SphinxOS

SphinxOS is an in-progress Linux desktop environment project focused on delivering a cohesive, modern desktop experience. The long-term direction includes a KWin-based desktop shell and strong app integration with GNOME Circle and other Linux-native tools.

The project is currently in its first implementation stage: a custom SDDM greeter theme.

Project Status

• Stage: Early development
• Implemented: SDDM greeter theme (greeter/)
• Planned next milestones: Desktop session foundation, shell components, and app integration

Current Component: Greeter

The greeter/ directory contains a complete Qt/QML SDDM theme (Theme-API 2.0, Qt 6) with:

• Multi-screen aware layout with primary-screen login flow
• Animated clock/date lock screen behavior
• User list selector with avatar previews
• Password input with animated error feedback
• Session selector (desktop session switching)
• Power menu actions (sleep, reboot, shutdown)
• Configurable fonts, colors, and background through theme.conf

Preview

Using the Greeter Theme

Typical SDDM theme installation flow:

1. Copy the greeter/ folder into your SDDM themes directory (commonly /usr/share/sddm/themes/).
2. Ensure the folder name is sphinx or update your SDDM config accordingly.
3. Set the theme in SDDM configuration.

Example:

# /etc/sddm.conf.d/sphinx.conf
[Theme]
Current=sphinx

After configuration, restart SDDM (or reboot) to apply.

Configuration

Theme-level configuration lives in greeter/theme.conf:

• background: Background media path
• color: Accent color
• headingFont, subHeadingFont: Font file paths
• headingFontSize, subHeadingFontSize: Typography sizing
• headingColor: Primary text color

Vision and Roadmap

SphinxOS is being developed toward a full desktop experience, including:

• KWin-based window management and compositor integration
• Desktop shell components (panels, launcher/workspace workflows, system UI)
• Curated application layer with GNOME Circle and related Linux apps
• Consistent visual identity and UX across login, shell, and apps