Slackware maintainers add KDE Plasma 6 desktop

Slackware maintainers merged KDE Plasma 6.6 packages Tuesday into Slackware current, giving desktop users a long-awaited path to the Plasma 6 stack inside one of Linux’s oldest distributions.

Patrick Volkerding credited Eric Hameleers, known as alienBOB, and LuckyCyborg for the Plasma 6 build work. The Slackware team developed the packages in a side tree for several weeks before merging them into the main current branch.

The timing gives Slackware users a fresh desktop stack, though KDE released Plasma 6.7 the same day. Slackware current now gives testers Plasma 6.6 first, while maintainers can chase 6.7 after they shake out packaging issues.

Slackware’s update carries more than the desktop. Maintainers also added FFmpeg 8, GCC 15.3, GStreamer 1.28.4, Linux 7.1 testing packages, and updated XLibre X Server testing packages.

Component	Slackware current status	Builder impact
KDE Plasma	6.6 merged	Users get the Qt 6 Plasma generation in Slackware packages
FFmpeg	8 merged	Media workflows gain a newer codec and filter stack
GCC	15.3 merged	Developers can test builds against the current GNU compiler
GStreamer	1.28.4 merged	Desktop audio and video apps get a newer media framework
Linux kernel	7.1 in testing	Kernel testers can validate hardware support before wider use
XLibre X Server	Updated testing packages	X11 users can test the alternate X server path

For build planning, Plasma 6 raises the bar on Qt 6, KDE Frameworks 6, Wayland session support, and graphics driver behavior. Slackware users who run older NVIDIA stacks, mixed HiDPI monitors, or remote desktop workflows should test from a separate current install before moving a daily workstation.

Power use will depend on the compositor path. Builders who care about idle draw should measure Plasma Wayland and Plasma X11 on the same kernel, same GPU driver, and same display refresh rate. A basic homelab test should log wall power at idle, during video playback, and under a browser workload.

A practical test matrix looks like this:

Test	Measure	Reason
Cold boot to desktop	Boot time and journal errors	Plasma 6 changes session startup paths
Idle desktop	Wall power and CPU package power	The compositor can change idle draw
4K video playback	CPU use, GPU use, dropped frames	FFmpeg 8 and the graphics stack both matter
External monitor dock	Hotplug time and scaling behavior	Wayland and X11 can differ on mixed displays
Local build job	GCC 15.3 warnings and failures	New compiler defaults can expose old code issues

Slackware users can follow the current branch through the Slackware changelog. Plasma users who want the newer upstream target can compare against the KDE Plasma release information.

For most builders, the recommendation stays conservative: test Plasma 6.6 on Slackware current first, keep a known-good window manager installed, and snapshot the system before replacing a production desktop. Slackware gives you control, and this update gives that control a modern KDE base.