System76 Launches the First COSMIC Alpha, as It Seeks to Redefine the Linux Desktop Environment
Now available to try, either in Pop!_OS or standalone, the Rust-written COSMIC aims to be faster, more secure, and more customizable.
System76, known for its Linux-based laptops, desktops, and servers, has announced a milestone for its Pop!_OS Linux distribution: the release of the first alpha for COSMIC, its in-house desktop environment.
"We aim to liberate the computer with a new desktop environment powerful enough to build custom OS experiences — for users, developers, and makers of any device with a screen," the company claims of the release of the COSMIC alpha. "As the first alpha version of COSMIC Epoch 1, it is incomplete. You’ll most certainly find bugs. Testing and bug reports are welcome and appreciated. New feature requests will be considered for Epoch 2, COSMIC's second release."
System76 launched Pop!_OS, based on Canonical's Ubuntu Linux which is in turn based on Debian Linux, in 2017 as the default operating system for its desktop and laptop devices. At the time, the company chose to use the GNOME Shell for its desktop environment — but difficulties in customizing it to the company's needs led to the decision to design their own alternative, which became known as COSMIC.
Not to be confused with the previously-shipped customized GNOME Shell, which the company also called COSMIC, the new COSMIC is designed to be a standalone desktop environment usable both in Pop!_OS and outside it. Written in Rust, COSMIC is designed to address perceived shortcomings in GNOME Shell and its extant rivals — including resolving the difficulties System76 had with customization and extensibility.
"As a whole," the company claims, "COSMIC is a comprehensive operating system GUI (graphical user interface) environment that features advanced functionality and a responsive design. Its modular architecture is specifically designed to facilitate the creation of unique, branded user experiences with ease."
"The new desktop environment introduces a custom theming system," the company continues, "streamlined auto-tiling, new core applications including an app store, and provides you more control over your workflow. Written in the Rust programming language, COSMIC is more stable, more secure, and better optimized for performance."
The first COSMIC alpha is now available to download from the System76 website, either as part of the Pop!_OS 24.04 alpha release or as an installable package on Linux distributions including Fedora, NixOS, and Arch.