Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

KDE Plasma Desktop VS Arcan

Compare KDE Plasma Desktop VS Arcan and see what are their differences

KDE Plasma Desktop logo KDE Plasma Desktop

Plasma Workspaces is the umbrella term for all graphical environments provided by KDE.

Arcan logo Arcan

Game engine and multimedia framework and display server.
  • KDE Plasma Desktop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-06
  • Arcan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-14

KDE Plasma Desktop features and specs

  • Customizability
    KDE Plasma Desktop offers an extensive range of customization options, allowing users to tweak almost every aspect of the user interface including widgets, themes, and layout.
  • Performance
    Despite its rich feature set, KDE Plasma is known for being lightweight and efficient, performing well even on older or less powerful hardware.
  • Feature-Rich
    Out of the box, KDE Plasma provides a wide array of built-in applications and tools, from productivity applications to utilities, catering to a variety of needs.
  • Active Community
    KDE has an active and supportive community that constantly contributes to its development, ensuring the desktop environment is continuously improved and updated.
  • Frequent Updates
    KDE Plasma receives regular updates, which bring not only security patches but also new features and improvements, keeping the desktop environment modern and secure.

Possible disadvantages of KDE Plasma Desktop

  • Complexity
    While the high level of customizability is a strength, it can be overwhelming for new or less tech-savvy users who might find the vast array of options difficult to navigate.
  • Resource Usage
    Although efficient, KDE Plasma might still consume more system resources compared to very minimalistic desktop environments, potentially posing an issue on extremely limited hardware.
  • Initial Stability
    Sometimes new updates or features can introduce stability issues or bugs, which might impact the user experience until they are patched in future updates.
  • Application UI Variability
    Depending on the application, user interface design can vary significantly, leading to an inconsistent look and feel across different applications.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    The extensive feature set, while advantageous for power users, can lead to a steeper learning curve for beginners or those transitioning from simpler desktop environments.

Arcan features and specs

  • Open Source
    Arcan is open-source, allowing developers to access, modify, and improve the source code according to their needs. This fosters a community-driven environment and enhances transparency.
  • Versatility
    Arcan is designed to handle a wide array of graphical and multimedia tasks, making it suitable for various applications beyond just a display server.
  • Security Focus
    The platform emphasizes security by design, providing mechanisms to isolate and protect components and users, which is crucial in multi-user or multi-tenant systems.
  • Performance
    Arcan is optimized for performance, aiming to deliver efficient rendering and resource utilization, which is beneficial for both desktop environments and embedded systems.

Possible disadvantages of Arcan

  • Complexity
    Due to its extensive feature set and adaptable nature, Arcan's framework may have a steep learning curve for new users or developers unfamiliar with its architecture.
  • Limited Adoption
    Compared to more established systems like X11 or Wayland, Arcan has a smaller user base, which can limit community support, third-party integrations, and documentation.
  • Compatibility Challenges
    As Arcan offers a unique approach to handling graphical tasks, it might face compatibility issues with software or systems not specifically designed to work with its environment.

Analysis of KDE Plasma Desktop

Overall verdict

  • KDE Plasma Desktop is generally regarded as a highly customizable, resource-efficient, and visually appealing desktop environment, making it a good choice for many users.

Why this product is good

  • KDE Plasma is known for its flexibility and extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor their desktop environment to their specific needs. It also provides a sleek, modern interface with a wide range of built-in features and applications. Additionally, Plasma is designed to be lightweight, ensuring smooth performance even on older hardware.

Recommended for

  • Users who enjoy customizing their desktop environment
  • Those seeking a lightweight and efficient DE
  • Individuals looking for a modern and intuitive interface
  • Users who want a desktop environment with a vast array of native applications
  • People with older hardware

KDE Plasma Desktop videos

KDE Plasma Workspaces

More videos:

  • Review - KDE Plasma 5 Deep Dive (Late 2019) | Linux Desktop Reviews
  • Review - Trying Out KDE Plasma 5.15
  • Review - Kubuntu 18.04 Review: KDE Plasma at its Best

Arcan videos

A Quick Review of Arcan XL3000 Low Profile Floor Jack

More videos:

  • Review - Arcan 2 Ton Jack For The Lexus Gsf
  • Review - Arcan 3 Ton Aluminum Low Profile Jack Review On The Jeep Wrangler YJ

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to KDE Plasma Desktop and Arcan)
Linux
91 91%
9% 9
Operating Systems
91 91%
9% 9
Desktop Environments
94 94%
6% 6
Window Manager
79 79%
21% 21

