# Plasma Mobile

> Plasma workspace variant for smartphones

**Wikidata**: [Q107313525](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107313525)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_Mobile)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/plasma-mobile

## Summary

Plasma Mobile is an open-source mobile operating system and software stack that serves as a smartphone-optimized variant of the KDE Plasma desktop environment. Developed by KDE and released under GNU GPL/LGPL licenses, it provides a touch-friendly user interface for mobile devices while maintaining compatibility with KDE's broader ecosystem of applications and frameworks. The project succeeded KDE Plasma Active and continues to be actively developed, with its latest stable release being version 6.5.4 as of December 2025.

## Key Facts

- **Type**: Mobile operating system and software stack
- **Developer**: KDE (KDE e.V. and community)
- **Inception**: First releases began in 2020 (version 5.18.0 released 2020-02-11)
- **Current Stable Version**: 6.5.4 (released 2025-12-09)
- **Predecessor**: KDE Plasma Active
- **License**: GNU General Public License v2.0, GNU Library General Public License v2.0, GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1
- **Official Website**: https://www.plasma-mobile.org/
- **Source Code Repository**: https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile
- **Programming Languages**: QML (2009), C++ (1983)
- **GUI Framework**: Qt
- **Core Dependencies**: KDE Frameworks, KDE Connect (2013)
- **Domain Name**: plasma-mobile.org
- **Copyright Status**: Copyrighted
- **Sitelink Count**: 8
- **Wikipedia Available In**: Arabic, Catalan, Commons, English, Indonesian, Dutch, Turkish, Ukrainian
- **Official Blog**: https://www.plasma-mobile.org/blog/
- **Mastodon**: @plasmamobile@fosstodon.org (active since 2020-03-13)
- **Social Media Followers**: 2,664 (as of April 2024)
- **Commons Category**: KDE Plasma Mobile

## FAQs

### What is Plasma Mobile?

Plasma Mobile is a mobile operating system and software stack that adapts the KDE Plasma desktop environment for smartphones and tablets. It provides a complete mobile user interface while leveraging the KDE ecosystem's applications and frameworks, offering a free and open-source alternative to proprietary mobile OSes.

### What devices can run Plasma Mobile?

Plasma Mobile is designed to run on various mobile devices. As a software stack, it can be ported to different hardware platforms that support the underlying Linux-based operating system.

### Is Plasma Mobile free software?

Yes, Plasma Mobile is released under free software licenses including GNU General Public License v2.0, GNU Library General Public License v2.0, and GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1. The source code is publicly available on GitHub.

### What programming languages are used in Plasma Mobile?

Plasma Mobile is primarily developed using QML (a declarative programming language introduced in 2009) and C++ (originating in 1983). The Qt framework serves as the GUI toolkit.

### What applications come with Plasma Mobile?

Plasma Mobile integrates with KDE's ecosystem of applications. Notable related projects include Kaidan, a Jabber/XMPP chat app (inception: 2016-10-29), and KDE Connect, which enables communication between Plasma Mobile devices and other KDE-powered computers.

### How does Plasma Mobile relate to KDE Connect?

KDE Connect (established in 2013) is a core dependency of Plasma Mobile that enables seamless communication and integration between the mobile device and other computers running KDE software, allowing features like file sharing, notifications sync, and remote control.

### What is the latest version of Plasma Mobile?

The latest stable release is version 6.5.4, published on December 9, 2025. The project has maintained regular release cadence with versions ranging from 5.18.0 (February 2020) through the 6.x series.

### Does Plasma Mobile have a community presence?

Yes, Plasma Mobile maintains an active community presence including a Mastodon account at @plasmamobile@fosstodon.org (active since March 2020), an official blog, and presence across multiple language versions of Wikipedia (Arabic, Catalan, English, Indonesian, Dutch, Turkish, and Ukrainian).

## Why It Matters

Plasma Mobile represents a significant effort to bring the free and open-source software philosophy to the mobile operating system space. As a KDE project, it benefits from decades of desktop environment development while adapting the interface for touch-based mobile interactions. The project matters for several interconnected reasons.

First, it provides an alternative to the duopoly of iOS and Android in the mobile space, offering users a truly open-source option that doesn't lock them into proprietary ecosystems. This aligns with the broader free software movement's goal of giving users control over their computing.

