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Lomiri is a lightweight, Qt-based, Wayland-powered desktop environment. Originally developed by Canonical (as Unity 8), it's now a fast-evolving, community-adriven FOSS project available in Debian and other major distributions.​

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Get Involved

Meet Lomiri.

 

Convergence

One shell, one codebase, adaptable UI across all devices

 

Freedom

Escape Android/iOS walled gardens with true open source

 

Responsive

Touch-first UX with full mouse/keyboard compatibility

 

Cross-Distro Support

Available in Debian, Arch, NixOS and many more.

Built with Proven Tools

Qt & QML C++Mir (Wayland) Debian 13

"Lomiri is no longer an experiment  - it's in Debian, and it's working."

- Mike Gabriel, Debian Maintainer

  Summer 2025​

What's happening right now?

Lomiri is in active development with real progress toward production readiness

 ~135

Debian packages

 270

Issues identified

 215+

Issues resolved

 79%

Progress

 What's Working

Terminal
Music
DocViewer
CloudSync
TeleportsMorph BrowserWeatherFile Manager
  • Running on Mir 2.20.2 with latest upstream
  • Active, responsive development team
  • Preparing for Debian 14 (Forky) as production-grade shell

 What Needs Help

  • Qt6 testing and migration
  • Multi-monitor support in Lomiri Greeter
  • Shell crash on external display unplug
  • UI glitches and performance optimization
  • XDG portal support implementation
  • Packaging more native apps via backports

Qt6 Migration Process


 LUITK & Morph Browser​
100%


Core Component
75%


 Native Apps
60%


Overall Project Status


 Debian Integration​
95%


Core Stability
85%


 Production Ready
70%


View Full Development Board ​

Under the Hood - How Lomiri Works

Lomiri is a modular and performance-focused shell built on modern Linux technologies. It's engineered to run efficiently on both mobile and desktop-class hardware, with a focus on convergence, clean UI architecture, and distro portability.

Architecture Overview

Layer
Technology
Purpose
UI Layer
QML, Qt6
Declarative UI language for smooth animations and responsive layouts
Core Logic
C++
Performance-critical components, UI toolkit backend
Display Server
Mir (Wayland compositor)
Handles rendering, input, display management, and security
Toolkit
LUITK (Lomiri UI Toolkit)
Lomiri's custom set of reusable, convergent UI components
Bridge Layer
QtMir
Connects Qt applications to Mir
Middleware
Systemd, LightDM, Content-Hub, Ofono
Session/login handling, permissions, content sharing, mobile networking

UI Layer

QML Qt6

The UI Layer is Lomiri's visible interface. It's built primarily with QML and Qt6, combined with the Lomiri UI Toolkit. QML is a declarative language, meaning you describe what the UI should look like, rather than how to draw it. This makes it efficient for creating fluid, animated and responsive user interfaces that adapt across different screen sizes and orientations, perfect for our purposes.

• Key Features

  • Declarative UI development with QML
  • Smooth animations and transitions
  • Responsive layouts that adapt to different screen sizes
  • Touch-optimized interface elements
  • Hardware acceleration support

• QML & Qt6

QML and Qt6 provide the core framework for building the graphical elements, such as lists, buttons and windows. They are also responsible for handling user input and managing visual states and transitions. Qt6 is the latest version of the cross-platform application that QML builds on.

• Performance Optimization

QML uses JavaScript for its logic, making UI development fast and iterative. Qt6 brings performance improvements, enhanced tooling and support for modern graphics APIs such as Vulkan, compared to Qt5. Its declarative nature is ideal for our goal of convergence, as the same QML code can adapt to phone, tablet or desktop form factors.

Core Logic

C++

The Core Logic of Lomiri is built for high performance and efficiency, primarily using C++. This layer handles critical system operations where speed and resource management are paramount. Developers interested in systems programming and performance optimization will find opportunities to contribute here.

• Development Areas

  • Systems programming in C++
  • Performance optimization of system services
  • Efficient resource management
  • Low-level system interaction and debugging

• Performance & Reliability

C++ is chosen for its ability to deliver maximum performance and control, crucial for a responsive OS, especially on mobile hardware. Developers can contribute to optimizing critical background services, enhancing resource efficiency, and ensuring the overall stability and speed of the Lomiri system.

• Contributions Welcome

If you have experience in systems programming, C++ performance tuning, or dabbling in operating system internals, your contributions to Lomiri's core logic are highly valued. We're always looking for ways to improve efficiency and robustness.


Display Server

Mir Wayland libinput

Mir is Lomiri's modern Wayland compositor, providing a secure, high-performance foundation for graphics and input. Developers interested in graphics stacks, security, and input device handling will find this layer critical for Lomiri's convergent experience.

• Key Contributions

  • Enhance Wayland protocol extensions
  • Improve DRM/KMS integration for tear-free displays
  • Strengthen sandboxing and security models
  • Optimize input device handling (hotplug, calibration)
  • Enhance multi-GPU support

• Wayland & Libinput Expertise

Mir is built on Wayland protocols and integrates with libinput for robust input device management. Developers with experience in these areas can significantly contribute to improving Lomiri's responsiveness and input compatibility across a wide range of peripherals.

