The GNOME Project today officially released the latest version of its open source desktop environment - GNOME 42. In the new version, GNOME brings new features, UI tweaks, and performance improvements.
What's New in GNOME 42
In GNOME 42, the first change users notice must be the visuals. The new version has a brighter, more modern look for the app.
Most of GNOME 42's core applications (except Nautilus) now use libadwaita as their default "theme", as do a large number of third-party and community applications written in GTK4. These applications have better performance in GNOME 42, new modern UI styles, and new user interface elements.
There is also an updated GNOME Shell theme in GNOME 42. It has better contrast and eliminates the triangular callout of the panel applet. The sliding adjustment buttons on the screen (for example, when changing brightness and volume) are also smaller and more compact than before.
GNOME 42 also supports the new desktop dark mode preference. GTK4/libadwaita applications follow this setting by default, the fade transition effect makes the application smoother when switching between light and dark modes, and GNOME's default wallpaper changes in light and dark modes.
GNOME 42 comes with a new screenshot feature. This makes it easier to take screenshots and screen recordings, and there is no need to install additional third-party apps these days.
Two new applications have been added to GNOME 42: Console (a replacement for GNOME Terminal) and Text Editor (a simplified version similar to Gedit)
Console (left) and Text Editor (right) applications for GNOME 42
While Nautilus doesn't bring GTK4/libadwaita changes in this release, it gains a new path bar that supports scrolling, improved file renaming UI design, improved file conflict UI visuals, support for create by file Time search, added compressed archives to recent files, and added support for light and dark mode switching.
Other changes in GNOME 42
- Totem supports hardware accelerated decoding
- Reduced memory usage and improved performance in Tracker
- Reduced input lag
- Redesigned display, appearance, user settings
- Support for hardware accelerated rendering on all websites
- Reduced energy consumption for video playback
- Maps now shows turn-by-turn icons in turn-by-turn directions
- Remote desktop connections use the RDP protocol
GNOME 43 is scheduled for release in October 2022.
More details can be found here: https://release.gnome.org/42/