Second, Plasma Mobile maintains compatibility with the extensive KDE application ecosystem. Users who already use KDE software on their desktops can expect a familiar experience and seamless integration with their existing workflow through KDE Connect. This ecosystem approach distinguishes it from other mobile Linux distributions that may lack such deep desktop integration.

Third, the project demonstrates KDE's commitment to cross-device computing. As computing becomes increasingly distributed across phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, having a consistent software environment across all these devices becomes valuable. Plasma Mobile represents KDE's vision of a unified computing experience.

Finally, the project's active development—with releases continuing through 2025 and a growing community presence—shows that there remains significant interest in open-source mobile solutions. This sustained development provides hope for users seeking alternatives to mainstream mobile operating systems.

## Notable For

- First mobile-focused Plasma workspace variant succeeding KDE Plasma Active
- Active development spanning over 5 years with consistent release cadence (2020-2025)
- Integration with KDE Connect for seamless desktop-mobile communication
- Multi-language Wikipedia presence (8 language editions)
- Active Mastodon presence with growing follower count (2,664 by April 2024)
- Dual versioning scheme: 5.x series for legacy compatibility and 6.x series for current development
- Comprehensive release history with 100+ documented releases
- GNU GPL/LGPL licensing ensuring user freedoms

## Body

### History and Development

Plasma Mobile emerged as the successor to KDE Plasma Active, which was an earlier attempt to bring the Plasma desktop environment to mobile devices. The project represents KDE's renewed effort to create a viable mobile operating system that leverages their existing desktop infrastructure.

The first documented release in the source material is version 5.18.0, published on February 11, 2020. This marked the beginning of a consistent release schedule that has continued to the present day. The 5.x series represented the initial stable releases, with versions 5.18 through 5.27 providing incremental improvements and bug fixes throughout 2020 and 2021.

The transition to the 6.x series began in early 2024, with version 6.0.0 released on February 28, 2024. This major version bump indicated significant architectural changes while maintaining backward compatibility with the KDE ecosystem. The 6.x series has seen particularly active development, with releases continuing through 2025, including the latest stable version 6.5.4 on December 9, 2025.

### Architecture and Technology Stack

Plasma Mobile is built on a foundation of established free and open-source technologies. At its core lies the Qt framework, which provides the cross-platform application framework and GUI toolkit. Qt enables Plasma Mobile to achieve a consistent look and feel while maintaining portability across different hardware platforms.

The primary programming languages used are QML (Qt Modeling Language) and C++. QML, introduced in 2009, allows for declarative user interface definition, making it particularly suitable for touch-based mobile interfaces. C++ provides the performance-critical backend functionality.

The project depends heavily on KDE Frameworks, a collection of libraries and software frameworks that provide functionality ranging from file handling to network communication. This dependency ensures that Plasma Mobile can leverage the extensive functionality developed over decades of KDE desktop development.

### Ecosystem and Integration

One of Plasma Mobile's distinguishing features is its integration with the broader KDE ecosystem. KDE Connect, a project initiated in 2013, enables communication between Plasma Mobile devices and desktop computers running KDE software. This integration allows for features such as:

- File sharing between mobile and desktop
- Notification synchronization
- Remote control of desktop applications
- Clipboard sharing
- Media control

The project also integrates with Kaidan, a Jabber/XMPP chat application that began development in 2016. This provides users with instant messaging capabilities out of the box.

### Licensing and Open Source Commitment

Plasma Mobile is released under multiple free software licenses from the GNU project. The primary licenses include:

- GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2)
- GNU Library General Public License version 2.0 (LGPLv2)
- GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1 (LGPLv2.1)

This licensing ensures that users have the freedom to run, study, modify, and redistribute the software. The source code is publicly available on GitHub at https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile, allowing anyone to inspect, fork, or contribute to the project.

### Community and Communication

The Plasma Mobile project maintains an active community presence across multiple platforms. The official website at https://www.plasma-mobile.org/ serves as the primary information hub, while the official blog at the same domain provides updates on development progress.

Social media presence includes a Mastodon account at @plasmamobile@fosstodon.org, which has been active since March 13, 2020. The follower count has grown steadily from 2,525 in February 2024 to 2,664 by April 2024, indicating a growing community interest.

The project has Wikipedia articles in eight languages: Arabic, Catalan, Commons, English, Indonesian, Dutch, Turkish, and Ukrainian. This multilingual presence reflects the international nature of the KDE community and the project's appeal to users worldwide.

