Kubuntu Cuts Ties With Xorg, Embraces Wayland By Default

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post)

Kubuntu 25.10 will no longer install the Plasma X11 session by default, making Wayland the standard graphical environment for new users. Enthusiasts who require Xorg compatibility can still opt in manually, but the change marks a significant milestone in Kubuntu's long‐planned migration away from legacy display protocols.

New installations of Kubuntu 25.10-scheduled for general release on 9 October 2025-will boot into KDE Plasma under Wayland, mirroring Ubuntu's broader shift away from Xorg. The ISO no longer includes the X11 session, reflecting a deliberate step by developers to streamline support and resource allocation. This aligns with upstream efforts; canonical GNOME editions of Ubuntu 25.10 have already removed Xorg session options, leaving Wayland as the sole default for GNOME users.

Kubuntu's Rik Mills explained that maintaining two display protocols places undue strain on developer resources. With Ubuntu dropping Xorg from its core seed in 25.10, including X11 in Kubuntu's installer would require long‐term effort beyond the next LTS cycle. Removing it from the ISO now means fewer headaches in future releases. Nonetheless, Mills reassures users that desktop environments remain fully functional: X11 support is still available via the separate package plasma-session-x11, which users can install post‐setup.

KDE's develop­ment team, led by Nate Graham, has confirmed that although X11 won't become the default, it will continue to be maintained. The X11 session will remain compilable and usable. Developers will fix critical regressions-such as wholesale login failures-but new X-specific features will only be added if funded externally. This pragmatic stance recognises that while Wayland is the future, Xorg still serves legacy use cases.

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Telemetry from KDE Plasma 6 indicates that approximately 73 per cent of deployed users already default to Wayland, reinforcing the decision's practical logic. Kubuntu 25.10 will ship alongside KDE Plasma 6.4, benefitting from improved Wayland stability, performance and feature support while decoupling Wayland and X11 code for cleaner maintenance.

The shift has reignited technical debates among users, particularly around accessibility. Observers on the KDE and GNOME sides have raised concerns that screen readers, magnifiers and other assistive technologies may still lag on Wayland compared with Xorg. Developers acknowledge the issue and note that although accessibility on Wayland has improved, outstanding gaps remain and work continues.

Complicating the landscape, a new fork of Xorg-dubbed“Xlibre”-has emerged in recent weeks, aiming to preserve and modernise X server development independently of GNOME, KDE or Ubuntu roadmaps. While its ultimate impact is yet unclear, Xlibre underscores the enduring relevance of Xorg among certain users and developers.

Users migrating from Kubuntu 25.04 should not lose X11 functionality: upgrading will retain Xorg session packages if already installed. The removal only affects fresh installations; those comfortable with Xorg can continue to use it by explicitly installing the plasma-session-x11 package.

The strategic timing before the next LTS release is significant. Addressing the transition in an interim cycle-25.10, codenamed“Questing Quokka”-offers the developer community and early adopters a transition window before the more stable 26.04 LTS. This approach mirrors Ubuntu's handling of GNOME's shift in the same release cycle.

Wayland brings several advantages. Its protocol enhances security by isolating window permissions, reduces screen tearing and optimisation issues, and positions applications to tap into modern graphics capabilities directly. KDE Plasma has narrowed the feature gap substantially in its 6.x versions, and NVIDIA hardware compatibility, once a concern, has stabilised in recent releases, putting performance and GUI polish in better shape.

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Feedback from early testing has been largely positive. OMGUbuntu reflected the community sentiment:“a practical move” given Wayland's maturity and Ubuntu's own transition. But comments from user forums and technical bloggers show a spectrum of views. Some see the move as overdue and pragmatic; others are cautious, worried about niche third‐party apps or hardware quirks that still rely on Xorg. On Reddit, one user shared an anecdote: on Arch Linux, an unannounced shift to Wayland broke their workflow until they re‐installed the X session-highlighting possible friction for newcomers.

KDE remains committed to maintaining X11 as a fallback. For users reliant on older workflows or specialised applications, Xorg will remain accessible-albeit less prominent-while Wayland becomes the standard. By pushing this transition ahead of the next LTS, Kubuntu aims to encourage wider Wayland adoption across applications and encourage third‐party developers to prioritise the newer protocol.

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