KaOS 2026.03 tears down systemd piece by piece while Plasma fades into the background

The latest KaOS 2026.03 release marks a pivotal moment in the rolling-release Linux distribution's evolution, as the developers begin systematically dismantling their dependence on systemd while simultaneously moving away from KDE Plasma as the default desktop environment.

The systemd dismantling begins

The most significant change in this release won't be visible to most users, but it represents a philosophical shift for the project. KaOS has started removing components of systemd from the operating system, beginning with the bootloader. The team has replaced systemd-boot with Limine as the default bootloader, while also eliminating mkinitcpio for initramfs creation. Instead, the ISO creation now uses Dracut, and the entire process no longer relies on any systemd components.

However, the developers are quick to note that systemd itself remains present in the operating system. This is just the first step in what appears to be a gradual migration away from the ubiquitous init system. The team describes swapping out systemd-boot as "likely the easiest way to begin separating the operating system from systemd," suggesting more changes are on the horizon.

Plasma's quiet exit continues

This release comes hot on the heels of KaOS's controversial decision to drop KDE Plasma as the default desktop environment last month. While Plasma can still be installed from the repositories, the distribution has shifted to Niri and Noctalia as its new default environments. The move appears to be partly motivated by concerns about KDE's increasing dependence on systemd, though the developers have not explicitly confirmed this as the primary reason.

Under the hood improvements

Beyond the systemd changes, KaOS 2026.03 introduces several technical improvements. The distribution has moved from VLC to phonon-mpv as the default Phonon backend. The developers cited issues with Qt6 porting as the reason for this switch, suggesting that maintaining compatibility with the latest Qt frameworks has become increasingly challenging.

Another notable addition is support for running SDDM 0.20.0 with Wayland. The developers have indicated that Wayland will become the default in version 0.21.0, signaling a broader shift toward modern display protocols within the KaOS ecosystem.

What this means for users

For existing KaOS users, these changes represent a gradual evolution rather than a revolutionary shift. The operating system remains functional and familiar, but the foundations are being restructured. Users who appreciated KaOS for its KDE Plasma implementation can still install and run Plasma, but they'll need to adapt to the new default environments if they perform fresh installations.

The systemd changes are particularly interesting from a technical perspective. While many Linux distributions have debated the merits and drawbacks of systemd over the years, few have taken concrete steps to remove it. KaOS's approach of starting with the bootloader and build system suggests a methodical strategy that could serve as a model for other distributions considering similar moves.

As KaOS continues down this path, it will be fascinating to watch whether the distribution can successfully extricate itself from systemd entirely, and how this philosophical stance will shape its development in the coming years. For now, users get a more modern, Wayland-ready system with the familiar rolling-release experience they've come to expect from KaOS.