Debian-based Mauna Linux 25 comes with GNOME 48 and multiple minor updates

Until yesterday, Mauna Linux came with four desktop environments, as well as a special edition. However, the barely released Mauna Linux 25 also comes with GNOME as the fifth desktop environment option. The special edition mentioned above remains in the cards but has not been updated yet. What makes it special is that it targets Christian believers. Simply called "Christian Edition" or simply "MaunaCE," this flavor includes the Bible alongside several applications that are meant to be used in churches. The highlights of Mauna Linux include the Calamares system installer, the Mauna software manager and updater, and out-of-the-box Portuguese language support.

Mauna Linux 25, codenamed Polaris, is based on Debian 13.1 Trixie and, as mentioned earlier, is the first release to integrate GNOME. The default kernel is 6.12 LTS, and some of the apps integrated into the system have received new versions. The list of updated elements includes Shortwave 5.0, OnlyOffice 9.0.4, Firefox 142.0.1, a firmware collection dated 8.08.2025, Xfce 4.20 in the AHE edition, GIMP 3.0.4, and many minor updates, tweaks, and fixes. These tiny changes come from both the Debian core and the Mauna team.

Sadly, those using the Christian Edition will have to wait for their distro to receive the Mauna Linux 25 treatment. For now, they have to keep using the Debian Bookworm-based version. In addition to the aforementioned Xfce version, those moving to Mauna Linux 25 will get the following desktop environments: Cinnamon 6.4.10, LXQt 21.0, MATE 1.26.2, and GNOME 48.1. The system requirements are reasonable, with just 2 GB of memory, 30 GB of disk space, and an Intel Atom processor. Obviously, there is support for English and other languages as well, although the downloads page is available only in Portuguese.