KDE's new Plasma Login Manager, set to debut in Plasma 6.6 next month, will not support FreeBSD or other BSD systems due to its reliance on systemd. The change, accepted via a merge request, prioritizes compatibility with Linux distributions using systemd. While the Plasma desktop remains available on FreeBSD, users there will continue relying on the existing SDDM login manager.
KDE's Plasma Login Manager (PLM) is designed as a successor to the longstanding SDDM, aiming to modernize the login process by integrating more closely with the Plasma desktop environment. Scheduled for release in Plasma 6.6 on February 17, 2026, PLM relies heavily on systemd components, including systemd-logind for session management, permissions, and seat handling. These are hard dependencies, making PLM incompatible with systemd-free Linux distributions and all BSD operating systems, which lack systemd or compatible alternatives.
KDE engineer Nicolas Fella submitted the merge request to drop FreeBSD support, noting that the login manager depends on systemd and logind, which FreeBSD does not support. Systemd has become the de facto standard init system on most Linux distributions, handling services and user sessions through logind. As a result, the accepted changes shift focus to Linux compatibility, leaving FreeBSD behind for this component.
A KDE developer commented on Reddit: “At the end of the day, we don’t ideally want to cut support for the BSDs and other niche distros, but we also don’t want to hold back on making the best experience possible for the majority user base.” This reflects KDE's prioritization of the broader Linux ecosystem, where systemd dominates.
Importantly, the decision does not affect the usability of the KDE Plasma desktop on FreeBSD or systemd-free systems. Users can continue employing SDDM or other login managers without interruption. FreeBSD, a Unix-like operating system originating from the 1970s Berkeley Software Distribution at the University of California, Berkeley, is renowned for its networking features, security, and open licensing, serving applications from embedded devices to cloud infrastructure. It does not emphasize cutting-edge updates like some Linux distributions such as Fedora.
