KDE is developing a new, native virtual machine manager named Karton. Built using KDE technologies like Kirigami and Qt, Karton aims to provide a seamless and integrated VM experience within the KDE Plasma desktop. It will offer features like easy VM creation and management, snapshots, and support for various virtualization technologies like QEMU and libvirt. While still early in development, Karton promises a more user-friendly and KDE-centric alternative to existing VM managers.
The KDE community is developing a new, native virtual machine manager named Karton, filling a long-standing gap in the KDE ecosystem. Until now, KDE users relied on third-party solutions like GNOME Boxes or VirtualBox for virtualization needs. Karton aims to provide a fully integrated, KDE-native experience that seamlessly blends with the Plasma desktop environment.
Karton differentiates itself by focusing on containerized virtual machines using technologies like QEMU and libvirt. This containerized approach offers several advantages, including enhanced security through isolation and improved portability, allowing users to easily share and deploy virtual machines. The development team emphasizes performance, aiming to minimize overhead and provide a responsive virtualization experience.
Currently, Karton is in an early alpha stage of development, meaning its feature set is incomplete and users can expect bugs. However, core functionalities, like creating and running virtual machines, are already operational. The application leverages Kirigami, KDE’s UI framework for convergent applications, ensuring a consistent experience across different devices, from desktops to tablets and phones. While the initial focus is on desktop usage, future development might explore adapting Karton for mobile platforms.
The project welcomes contributions from the community, particularly in areas like UI/UX design and improving the overall user experience. The team is actively seeking feedback and encourages users to test the alpha release and report any encountered issues. Karton represents a significant step towards a comprehensive, fully integrated KDE ecosystem, offering users a native solution for managing virtual machines within their familiar KDE Plasma environment. The project's focus on containerization and performance sets it apart from existing solutions and holds promise for a smooth and efficient virtualization experience for KDE users. While still under active development, Karton has the potential to become a key component of the KDE software suite.
Summary of Comments ( 79 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44024784
Hacker News users generally expressed enthusiasm for Karton, KDE's new virtual machine manager. Several commenters praised its containerized approach for improved security and portability, comparing it favorably to GNOME Boxes. Some discussed its potential use cases, including testing and development, while others questioned its performance compared to dedicated solutions like VirtualBox or VMware. A few users expressed interest in its potential for gaming in VMs. Some discussion also revolved around the challenges of integrating GPU passthrough within this containerized framework and the desire for features like snapshots. A minor point of contention was the name "Karton," which some found unappealing.
The Hacker News post titled "KDE is finally getting a native virtual machine manager called “Karton”" has generated several comments discussing the new virtual machine manager and its potential impact.
Several commenters express excitement about Karton, particularly its potential for better integration with the KDE desktop environment compared to existing solutions like GNOME Boxes or virt-manager. One commenter points out how existing solutions don't have proper Wayland support, leading to issues like screen tearing, and hopes Karton will address this. They also mention Karton's announced features, such as easy creation of disposable VMs, are attractive. Another user anticipates using Karton with distrobox, simplifying the use of containers on KDE.
Some discussion revolves around the underlying technology of Karton. Commenters clarify that Karton builds upon existing tools like KVM/QEMU, acting as a more user-friendly frontend, similar to how GNOME Boxes relates to virt-manager. This clarification helps distinguish Karton as a management layer rather than a wholly new virtualization technology. Relatedly, the choice of Kirigami, Qt's framework, for the UI is noted and debated. While some appreciate the native Qt integration, others express concerns about Kirigami's suitability for desktop applications.
A few comments compare Karton to existing solutions. GNOME Boxes is frequently mentioned, with users drawing parallels and highlighting perceived shortcomings that Karton could potentially address. Virt-manager is also brought up as a more powerful, though less user-friendly, alternative. One comment even mentions Constellation, an older KDE virtualization project.
There's also a thread discussing the name "Karton". Some find it unusual or unappealing, while others defend the choice. Some users see the name as reflecting the envisioned "disposable" nature of VMs within Karton, comparing it to cardboard boxes.
Finally, a small thread discusses broader trends in desktop virtualization, including the use of containers like Docker and distrobox, and how Karton might fit into this evolving landscape. One commenter suggests that Karton might make it easier for users to adopt containerized workflows, particularly within the KDE Plasma environment.