Vela 0.1 is the first beta of a new Linux desktop environment, presented as a complete system that its creator considers ready for everyday use on desktop PCs, though bugs remain. It combines window snapping, virtual desktops, live Alt-Tab previews, a taskbar, launcher, notifications, clipboard history and screenshot tool with a purpose-built file manager and settings app. Its graphics stack uses a Vulkan 1.4 renderer, with support for variable refresh rates, direct scanout and explicit synchronization. The desktop is designed to recover from compositor crashes and GPU loss, and supports English and Italian. Since the alpha, Vela has added an in-settings update page, built-in Bluetooth pairing, sharper X11 scaling, faster NVIDIA screen capture and reduced reliance on KDE components.
The beta currently targets x86_64 Arch-based systems, Fedora 44 and Ubuntu 26.10, and requires a Vulkan 1.4-capable GPU; AMD, Intel and NVIDIA configurations have different driver requirements. The developer recommends it most strongly for desktop PCs and urges laptop users to keep another desktop available, since hybrid graphics, suspend, backlight control and touchscreens are less tested. Beta releases are numbered, prebuilt and signed, with Cosign verification before installation; an Experimental channel instead tracks the latest code and may include regressions. Updates can then be managed through Settings. Version 0.2 is planned to add touch and pen support, an on-screen keyboard and input methods. Users can generate a diagnostic report for bug submissions, reviewing its contents before sharing.
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