The Fedora Community has put into circulation Fedora 44 As a new stable version of its Linux distribution, this edition maintains its profile as a reference platform for cutting-edge desktop and server technologies. While it doesn't completely abandon its previous features, it does introduce a number of technical adjustments in graphics, installation, networking, and virtualization, reinforcing its role as a testing ground for Red Hat-based enterprise environments.
This release coincides with a particularly busy period in the Linux ecosystem, with new versions from other established distributions and a growing focus on performance, gaming and cloudIn the case of Fedora 44, the strategy involves combining very recent components, both in the GNOME desktop and in KDE Plasma, with less flashy but relevant changes in the installer, file system and management of modern hardware, a combination that may be especially interesting for advanced users.
GNOME 50 Tokyo on Fedora Workstation 44
The Workstation edition, focused on the modern desktop, adopts the default environment. GNOME 50with the codename "Tokyo". Fedora maintains its philosophy of offering a GNOME experience very close to the original, with few additions and hardly any extensions enabled by default, beyond aesthetic details such as the logo extension associated with the default wallpaper.
Among the new features of GNOME 50 integrated into Fedora 44, one stands out: parental control system More comprehensive, it allows you to set time limits for use and apply web browsing filters, something that can be useful on home or school computers in environments where monitoring device usage is becoming increasingly important.
Improvements have also been made to the Nautilus file manager, which now uses the library glycine for image decoding in isolated environments. This change aims to increase the browser's stability and security by handling image processing in a more controlled manner, which is especially relevant when opening files from unknown sources or working with shared repositories.
Wayland, VRR and color: a leap forward in graphics with Fedora 44
Fedora 44 reinforces the role of Wayland as the default graphical session, incorporating in a stable and supported manner the variable refresh rate (VRR) and fractional scaling in sessions using this protocol. On monitors with high refresh rates or multi-monitor setups, VRR helps smooth the visual experience by reducing tearing, something many users with gaming or professional displays already consider a minimum standard.
Fractional scaling allows for more precise adjustment of interface element sizes on HiDPI displays, eliminating the need to choose between icons that are too small or too large. These improvements are accompanied by Specific fixes for the official NVIDIA driverThis is often a sensitive issue in many distributions, and it is explicitly addressed here to improve compatibility.
In terms of color, Fedora 44 integrates the Wayland color management protocol version 2 and a more modern color pipeline that allows screen sharing while preserving HDR metadata. This advancement is key for creatives, multimedia developers, and users working with high dynamic range content, preventing loss of quality when recording or streaming the image.
Fedora 44 introduces improvements to remote desktop and energy efficiency
Distribution is also taking a step forward in the area of remote DesktopFedora 44 enables wider use of Vulkan and VA-API in remote sessions, resulting in improved hardware acceleration for streaming video and graphics. This approach reduces power consumption and improves performance, making it beneficial for those accessing their work systems remotely from home or other locations.
The combination of these improvements with the refined management of certificates in OpenSSLThe reduced loading times help make both system startup and certain network operations more responsive. While these changes may go unnoticed by the average user, they contribute to a more polished overall experience in the long run.
KDE Plasma 6.6 and a more unified experience
The variant with KDE Plasma Fedora 44 also receives special attention, integrating version 6.6 of the desktop environment. One of the focuses of this edition is to offer a more consistent experience from the first boot, with a clearer configuration flow in both the classic desktop and the atomized Kinoite variant.
To achieve this, a post-installation configuration applicationKnown as Plasma Setup, this tool guides the user through the initial configuration. Consequently, the Anaconda installer has been adjusted to disable repetitive steps that overlapped with this new tool, thus preventing confusion and duplicate configurations.
Another relevant change is the adoption of Plasma Login Manager (PLM) Plasma will use the login manager instead of SDDM. This move aims to improve visual and functional consistency from system startup until the user logs in, something the community has long requested to make Plasma more uniform for new users.
Atomic spins and desktops: more options for every profile
Although GNOME and KDE Plasma take center stage, Fedora 44 continues to offer a wide range of spins and alternative desksAmong the mutable variants are environments such as Cinnamon, Xfce, MATE, LXDE, LXQt, as well as lighter window managers geared towards advanced users, such as i3 and Sway.
In parallel, the so-called atomic desktops (a term that replaces "immutable"), which includes proposals like Atomic Sway and Atomic Budgie, aimed at those seeking systems with a more controlled package base and transactional updates. Silverblue (based on GNOME) and Kinoite (based on Plasma) remain the most visible options in this area.
Regarding architectures, Fedora 44 offers support for 86-bit x6464-bit ARM and 64-bit PowerPC in little-endian mode. Not all editions and spins are compiled for all architectures, but the distribution thus maintains a relevant presence on platforms used in desktops, data centers, and embedded devices.
Changes in Anaconda and a more consistent installation in Fedora 44
The installer Anaconda Fedora 44 incorporates some adjustments that, while not spectacular, do correct historical consistency issues between the live session and the final installed system. From this version onward, only storage devices configured during installation become part of the final system configuration.
