KDE Linux was introduced in 2024It was released just over two years ago. It was presented as an Arch-based, but immutable, distribution for users who prefer a system that is difficult to break (or easy to repair) for production. The software is primarily sourced from Flathub, but support for snap packages is not ruled out, and there is also the option to use other distributions. distro boxThe problem until now was that you had to use it in Live mode or install it on real hardware, but that has just changed.
In the latest article of This month in KDE LinuxThe update, which details recent work on the operating system, includes several points, but the most notable is that the operating system is now offered as an ISO image. Previously, the provided image was RAW, which wasn't compatible with GNOME Boxes, or at least not if the goal was to install the operating system. The new ISO simplifies installation in GNOME Boxes and other virtual machine software, as no extra work is required.
KDE Linux now supports GNOME Boxes
How can you try KDE Linux in a virtual machine? Well, now that there's an ISO image, practically like any other Linux-based system. First, let's... this linkWe look for the last file with the .iso extension, which at the time of writing this article is the kde-linux_202607020254.iso We downloaded it today, July 2nd. The image weighs between 7GB and 8GB, which is not surprising considering it's an immutable system and includes a lot by default.
To install the operating system, you must select UEFI when creating the virtual machine, as BIOS will result in an error. Then, simply start the virtual machine and install the operating system. The installation is OEM-style, meaning the system is installed first, which is quite fast, and then, upon first boot, the installation is completed. This involves creating a user account, specifying the time zone, keyboard layout, and other settings.
Although the official minimum storage requirement is around 15GB, this is neither recommended nor close to it. Those 15GB will allow you to install the operating system, but an option like this, which downloads entire images for updates, could run out of space if you rely on that limit. I would recommend a minimum of 24GB (the minimum 15GB plus another 8-9GB for downloading large images), or considerably more if you need to install large applications and various documents.
In any case, KDE Linux can now be easily installed on virtual machines and the first beta version is expected to be released in the medium term.