# KaOS

> Linux distribution

**Wikidata**: [Q24038596](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24038596)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaOS)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kaos

## Summary
KaOS is an independent Linux distribution first published in 2013 that is built around the Qt toolkit. It is distributed as digital downloads, publishes periodic stable releases (for example 2024.03), and maintains source code and issue trackers on Codeberg (Forgejo).

## Key Facts
- KaOS was first published in 2013 (publication_date: 2013-09-00) and has an inception year of 2013.
- KaOS is an instance of a Linux distribution and uses the Qt GUI toolkit/framework.
- KaOS is distributed as a digital download and has a Distrowatch ID of "kaos".
- KaOS is licensed under the GNU General Public License.
- Stable release examples: 2022.06 (2022-06-22), 2023.04 (2023-04-20), 2023.11 (2023-11-13), 2024.01 (2024-02-02), 2024.03 (2024-03-02).
- Official website: https://kaosx.us/ (site available in multiple languages as of 2023-07-15).
- Official blog/news page: https://kaosx.us/news (English); official RSS feed: https://kaosx.us/rss.xml.
- Source code repository and project hosting: https://codeberg.org/KaOS (hosted on Forgejo/Codeberg).
- Issue tracker URLs: https://codeberg.org/KaOS/core/issues, https://codeberg.org/KaOS/main/issues, https://codeberg.org/KaOS/apps/issues, https://codeberg.org/KaOS/live-uefi/issues, https://codeberg.org/KaOS/calamares/issues, https://codeberg.org/KaOS/website/issues.
- Country listed: Netherlands.

## FAQs
### Q: What is KaOS?
A: KaOS is an independent Linux distribution first published in 2013 that focuses on using the Qt toolkit and is provided as downloadable install images with periodic stable releases.

### Q: Where can I download KaOS and get updates?
A: The official website is https://kaosx.us/ which hosts downloads, news, an RSS feed (https://kaosx.us/rss.xml), a user manual (https://kaosx.us/docs), and an official blog for release announcements.

### Q: Under what license is KaOS released?
A: KaOS is released under the GNU General Public License.

### Q: Where is KaOS source code hosted and how are issues reported?
A: The KaOS source code and project hosting are on Codeberg (https://codeberg.org/KaOS) using Forgejo, and issue trackers are available per-repository (for example https://codeberg.org/KaOS/core/issues and https://codeberg.org/KaOS/apps/issues).

### Q: How can I get community support or discuss KaOS?
A: KaOS maintains an official forum at https://forum.kaosx.us and publishes news and updates on its official blog (https://kaosx.us/news).

## Why It Matters
KaOS matters as a focused, independent Linux distribution that centers its user experience and packaging around the Qt toolkit. By maintaining its own source repositories and issue trackers on Codeberg and publishing regular stable release snapshots (documented releases from 2022 through 2024 among others), KaOS provides a coherent, Qt-oriented desktop environment option distinct from distributions that support multiple desktop toolkits. Its use of standard free software licensing (GNU GPL), public documentation (user manual and blog), and open issue tracking contributes to transparency and allows contributors and users to report bugs, follow development, and access source code. For users and developers who prioritize a Qt-native experience and a single-toolkit focus, KaOS offers curated builds, official support channels (forum, blog, RSS), and a centralized code hosting strategy, making it a practical choice for testing, deployment, or development of Qt-centric applications on Linux.

## Notable For
- Focus on the Qt toolkit as the primary GUI framework for the distribution.
- Regular, dated stable releases (examples include 2022.06, 2023.04, 2023.11, 2024.01, 2024.03).
- Public source code and project hosting on Codeberg (Forgejo) with multiple dedicated issue trackers.
- Official project infrastructure including website, RSS feed, user manual, blog/news, and an official forum.
- Distributed under the GNU General Public License.

## Body
### Identity and Classification
- Instance of: Linux distribution.
- Wikidata description: Linux distribution.
- Country: Netherlands.
- Copyright status: copyrighted.

