The Debian community is working hard to ensure that the next version of its operating system, Debian 13, codenamed “Trixie,” includes GNOME 48 as part of its main features. This move is not the most usual, since we are talking about a project that has always prioritized stability, but it does not fail to respond to the expectations of its most demanding users. GNOME 48 promises important improvements in both design and performance, which reinforces its position as one of the most popular desktop environments on Linux systems.
Jeremy Bicha, Debian and Ubuntu kernel developer, has been a key figure in confirming these advances.. As reportedDuring internal discussions within the Debian GNOME Team it was decided to aim to include GNOME 48 in the final release of “Trixie”. The intention is to integrate the candidate version (Release Candidate) of GNOME 48 before the end of the transition freeze, known as "Transition Freeze", and have version 48.1 ready before the «Hard Freeze». Barring any unforeseen events, Debian 13.0 will be available with these updates before the end of this year.
The future of GNOME Papers in Debian 13 and Ubuntu 25.04
Another of the outstanding novelties is the Inclusion of GNOME Papers, an application that seeks to establish itself as the default document viewer in place of Evince. This change reflects a focus on modern and efficient tools to meet current user needs. GNOME Papers has recently been accepted into the Debian unstable repository, also known as “Debian Unstable”, as well as into the Ubuntu 25.04 repository.
It is expected that in future versions, such as Ubuntu 25.10, GNOME Papers officially replace Evince as the primary application for viewing PDF documentsFor now, users interested in trying out this viewer can find it available as Flatpak package on Flathub, a platform that provides easy access to numerous Linux applications.
A coordinated technical effort
The integration of GNOME 48 and GNOME Papers represents a technical challenge that the Debian team is being addressed in an organized and proactive manner. These components are expected to be fully functional before the final freeze stages, thus ensuring stability and delivery on schedule. This approach demonstrates Debian's commitment to delivering a solid and up-to-date product to its user base.
GNOME 48, which will include new features and a renewed design, and GNOME Papers, which stands out for its modernity and simplicity, are Important steps towards improving user experience in Debian. In addition, these updates ensure that Debian remains competitive with other Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu.
Debian 13, coming two years after Bookworm, promises to be a notable release in the history of the project, not only for the inclusion of GNOME 48, but also for the adoption of GNOME Papers as a key tool. The efforts made by the developers to implement these new features ensure that the community, both users and developers, can enjoy a reliable, modern operating system that is adapted to today's demands.