After more than two decades since its debut as Hiweed Linux, Deepin is now back with a new release. Launched yesterday, Deepin 23 sports multiple changes, the most important being the introduction of atomic updates and improved hardware support, with install media and packages now available for ARM and RISC-V processors. Obviously, this software refresh also includes multiple minor tweaks and fixes, as well as visual and user interaction changes that aim to make Deepin 23 more user-friendly than its predecessor.

Thanks to the new installation and upgrade mechanism, Deepin uses less disk space when performing whole disk installs, also offering multiple version management capabilities. Several pre-installed proprietary apps are now using the Linyaps package format, and the same applies to multiple apps from the application store. Cross-device and cross-system file transfers, clipboard sharing, and cursor sharing are supported between multiple Deepin systems and between Deepin and Windows machines.

The desktop environment comes with a new taskbar and launcher, as well as more generous personalization options. The list of changes in this department is quite long and includes a free sorting mode in the launcher with manual drag-and-drop sorting, taskbar quick panel function modules, desktop organization, a redesigned Control Center, as well as a rich selection of new themes, icons, and cursors.

Deepin 23 can be downloaded for the x64 architecture, as well as ARM, LoongArch, with RISC-V preview images for Lichee Pi 4A, ROMA, VisionFive 2, and more. Many Linux users will find Mark Reed's Linux: The Complete Linux Crash Course for Beginners - From Zero to Hero (2024)to be a useful companion. The book is free with Kindle Unlimited ($9.99 to buy), and can also be acquired in paperback format ($28.49 instead of $29.99, thanks to a 5% discount).