This change aims to prevent situations where disk or partition configurations detected in the live session were carried over but not intended for use in the final system. This seeks to... more consistent experience between what the user sees during the installation process and what is found on the hard drive or SSD after the process is completed.
Furthermore, Anaconda modifies its behavior when managing network profiles, so that now they are created profiles exclusively for devices configured during installation. This eliminates the clutter of generic profiles that could accumulate, making it easier for administrators and advanced users to manage interfaces and connections later.
Virtualization and the gradual abandonment of 32-bit host computing
In the area of ​​virtualization, Fedora 44 takes another step in the transition to purely 64-bit environments. The project has decided to eliminate the 32-bit x86 support in QEMU at the host system level. In theory, it is still possible to run 32-bit operating systems as guests, but the runtime environment they rely on clearly prioritizes the 64-bit model.
This decision fits with the distribution strategy, which has long been focused on offering a cleaner x86_64 experience and aligned with the current state of the hardware being sold. Although some very old systems may be excluded, the reality is that most current home and professional computers run exclusively on 64-bit systems.
Fedora 44 and gaming: NTSYNC, Games Lab and recent graphics
Although Fedora hasn't traditionally positioned itself as a distribution focused on video games, version 44 introduces changes that make it more appealing for this use. Notably, the kernel module NTSYNC It is enabled by default for certain packages distributed as recommended, particularly Wine and Steam, key tools for Run Windows games on Linux.
This module acts on the thread synchronizationThis is crucial in many modern games, and it allows for reduced latency and improved compatibility with applications originally designed for Microsoft's system. Combined with recent versions of the Linux kernel and the Mesa graphics stack, Fedora 44 becomes a fairly capable gaming option, even if its official messaging doesn't focus on gaming.
The distribution also updates its Games LabA testing environment designed to offer the latest technologies for running video games on Wayland. The goal is to improve performance on the desktops that Fedora provides, both on conventional monitors and on configurations with high resolutions or high refresh rates, something increasingly common among gamers.
Base components and updated package ecosystem
As is customary with each release, Fedora 44 comes with a comprehensive overhaul of its package base. Key components include the kernel. Linux 6.19, the graphics stack Table 26.0.5systemd 259, PipeWire 1.6.4 and fwupd 2.1.2. The distribution's policy means that several of these components continue to be updated throughout the lifecycle, but systemd and GNOME tend to remain more static, receiving mostly bug fixes and security patches.
At the desktop level, GNOME freezes at version 50, while plasma 6.6 It has already arrived in Fedora 43, which leaves the door open for a possible upgrade to Plasma 6.7 within the Fedora 44 cycle itself. This strategy allows for offering relatively recent environments without subjecting the user to constant interface changes.
Regarding languages ​​and development tools, Fedora 44 incorporates updated versions of several important components: the compiler GCC 16LLVM 22, CMake 4.0, Golang 1.26, PHP 8.5, Ruby 4.0, Boost 1.90, and Budgie 10.10, among others. This makes the distribution an attractive platform for developers who want to work with cutting-edge technologies without having to rely on external repositories.
Server, databases and cloud
In the server field, Fedora 44 stands out for adopting as standard MariaDB 11.8 As the default database, this version brings performance improvements and features designed for production and advanced testing environments. This move is relevant for administrators who use Fedora as a testing system before deploying solutions on more conservative enterprise platforms.
The distribution also introduces changes to boot management for its cloud images: the /boot partition now uses Btrfs, aligning the storage scheme with the rest of the system, which already uses this file system. Btrfs offers features such as snapshots and compression, which can be advantageous in virtualized and cloud environments, common in providers and data centers that use Fedora as their base.
Among the less visible but important improvements is the Improved EFI support for AArch64 systemswith a particular emphasis on Windows on ARM systems. This type of laptop is gradually gaining popularity, and the enhanced compatibility makes it easier for advanced users to experiment with Fedora 44 on this hardware.
Overall performance and real-world hardware experience
Tests performed with near-final version images show that Fedora 44 performs solidly in a wide range of systemsThe combination of a recent kernel, updated Mesa, PipeWire, and fwupd makes it easier for the distribution to correctly recognize most of the hardware available on the market, from desktop computers to ultralight laptops.
Adjustments to the graphics stack, color management, and remote desktop, along with optimized certificate loading in OpenSSL, contribute to a somewhat smoother experience than in previous iterations, although the changes aren't revolutionary. They are scheduled for release. performance tests and comparisons additional, which will allow for a more precise measurement of where Fedora 44 stands in relation to other contemporary distributions.
At the same time, the presence of updated development packages and support for multiple desktops make Fedora 44 a flexible option, suitable both for those seeking a daily work environment and for users who want to experiment with the latest Linux technologies.
With this release, Fedora 44 solidifies its image as an innovative platform that evolves step by step, more through the accumulation of technical improvements than drastic changes. Between GNOME 50, Plasma 6.6, optimizations in Wayland, NT SYNC for gaming, the massive update of development tools, and adjustments to Anaconda, networking, and storage, the distribution offers a fairly complete package for those who value a balance between cutting-edge innovation and reasonable stability in the current Linux ecosystem.