### Release History

The project has maintained an impressive release cadence since 2020. The 5.x series saw releases approximately every one to two weeks during active development periods, with version numbers progressing from 5.18.0 through 5.27.x and then transitioning to 5.90+ and 5.91+ numbering before the 6.0.0 release.

The 6.x series began in February 2024 and has continued with regular releases through 2025. Notable releases include:

- 6.0.0 (2024-02-28): Initial 6.x stable release
- 6.2.0 (2024-10-08): Major 6.x release
- 6.3.0 (2025-02-11): 2025 major release
- 6.4.0 (2025-06-17): Mid-2025 release
- 6.5.0 (2025-10-21): Late 2025 release
- 6.5.4 (2025-12-09): Latest stable release

This consistent release schedule demonstrates the project's active maintenance and ongoing development.

### Related Projects and Dependencies

Plasma Mobile exists within a broader ecosystem of KDE projects. Key relationships include:

- **KDE Frameworks**: Core dependency providing essential libraries
- **KDE Connect**: Enables desktop-mobile integration (since 2013)
- **Kaidan**: XMPP/Jabber chat client (since 2016)
- **Qt**: GUI toolkit and application framework
- **KDE Plasma Active**: Predecessor project
- **Various KDE applications**: Available through the KDE ecosystem

### Technical Specifications

The project operates as both a mobile operating system and a software stack, meaning it can be deployed on top of various Linux-based base systems. The domain plasma-mobile.org serves as the official web presence.

The sitelink count of 8 indicates moderate but consistent presence across Wikimedia projects, while the commons category "KDE Plasma Mobile" hosts media files related to the project.

### Future Outlook

With development continuing into 2025 and beyond, Plasma Mobile represents an ongoing commitment to open-source mobile computing. The project's integration with the KDE ecosystem provides it with a solid foundation of applications and frameworks, while its licensing ensures user freedoms remain protected. The growing community presence and consistent release schedule suggest a healthy project with continued relevance in the mobile Linux space.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/blob/master/LICENSE.LGPL-2)
2. [Source](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/blob/master/LICENSE.LGPL-2.1)
3. [Release 5.18.0. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.0)
4. [Release 5.18.1. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.1)
5. [Release 5.18.2. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.2)
6. [Release 5.18.3. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.3)
7. [Release 5.18.4. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.4)
8. [Release 5.18.4.1. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.4.1)
9. [Release 5.18.5. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.5)
10. [Release 5.18.90. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.18.90)
11. [Release 5.19.0. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.0)
12. [Release 5.19.1. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.1)
13. [Release 5.19.2. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.2)
14. [Release 5.19.3. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.3)
15. [Release 5.19.4. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.4)
16. [Release 5.19.5. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.5)
17. [Release 5.19.90. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.19.90)
18. [Release 5.20.0. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.0)
19. [Release 5.20.1. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.1)
20. [Release 5.20.2. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.2)
21. [Release 5.20.3. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.3)
22. [Release 5.20.4. 2020](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.4)
23. [Release 5.20.5. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.5)
24. [Release 5.20.90. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.20.90)
25. [Release 5.21.0. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.0)
26. [Release 5.21.1. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.1)
27. [Release 5.21.2. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.2)
28. [Release 5.21.3. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.3)
29. [Release 5.21.4. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.4)
30. [Release 5.21.5. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.5)
31. [Release 5.21.90. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.21.90)
32. [Release 5.22.0. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.0)
33. [Release 5.22.1. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.1)
34. [Release 5.22.2. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.2)
35. [Release 5.22.3. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.3)
36. [Release 5.22.4. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.4)
37. [Release 5.22.5. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.5)
38. [Release 5.22.90. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.22.90)
39. [Release 5.23.0. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.0)
40. [Release 5.23.1. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.1)
41. [Release 5.23.2. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.2)
42. [Release 5.23.3. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.3)
43. [Release 5.23.4. 2021](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.4)
44. [Release 5.23.5. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.5)
45. [Release 5.23.90. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.23.90)
46. [Release 5.24.0. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.24.0)
47. [Release 5.24.1. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.24.1)
48. [Release 5.24.2. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.24.2)
49. [Release 5.24.3. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.24.3)
50. [Release 5.24.4. 2022](https://github.com/KDE/plasma-mobile/releases/tag/v5.24.4)