incorporates safe types, modular architecture, reactive programming principles, and a declarative interface construction model similar to ELM. The interface offers support for Vulkan, Metal, DX12, Opengl 2.1+, and Opengl ES 2.0+, along with various widgets, asynchronous handlers, and adaptive layout features.
Other notable features of Cosmic include hybrid mosaic layout modes, window grouping, and a composite server called cosmic-comp based on Wayland. The project is set to have its first stable release in the first quarter of 2025.