System76 has released an update for the COSMIC Desktop, introducing window shadows and consistent corner sizing across all applications. This update is currently available on Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS and will be rolled out to other Linux distributions in the future.
Key Features
These new features ensure visual consistency, meaning applications developed with different toolkits (such as Qt, GTK, and Iced) now exhibit a more uniform appearance. Controls for adjusting window roundness and shadowing in both floating and tiled modes are user-configurable.
Previously, only GTK windows within COSMIC featured drop shadows, while native COSMIC and Qt applications appeared flat. This often made it challenging to identify the focused application when multiple windows overlapped. The update addresses this by consistently applying window shadows across the desktop.
COSMIC also boasts improved consistency in window corner shapes across various applications. When users adjust the 'Style' to 'Square', 'Round', or 'Slight round', applications from all major toolkits dynamically update their window radii to maintain a cohesive look.
Availability and Settings
For users of Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS or those who have installed COSMIC on Ubuntu via a PPA, the update containing these features can be obtained by installing available software updates.
The new settings are accessible through Settings > Appearance > Experimental Settings > Window shadow and corners. Here, users can control:
- The application of corner radius on floating and tiled windows.
- The enabling or disabling of window shadows.
These options expand COSMIC's existing range of appearance and layout configurations.
Future Enhancements
The COSMIC development team has hinted at additional visual enhancements in development, including blur effects for windows and panels. The article emphasizes that UI consistency and animated cues are significant for usability and for ensuring the desktop's competitiveness against established platforms.