The Ultimate Guide to Exciting Features in Fedora Linux 39

Key Takeaways

The beta release of Fedora 39 offers a sneak peek into the upcoming Fedora 39 general release scheduled for Oct. 24th, 2023. This exciting release includes a fresh kernel, upgraded applications, and performance enhancements.

The release excluded the web-based installation program due to bugs, illustrating Fedora's commitment to stability. Nevertheless, there is a possibility of its inclusion in Fedora 40.

Fedora 39 incorporates GNOME 45, which introduces enhancements in window movements, updates to the settings application, and a novel system details dialog. Additionally, it showcases fresh wallpapers, a refined default theme, and a new workspace indicator.

Fedora: Stability Über Alles

The latest iteration of Fedora Linux, Fedora 39, is scheduled for release on October 24th, 2023. In order to provide a glimpse into the exciting enhancements, we took the initiative to install an advanced beta version of this reliable and enduring Linux software.

The beta build of Fedora 39 is now released, providing a sneak peek into the upcoming general release on October 24th, 2023. We eagerly downloaded and launched it, discovering exciting updates such as a new kernel, upgraded applications, an advancement to GNOME 45, and noticeable performance enhancements.

Certain scheduled elements did not meet the criteria. Fedora Linux prioritizes stability, therefore, if a feature or function is not prepared in time, it is promptly discarded. An example of this is the new web-based installation program which was not ready for deployment, leading to its removal from this release.

From my perspective, this is a reasonable decision as the new installer has not been completely abandoned, but merely postponed. There is a possibility of its inclusion in Fedora 40.

Bear in mind we were looking at a beta build, so there's a chance there may be differences in the final release.

Installing Fedora 39

To emphasize the fact that this is a beta version and should be handled with caution, the installation program comes with a prominent warning indicating that it should not be used on any critical computer.

The installation process for the rest of the Fedora version was identical to previous versions, but it appeared to be much quicker. Notably, there was an evident improvement in overall performance in this release.

Due to unresolved webUI bugs and limited time to resolve them, the new installation program had to be omitted from this release. It is essential for it to utilize webUI as it relies on Firefox in kiosk mode to facilitate the user interface.

As far as I can determine, there is no introduction of new functionality. It is simply an updated version of the installer that we are all acquainted with. The absence of its inclusion in Fedora 39 does not have a significant impact, and it is preferable to wait until Fedora 40 rather than having an unreliable installer in Fedora 39.

GNOME 45

The Fedora 39 release is accompanied by an updated appearance thanks to GNOME 45. While we have provided extensive coverage on GNOME 45 in other resources, we will mention a few of its noteworthy features here to avoid redundancy.

In this release, GNOME utilizes GTK 4.12 and takes advantage of the enhanced Vulkan back-end renderer offered by GTK. The overall user experience is enhanced in GNOME 45 with smoother mouse pointer and window movements, achieved by introducing a dedicated kernel mode thread to its window manager, Mutter.

The "Settings" application has undergone improvements, both in terms of appearance and functionality. The "About" screen has been streamlined and a new pop-out dialog called "System Details" has been introduced. Moreover, a convenient "Copy" button has been included, allowing users to easily save the details to their device's clipboard. These details can then be pasted into a document or email.

The default theme, "Adwaita," has been enhanced with new GNOME wallpapers tailored for both dark and light modes. Additionally, there are fresh Fedora wallpapers available, all of which surpass the somber default wallpaper that accompanied Fedora 38.

There’s a new key combination, Super+S, that opens the System Menu which sports a new screenshot button.

The Settings application has undergone various modifications, including the addition of a new panel in the "Date and Time" section. This panel allows you to customize the clock and calendar's display in the top panel.

The "Loupe" feature has been rebranded as the "Image Viewer" and now supports the simultaneous viewing of multiple images. It is compatible with 18 different file formats and has replaced the previous "Eye of Gnome" feature.

You have the option to select the columns to be shown in the "List" view of the "Files Browser."

The "Activities" button has been substituted with a novel workspace indicator. It exhibits a dot for each active workspace and a dash for your current workspace. When multiple workspaces are in use, it resembles Morse code.

Clicking it takes you to the usual “Activities Overview”, but pointing to it and using the scroll wheel on your mouse moves you from workspace to workspace.

Kernel Version 6.5

Our latest release, Fedora 39 beta, introduces kernel version 6.5.7-300, bringing with it numerous enhancements and bug fixes. This updated kernel not only addresses security vulnerabilities but also offers improved boot times on high-end desktops and servers powered by Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC processors, as well as other multi-core processor systems.

Intel and AMD have enhanced their graphics drivers to provide improved compatibility with eDP LCD panels featuring variable refresh rates.

Laptops powered by AMD Ryzen CPUs can expect quicker resume times after hibernation, while Ryzen 7000 series-equipped devices benefit from enhanced EDAC error handling, enabling them to utilize error-correcting RAM functionality on compatible motherboards.

Software Versions

Here are the versions of some of the software in the beta build we looked at. Most of these were preloaded. We had to install Thunderbird.

Kernel: 6.5.7-300.fc39.x86_64

Binutils: 2.40

GNOME: 45.beta.1

LibreOffice: 7.6.2.1

Python: 3.12

RPM: 4.19

Vagrant: 2.3.4

Perl: 5.38

Boxes: 45.0

Golang: 1.21

Gcc: 13.2.1

Glibc: 2.38

Life in the Fast Lane

We must address the enhancements in speed. In comparison to Fedora 38, Fedora 39 demonstrates a significant improvement in various aspects, such as quicker window opening and closing, faster application launch, and expedited search performance. The difference in speed is remarkable.

Finding applications in the “Activities Overview,” in particular, is practically instantaneous.

Deployed on my desktop computer as a virtual machine, Fedora 39 exhibited a nearly equal speed to the operating system on my physical hardware.

To verify whether this enhanced performance could be attributed to advancements in VirtualBox, the virtualization software I employ, I launched my Fedora 38 virtual machine for a comparison. My observations were confirmed: Fedora 39 has unquestionably received a boost of high-speed potency. While Fedora has always been commendable in terms of performance, users are in for a delightful surprise with Fedora 39.

Where to Get It

You can download the beta from the usual Fedora Workstation page. You'll need to slide the “Show Beta Downloads” slider button over to reveal the beta downloads.

When the final release version is available, it’ll be found on this page too.

Fedora 39 is another great release. The new kernel and GNOME 45 alone would justify the upgrade. Adding the performances boosts make it a no-brainer.