KDE

KDE is an international free software community that creates and shares free software for everyone to use. It acts like a big team that works together to build useful tools and programs. One of its most famous products is KDE Plasma, a way to make computers easier and more fun to use with pictures and easy buttons.

KDE also makes many other helpful programs, such as Okular for reading documents, Kdenlive for editing videos, and Krita for drawing and art. These programs can run on many different kinds of computers, including those that use Microsoft Windows or special types of systems called Unix and Unix-like operating systems.

The group is officially led by an organization called KDE e.V., which is based in Germany. This group helps make sure KDE keeps growing and has the money it needs to keep making new and better software for people all over the world.

History

KDE was started in 1996 by Matthias Ettrich, a student at the University of Tübingen. He wanted to make computer desktops easier and more consistent for everyone. His idea sparked lots of interest, and the KDE project began.

The name KDE was inspired by another system called the Common Desktop Environment. Over time, KDE grew to include many tools and applications. In 1998, the first version of KDE’s desktop was released. Today, KDE is known not just for its desktop, but for the whole community of people who create its software.

Community

The KDE community has a friendly green dragon named Konqi as its mascot. Konqi was updated to look even better when Plasma 5 came out, thanks to a design competition. There is also a female dragon named Katie who helps represent the KDE women's community.

KDE has groups in many countries that help plan events and share news about KDE. These groups work together to make sure KDE stays strong and fun for everyone. KDE also has special rules about its logo and design to keep its look special and recognizable. Many KDE programs start with the letter "K," like Konsole and Kaffeine, but not all of them do.

Projects

The KDE community works on many free software projects. Today, what we call KDE has three main parts:

• KDE Plasma, a desktop design that you can change with different layouts and panels. It supports special screen spaces and small tools, and is built using Qt and KDE Frameworks.
• KDE Frameworks, a group of tools and building blocks made for Qt (once called 'kdelibs' or 'KDE Platform').
• KDE Gear, useful programs (like Kdenlive or Krita) made using KDE Frameworks. These are often released together as KDE Applications.

Other projects

KDE neon

KDE neon is a type of Linux system that uses Ubuntu as its base. It focuses on giving users the newest versions of Qt and KDE software quickly, while updating other parts of the system at Ubuntu’s normal speed.

Subtitle Composer

Subtitle Composer is a free program for editing subtitles on Linux and Microsoft Windows. It started being part of KDE in December 2019. It helps with many subtitle jobs, like showing videos, matching timing, translating, and more. It is free software under the GNU General Public License.

Contributors

KDE is made by people who volunteer their time, and some companies also help by paying developers to work on it. Many people help in different ways, like writing code, translating, or creating art, so there is a lot of organization needed. KDE has a special program to help new people learn how to join in.

People in the KDE community talk to each other using emails, chat rooms, blogs, forums, news, websites, and meetings. They have rules about how to behave nicely to each other.

Currently, KDE uses a special system called Git to keep track of changes. They have a place online called Invent to see all their projects, and they use Phabricator to manage tasks.

The main group that decides what KDE works on is called the KDE Core Team. These are experienced developers who have helped KDE for a long time. They talk about ideas on a public email list, but you need approval to join. Instead of one leader, many people in the core team discuss and decide together.

Developers also work in smaller groups for specific topics. For example, the KDE Edu team makes free educational software. These groups have their own chat rooms and email lists.

KDE Patrons are people or companies that support KDE by donating money. As of March 2026, there are thirteen patrons, including Blue Systems, Canonical Ltd., Google, GnuPG, Kubuntu Focus, Slimbook, SUSE, The Qt Company, TUXEDO Computers, Rocky Linux, Framework Computer, Techpaladin Software, and Mbition.

Collaborations

Wikimedia

On June 23, 2005, the leader of the Wikimedia Foundation shared that the KDE community and the Wikimedia Foundation started working together. This teamwork led to features like showing code in Kate and using Wikipedia inside KDE programs such as Amarok and Marble.

In April 2008, KDE e.V. and Wikimedia Deutschland opened shared offices in Frankfurt.

Free Software Foundation Europe

In May 2006, KDE e.V. joined as an Associate Member of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE).

In August 2008, KDE e.V. and FSFE announced that KDE would start using FSFE's Fiduciary Licence Agreement. This allowed KDE developers to give their copyright to KDE e.V. if they chose to.

In September 2009, KDE e.V. and FSFE shared offices in Berlin.

Commercial enterprises

Many companies help KDE, like Collabora, Erfrakon, Intevation GmbH, Kolab Konsortium, Klarälvdalens Datakonsult AB (KDAB), Blue Systems, and KO GmbH.

Nokia used Calligra Suite for their Office Viewer app on Maemo/MeeGo. They also hired some KDE developers to work on projects like KCal.

Companies like Intevation GmbH in Germany and KDAB in Sweden use Qt and KDE software for their work and products.

Others

KDE is part of freedesktop.org, which works to make computers work better together.

In 2009 and 2011, GNOME and KDE held their meetings Akademy and GUADEC together under the Desktop Summit name.

In December 2010, KDE e.V. joined the Open Invention Network.

Many computer systems and free operating systems help make and share KDE software. This includes companies like SUSE/Novell and groups like the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey with its Pardus system.

In October 2018, Red Hat said that KDE Plasma would not be updated in future versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but it would still be available for users through the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) project. This change happened after Red Hat was bought by IBM.

Releases

Activities

The KDE community holds two big meetings each year: Akademy and Camp KDE. These events bring people together from all over the world to share ideas and work on projects.

Akademy is a big summer meeting held in different places in Europe. It helps people in the KDE community get to know each other, share what they've done, and plan future work. The meeting includes talks, coding sessions, and social activities. The first KDE meeting was called KDE One and happened in Germany in 1997. Since 2004, these meetings have been called Akademy and happen once a year.

Camp KDE is another yearly meeting for KDE contributors. It started in 2009 to give people in North America a chance to meet. The meeting is free for everyone and includes talks, discussions, and coding sessions. Over the years, Camp KDE has been held in places like Jamaica, California, and San Francisco.

Notable uses

Many schools in Brazil use computers with KDE software to help students learn. Over 42,000 schools in 4,000 cities use a special version called Educational Linux, which is based on Kubuntu. This helps nearly 52 million children. KDE software is also used in schools in Portugal and Venezuela, reaching many students there.

KDE software is used by parts of the Turkish government, including groups like the Turkish Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defence, Turkish Police, and the Social Security Institution. Scientists at CERN also use KDE software. In Germany, KDE software runs on computers in embassies around the world. NASA used KDE’s Plasma Desktop for the Mars Mission. The Steam Deck, a handheld gaming computer made by Valve Corporation, uses KDE Plasma when you use it like a regular computer. Valve also plans to use KDE Plasma in their future compact gaming computer and virtual reality headset.