### Timeline and Releases
- Publication_date: 2013-09-00; inception year: 2013.
- Documented stable release versions and publication dates include:
  - 2022.06 — publication_date 2022-06-22.
  - 2022.10 — publication_date 2022-10-06.
  - 2023.02 — publication_date 2023-02-14.
  - 2023.04 — publication_date 2023-04-20.
  - 2023.06 — publication_date 2023-07-01.
  - 2023.07 — publication_date 2023-07-01.
  - 2023.09 — publication_date 2023-09-22.
  - 2023.11 — publication_date 2023-11-13.
  - 2024.01 — publication_date 2024-02-02.
  - 2024.03 — publication_date 2024-03-02.

### Technical Characteristics
- Primary GUI toolkit/framework: Qt.
- Distribution format: digital download.
- License: GNU General Public License.
- Distrowatch ID: kaos.

### Branding and Media
- Logo file: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/KaOS_logo_2015.svg (logo start_time qualifier: 2015-11-00).
- Default desktop image example: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/KaOS_2022.02_default_desktop_with_Dolphin_file_manager_-_English.png
- Commons category: KaOS.

### Websites and Online Presence
- Official website: https://kaosx.us/ (site noted as available in multiple languages as of 2023-07-15).
- Official blog/news: https://kaosx.us/news (English).
- RSS feed: https://kaosx.us/rss.xml.
- User manual/documentation: https://kaosx.us/docs.
- Official forum: https://forum.kaosx.us.
- Translation contributions: https://explore.transifex.com/kaos/kaos/.

### Development and Support Infrastructure
- Source code repository: https://codeberg.org/KaOS (hosted on Forgejo/Codeberg).
- Issue trackers (per-repository) include:
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/core/issues
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/main/issues
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/apps/issues
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/live-uefi/issues
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/calamares/issues
  - https://codeberg.org/KaOS/website/issues
- SourceForge project: kaosx.

### Metadata and Identifiers
- Web feed URL: https://kaosx.us/rss.xml.
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/11cmg53z7v.
- Wikipedia title: KaOS; languages present include ca, commons, de, en, es, fr, id, it, ja, ko.
- Sitelink_count: 15.

### Support and Community
- Official communication channels: blog/news page, RSS feed, forum, and Codeberg issue trackers.
- Documentation: user manual at https://kaosx.us/docs.

(End of entry.)

## References

1. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20151115122020/http://kaosx.us)
2. [KaOS 2022.06. 2022](https://kaosx.us/news/2022/kaos06/)
3. [KaOS 2022.10. 2022](https://kaosx.us/news/2022/kaos10/)
4. [KaOS 2023.02. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos02/)
5. [Ten years of KaOS. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos04/)
6. [KaOS 2023.06 Latest News. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos06/)
7. [KaOS 2023.07. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos07/)
8. [KaOS 2023.09. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos09/)
9. [KaOS 2023.11. 2023](https://kaosx.us/news/2023/kaos11/)
10. [KaOS 2024.01. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos01/)
11. [KaOS 2024.03. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos03/)
12. [KaOS 2024.05. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos05/)
13. [KaOS 2024.07. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos07/)
14. [KaOS 2024.09. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos09/)
15. [KaOS 2024.11. 2024](https://kaosx.us/news/2024/kaos11/)
16. [KaOS 2025.01. 2025](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos01/)
17. [KaOS 2025.03. 2025](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos03/)
18. [KaOS 2025.05. 2025](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos05/)
19. [KaOS 2025.07. 2025](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos07/)
20. [KaOS 2025.09. 2025](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos09/)
21. [KaOS 2025.11](https://kaosx.us/news/2025/kaos11/)
22. [KaOS 2026.02. 2026](https://kaosx.us/news/2026/kaos02/)
23. [KaOS 2026.03. 2026](https://kaosx.us/news/2026/kaos03/)
24. [Source](https://kaosx.us)
25. [Latest News and Updates](https://kaosx.us/news)