Plasma/Live Images
Try and install Plasma from a live medium provided by several Linux distributions.
Shipping the latest code from Git
KDE neon
KDE neon builds Frameworks, Plasma and Applications on a continuous integration system.
You can use the Testing Edition for builds from Plasma/5.x branches or Unstable Edition for builds from master branches.
OpenMandriva Cooker and Rolling
OpenMandriva is a desktop centric, completely Plasma focused, distribution. The current development branch ("Cooker") includes Qt 5.15.1, KDE Frameworks 5.75, Plasma 5.20.2 and KApps 20.08.2. The current rolling release branch includes Qt 5.15.1, KDE Frameworks 5.75, and Plasma 5.20.2 and KApps 20.08.2. OpenMandriva Lx is available for x86_64 (with a specially optimized version for Ryzen/Threadripper CPUs) and aarch64. RISC-V, armv7hnl and PPC versions are in development.
openSUSE
Krypton is an installable live image based on openSUSE Tumbleweed with the latest KDE software from Git master (unreleased) on top.
See also https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Argon_and_Krypton
Ships Plasma 5.20
KDE neon
KDE neon builds Frameworks, Plasma and Applications on a continuous integration system.
The User Edition has Plasma 5.20
Ships Plasma 5.19
openSUSE Argon
Argon is an installable live image of openSUSE Leap with the latest Plasma release. See also https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Argon_and_Krypton
openSUSE Tumbleweed
In addition to Git based versions there is openSUSE's rolling distribution "Tumbleweed" which ships the latest Plasma release tested with openQA:
Both 32 bit and 64 bit versions are available.
Slackware
Alien BOB (Eric Hameleers) provides an installable Live image for Plasma 5 based on the development tree "slackware64-current" and the liveslak scripts. Login account/password are both "live". Use su or sudo to become root (using the "live" password).
Manjaro
Manjaro KDE Edition is rolling release distribution. It provides the latest stable Plasma, KDE Applications, KDE Frameworks and Qt releases.
https://manjaro.org/get-manjaro/
Ships Plasma 5.18 LTS
KaOS 2020.02
KaOS is a sophisticated distro which focuses completely on KDE. A modern packaging approach based on Arch's pacman leads to stability and freshness at the same time. Small and helpfully community.
KaOS 2020.02 (stable release) is built on Qt 5.14.1, runs Linux kernel version 5.5.6 and features:
- Frameworks 5.67.0
- Plasma 5.18.1 LTS
- Applications 19.12.2
Other package versions of note include systemd 244, make 4.3, sudo 1.8.31, gmp 6.2.0, mesa 19.3.4, NetworkManager 1.22.8, nano 4.8, and nss 3.50.
Kubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa"
Kubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa", released in April 2020, includes Plasma 5.18. The Live ISO is available for download.
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases/20.04/release/
openSUSE Leap
The latest released Plasma LTS version is available as a live image with openSUSE's stable branch "Leap":
Ships Plasma 5.17
Debian
Official Debian 10 “buster” live images can be downloaded from debian.org/CD/live. There’re several desktop environment flavors, including KDE.
OpenMandriva Lx 4.1
OpenMandriva is a desktop centric, completely Plasma focused, distribution. Release 4.1 includes Qt 5.14.1, KDE Frameworks 5.66, and Plasma 5.17.5.
Ships Plasma 5.16
OpenMandriva Lx 4.0
OpenMandriva is a desktop centric, completely Plasma focused, distribution. Release 4.0 includes Qt 5.12.3, KDE Frameworks 5.58, and Plasma 5.15.4.
Ships Plasma 5.13
GeckoLinux
GeckoLinux is built directly from openSUSE packages and uses openSUSE repositories.
GeckoLinux NEXT Plasma includes the Plasma 5.13 desktop environment on top of the Leap 15.0 base system. It also includes KDE Applications 18.04 and the KDE Framework at version 5.47.0.
http://geckolinux.github.io/#download-next
GeckoLinux ROLLING Plasma can also be updated to Plasma 5.13.
http://geckolinux.github.io/#download-rolling
Ships Plasma 5.12 LTS
GeckoLinux
GeckoLinux is built directly from openSUSE packages and uses openSUSE repositories.
GeckoLinux STATIC Plasma includes the Plasma 5.12 LTS desktop environment on top of a Leap 15.0 base.
http://geckolinux.github.io/#download-static
Kubuntu LTS
Kubuntu 18.04.4 LTS "Bionic Beaver", released in April, includes Plasma 5.12 LTS. The live ISO is available for download.