User comments

Share your experience with using KDE Plasma Desktop and Arcan. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare KDE Plasma Desktop and Arcan

KDE Plasma Desktop Reviews

9 Best Linux Desktop Environments to Use in 2023
After GNOME, the most widely used Linux desktop environment is KDE Plasma. This KDE Plasma desktop environment comes with various tools and services to fulfill almost any demand. It includes applications like Dolphin, the default and most powerful file system manager, and KGeoTag, a photo Photo geotagging program. It features Oxygen icons by default, which have a pleasing...
Source: geekflare.com
The 8 Best Ubuntu Desktop Environments (22.04 Jammy Jellyfish Linux)
KDE Plasma desktop is a widget-based environment which makes it very adaptable. You can move, add or remove anything you like to make it suit your style as well as possible. Plasma is fast and efficient. It uses only few resources and is full of well designed features.
Source: linuxconfig.org

Arcan Reviews

We have no reviews of Arcan yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, KDE Plasma Desktop should be more popular than Arcan. It has been mentiond 67 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

KDE Plasma Desktop mentions (67)

  • Looking back at my transition from Windows to Linux in an anti-customer age
    You might like KDE[1]. It has a much more Windows like feel. Or Cutefish[2] for that OSX feel. It is pretty simple to make a switch (given you're comfortable with software I assume calling a few lines from the CLI doesn't scare you). Just some food for though. Personally I hate Gnome. Ugly as hell and unintuitive. I'd rather go headless than use Gnome. [0]... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Unlocking the Cutting Edge: Exploring Plasma 6 Beta, Secure Knowledge Management, and the Latest Tools for Linux Enthusiasts
    Plasma 6 - Beta 1 is the latest iteration of the KDE desktop environment, known for its flexibility and customization options. Beta releases are crucial for ironing out bugs and streamlining new features before the final release. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Apps cannot read files from Google Drive on KDE Neon
    Recently I installed KDE Plasma. I was pleased to see the KDE-KIO integration for Google Drive. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Should i switch?
    I'm glad to hear that you use Krita (and I may assume you use Blender for animations). Both are free and open source software that is available on Linux (even better, Krita is made by the KDE project, makers of all sorts of open source projects, including Plasma, one of the most complete user interfaces for Linux out there). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Gamer migrating to Linux
    Because of this, I recommend using Fedora (either the default edition, which uses the GNOME desktop, or Fedora KDE, which uses the KDE Plasma desktop, like the Steam Deck). It ships up-to-date software, and it's very polished. (Note that, due to the US software patents, support/hardware acceleration for some media codecs isn't included by default. You should add the RPMFusion repo and set up the codecs after... Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Arcan mentions (21)

  • ร‰toilรฉ โ€“ desktop built on GNUStep
    Chisnall has stated several times over on Lobsters that he's thinking of basing is future project on Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com/). It's a very interesting project. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • In praise of grobi for auto-configuring X11 monitors
    Yes, multi-protocol display servers like Arcan are the future. https://arcan-fe.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Dear sir, you have built a compiler (2022)
    You should take a look at arcan, it's almost exactly that: http://arcan-fe.com - https://arcan-fe.com/2022/10/15/whipping-up-a-new-shell-lashcat9/ - https://arcan-fe.com/2024/09/16/a-spreadsheet-and-a-debugger-walks-into-a-shell/ I am not using it as a daily driver, because, emacs, but I keep an eye on it because, well, emacs. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11
    This was very cool, and is made in Arcan! https://arcan-fe.com/ a project I just recently discovered and am very excited about. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ideal OS: Rebooting the Desktop Operating System (2017)
    A lot of this seems like it's done by Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing KDE Plasma Desktop and Arcan, you can also consider the following products

Xfce - Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It aims to be fast and low on system resources, while still being visually appealing and user friendly.

Wayfire - Wayland compositor with 3d effects.

LXQt - The LXQt team is proud to announce the release of qtermwidget and qterminal, both in version 0. 8. 0. Read more..

Unity8 - Mir compositor with Wayland apps support.

LXDE - Why will you like it? Less resource needs. You can use it on your less-pricey embedded board or salvaged computer. Component-based design. Don't want something in LXDE, or you don't want to use LXDE but only part of it?

UKUI - UKUI is a lightweight desktop environment based on pluggable framework for Linux and other Unix-like Distributions.