Linux Lite is a popular lightweight distro that doesn't get in the way of its users, while also giving them a clean and intuitive experience which many Windows users will find familiar.
It regularly receives updates, as the developers and the community behind it are very active, working on something or the other at any given time.
Continuing their streak of updates, they have announced a new release, Linux Lite 7.0, code-named “Galena”, which marks the end of the 6.x series, and the beginning of the new 7.x series.
During the reveal, lead developer, Jerry Bezencon added that:
The theme of this Series is maturity. We've been offering Linux Lite now for 12 years and in that time, have integrated many features as suggested by the community as well as building upon a solid and secure foundation.
So, let's dive in and see what's in store with this release.
🆕 Linux Lite 7.0 “Galena”: What's New?
Powered by Linux kernel 6.8.0-31, this release is based on the recently introduced Ubuntu 24.04, which acts as a stable base.
You also have the option to go for custom kernels which are available on the Linux Lite repo, with options ranging from 3.13 to 6.9 and later.
As for the changes with this release, we start off with the installer, which now comes with better slides for a more user-friendly experience, and a welcome app that's received a facelift and some misc tweaks.
In the desktop environment department, we now have Xfce 4.18 with improvements like a new split-view in the Thunar file manager, various upgrades for the desktop and panel, initial Wayland support, GTK4 updates, and a few other changes.
There's also an updated application suite, with the most notable ones being:
- VLC 3.0.20
- Gimp 2.10.36
- Chrome 125.0
- LibreOffice 7.6.7.2
- Thunderbird 115.11.0
📥 Download Linux Lite 7.0
For getting the latest Linux Lite release, you can head to the official website, where you also find additional info on the release.
Sadly, for existing users, there's no way to upgrade from the older 6.x series releases to the newer 7.x series. So, a fresh installation is needed.
💬 Are you excited to try this release? Already on it? You know what to do.
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Ankush Das
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