Release v0.2.8 · kan-linux/kan

Overview

Kan-Linux (an Omarchy-style Linux desktop distro built from scratch in a single repo) v0.2.8 was released on Oct 17, 2026.

The codename is lihe (利和). It comes from the I Ching quote: “Li is the harmony of what is right.” This release is about putting things in order — we cleaned up the multi-repo baseline, tuned how components depend on each other, and made every module sit where it belongs. When each part is in its right place and everything works together, that is what "Lihe" means.

Hightlights

Build LiveISO from scratch within a single monorepo
Integrate a preliminary, feature-limited, customized Omarchy desktop shell(source code can be found at https://github.com/kan-linux/omarchy/tree/kan)
Functional session management (login manager daemon and greeter)
Functional multimedia support (online movie playback supported)
Functional TUI installer(source code can be found at https://github.com/kan-linux/installer)
Built-in Chinese input support(source code can be found at https://github.com/kan-linux/fcitx5)
Kan-Linux starts with zero external network activity by default. no silent update checks, no telemetry, no phone-home. Kan-Linux only talks when you tell it to. Verify it yourself with the bundled Wireshark.
Much smaller than Omarchy Linux's LiveISO (omarchy-4.0.3.iso ~5.9 GiB, omarchy-4.0.6.iso ~6.3 GiB, kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso ~1.6 GiB), while offering comparable desktop UI and keybindings
The automated CI test system is imported for the first time, and many bug were found via this system(We have uploaded kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso five/six times on Oct 17, 2026. Please download the latest kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso)

Core components

Linux kernel 7.3.0-rc7
Mesa 26.2.3
FFmpeg 9.0.2
OpenSSL 4.0.3
GnuPG 2.5.24
GTK 4.22.5
QT 6.8.4
Hyprland 0.56.2
Quickshell 0.3.2
Firefox 158.0(official prebuilt)
Wireshark 4.6.9
strata 1.0.0(Rust-based lightweight File Manager)
customized omarchy desktop shell(China-region localization) for Kan-Linux(source code can be found at https://github.com/kan-linux/omarchy)

Toolchain for programmers and AI agents

GCC 16.2.0
LLVM 23.1.2
Python 3.15.0
Golang 1.27.2(official prebuilt)
Rust 1.99.1(official prebuilt)
It ships with many other non-GUI development tools, making it friendly to AI Agents and targeted at programmers and AI researchers

LiveISO download and integrity verification

wget https://github.com/kan-linux/kan/releases/download/v0.2.8/kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso
wget https://github.com/kan-linux/kan/releases/download/v0.2.8/kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso.sha256

You can verify the downloaded LiveISO image with the SHA256 checksum.

sha256sum -c kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso.sha256

If the output shows OK, the file is intact.

$ sha256sum -c kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso.sha256 
kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso: OK

How to use LiveISO

Launch LiveISO

You can try the LiveISO on your favorite Linux OS (make sure QEMU is installed).

qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8G -smp 4  -cdrom kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso -device virtio-vga-gl,xres=1920,yres=1080 -display gtk,gl=on  -smbios type=1,manufacturer="kan-linux",product="kan-linux 0.2.8",version="0.2.8" -usb -device usb-tablet -audiodev pa,id=audio0,out.buffer-length=100000,in.buffer-length=100000,timer-period=1000 -device intel-hda -device hda-duplex,audiodev=audio0 -netdev user,id=net0,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22 -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0

Install Kan-Linux from LiveISO

Create virtual disk

qemu-img create -f qcow2 kanlinux.qcow2 20G

Launch LiveISO with the virtual disk

qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8G -smp 4 -drive file=kanlinux.qcow2,format=qcow2,if=virtio -cdrom kan-linux-0.2.8-x86_64.iso -boot d -device virtio-vga-gl,xres=1920,yres=1080 -display gtk,gl=on -smbios type=1,manufacturer=Kan-Linux,product=Kan-Linux 0.2.8,version=0.2.8 -usb -device usb-tablet -audiodev pa,id=audio0,out.buffer-length=100000,in.buffer-length=100000,timer-period=1000 -device intel-hda -device hda-duplex,audiodev=audio0 -netdev user,id=net0,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22 -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0

Install Kan-Linux to the virtual disk from LiveISO

Launch the installed Kan-Linux from the virtual disk

qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8G -smp 4 -drive file=kanlinux.qcow2,format=qcow2,if=virtio -device virtio-vga-gl,xres=1920,yres=1080 -display gtk,gl=on -smbios type=1,manufacturer=Kan-Linux,product=Kan-Linux 0.2.8,version=0.2.8 -usb -device usb-tablet -audiodev pa,id=audio0,out.buffer-length=100000,in.buffer-length=100000,timer-period=1000 -device intel-hda -device hda-duplex,audiodev=audio0 -netdev user,id=net0,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22 -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0

Keyboard shortcuts in desktop mode

Super + Return: Launch terminal
Super + Shift + Return: Launch Firefox (online movie playback supported)
Super + F: Launch file manager
Ctrl + Q: close window
Ctrl + Space / Right Shift: Toggle between Chinese and English input(English is the default)

Remote Login for convenient troubleshooting

You may access the LiveISO or installed Kan-Linux via SSH from your favorite host machine:

For Kan-Linux LiveISO

ssh -p 2222 root@localhost  (root's password is root)

ssh -p 2222 kan@localhost   (kan's password is kan)

For installed Kan-Linux

ssh -p 2222 username@localhost   (username and password are specified during Kan-Linux installation)

Known Limitations

The Omarchy desktop shell is currently feature-limited.
Only single-user desktop use is supported for now.
The installer supports only single-OS installation to the entire disk; LUKS encryption is not supported yet.
A stale frame appears between the last splash screen frame and the login UI. This issue is planned to be fixed in future releases.
Currently tested only under QEMU. Native boot for physical x86-64 PCs and laptops is planned for future releases.