What's new in the stable version?

DESERT 5.5 LTS

• Base: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

• Desktop Environment: XFCE 4.20

• Kernel: 7.0

Description

• Modern Visuals: Powered by the Picom compositor, the system features a sleek look with transparency and blur effects. It also includes automatic color palette synchronization that matches your desktop theme to your wallpaper.

• Lightweight Performance: The XFCE desktop environment is highly resource-efficient, ensuring smooth performance even on low-end or legacy hardware.

• Universal App Support: Seamlessly install applications from various sources and formats: Deb packages via Synaptic, Pacstall (AUR for Ubuntu), Flatpak from Flathub, AppImage, and Windows msi/exe files via Wine.

• Virtual keyboard: Added a virtual keyboard to the login screen. 

• DESERT Installer: Added an option to enable or disable automatic login directly within the system installer.

• Panel plugins: Added a weather plugin with automatic location detection, Global Menu plugin, time and calendar plugin, Control Center plugin, menu plugin, plugin for viewing and launching installed applications.

• Advanced System Tools:

  • Cortile: Tiling window management mode.

  • DESERT Settings: Set live video backgrounds for your desktop and login screen. Commands for active screen corners. Switch between XFWM4 and Picom compositors. Enable or disable widgets, login melodies, and dynamic workspaces.

  • DESERT Mirror Optimizer: Manual or automatic selection of the fastest mirrors.

  • DESERT Cleaner: Clean system junk, unused dependencies, and old kernels.

  • DESERT Cloud Master: Connect Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Yandex Disk.

• Intel-based MacBook Support: Out-of-the-box support for Wi-Fi and FaceTimeHD cameras, plus APFS read support.

• Live Mode Localization: You can start the Live mode in: Deutsch (de), English (us), Español (es), Français (fr), Italiano (it), 日本語 (ja), Nederlands (nl), Polski (pl), Português (pt), Brasil (pt_BR), Русский (ru), Türkçe (tr), Українська (uk), 中文 (zh_CN). > Note: The system can be installed in different languages, but an internet connection is required during installation to download additional localization packages.

• Virtual Machine Note: By default, when running in a virtual machine, the system utilizes the XFWM4 compositor, which supports transparency and rounded corners. To experience the original look of DESERT with full blur effects, you need to switch to Picom. This can be done via DESERT Settings under the Tweaks tab.

Warning: Due to the Picom compositor, the system may become unstable in virtual machines. In some cases, enabling 3D acceleration (e.g., in GNOME Boxes) helps resolve this issue.

The author is not responsible for any issues that may occur. Live Mode allows you to explore the system without installation