• Security & Performance

Mir's design emphasizes security through client isolation and hardware-enforced memory protection. Contributors can help fortify these aspects further, optimize the graphics pipeline (EGL/OpenGL ES), and ensure deterministic behavior for inputs, crucial for a reliable and secure user experience on all devices.


Toolkit

LUITK (Lomiri UI Toolkit)

The Lomiri UI Toolkit (LUITK) is vital for developers aiming to build consistent and high-quality applications for Lomiri. It provides pre-built, responsive UI components that adhere to Lomiri's design language, streamlining development and ensuring visual unity.

• For Developers & Contributors

  • Build apps faster with pre-made components
  • Ensure visual consistency across Lomiri apps
  • Adapt UI elements for touch and desktop
  • Contribute new widgets and UI patterns

• Design & Usability

LUITK is the cornerstone of Lomiri's user experience. Its components are designed with touch-first interaction and desktop convergence in mind, ensuring a seamless transition between device modes. Developers can contribute by improving existing widgets or creating new ones that fit Lomiri's design philosophy.

• Contribution Focus

We welcome contributions to LUITK! If you have expertise in QML, UI design, or creating reusable component libraries, you can help shape the future of Lomiri's interface. Learn how to build and integrate your UI components into the toolkit.


Bridge Layer

QtMir

The Bridge Layer, primarily QtMir, is essential for integrating Qt applications seamlessly with the Mir display server. Developers interested in graphics integration, Wayland, and cross-platform toolkit compatibility will find this layer compelling for ensuring robust application behavior.

• Purpose for Developers

  • Enable Qt apps to work with Mir
  • Ensure smooth windowing and input
  • Facilitate cross-platform toolkit integration
  • Contribute to graphics integration improvements

• Understanding QtMir

QtMir is the bridge that connects the rich Qt application framework to the Mir display server. It translates Qt's rendering and input requests into a format that Mir understands, ensuring that Qt applications behave correctly within the Lomiri environment.

• Contribution Opportunities

Developers with experience in Qt, Mir, Wayland, or graphics integration can contribute to refining QtMir. This could involve improving performance, adding support for new features, or enhancing the robustness of Qt application integration within Lomiri.

Middleware

Systemd LightDM Content-Hub Ofono

The Middleware layer comprises essential system services that manage background operations, security, and inter-app communication. Developers interested in OS internals, system services, or building robust applications will find these areas critical for Lomiri's functionality.

• Core System Services

  • Systemd: Bootstrapping, service management
  • LightDM: Secure login and session management
  • Content-Hub: Secure inter-app data sharing
  • Ofono: Telephony and modem management

• Contribution Areas

Developers familiar with system administration, D-Bus, or specific middleware components can contribute to Lomiri's system stability and functionality. Areas include improving service configurations, enhancing security protocols, or optimizing data sharing mechanisms.

• Building a Robust System

The robust middleware services ensure Lomiri runs efficiently, securely, and is managed effectively. Contributions here are vital for the OS's reliability, particularly for mobile devices where resource management and background service efficiency are key. Interested in system-level contributions? This is your layer!

 Packaging Details

Available via Debian Sid/Trixie:
apt install lomiri lomiri-desktop-session lightdm
PPA for Ubuntu 24.04:
ppa:lomiri/builds

 ~135 packages maintained in Debian by the Debian UBports Team

 Tech Stack Highlights

Core Technologies

  • Uses Mir 2.20+ with Wayland support
  • Migrating from Qt5 to Qt6
  • Content Hub for secure inter-app data sharing

Active Development:

  • Flatpak/XDG portal support
  • Native Matrix client
  • Accessibility and theming improvements

 System Requirements

Minimum to build:

 Linux environment (Debian, Ubuntu, Arch, WSL2, etc)

 Qt6 toolchain (or Qt5 for legacy purposes)

 Familiarity with CMake and Git

 Optional: experience with packaging (deb, flatpak), systemd, lightdm

Meet the Developers

Real contributors building the future of convergent computing — and we're looking for more hands

Mike Gabriel

Browser Developer

Fre(i)e Software GmbH

Bhushan Shah

Browser Developer

Qt6 Migration Lead

Guido

Browser Developer

Morph Browser Team

​

Community

Browser Developer

Global FOSS Community

"We're seeing more community engagement than ever. We're ready to grow this into something bigger — but we need more hands."

— Bhushan Shah, Core Developer

Full contributor credits available at: OS-SCi.com/lomiri

Join the Project Now

Lomiri is ready to grow. We need contributors who want to shape the future of convergent computing.

Do you have what it takes?

Then you're exactly who we're looking for.

 C++

 QML

 Debian Packaging

 Qt

 Wayland/Mir

 General Linux knowledge

Where you can help

 Testing and Debugging

Beginner Friendly

Qt6 migration, UI issues, greeter bugs

 Packaging Apps

Intermediate

Debian packages (.deb/flatpak/Snap)

 Core Development

Advanced

LUITK, Accounts, Settings components

 Documentation

All Levels

Contributor guides, user documentation

 UI/UX Design

Design Focus

Accessibility, theming, user experience

Start here

Follow these steps to begin your Lomiri journey

 

Join our chats

Real-time community discussion

Get Started

 

View issues on GitLab

Browse open development tasks

Get Started

 

See OS-SCi Bounties

Paid contribution oppertunities

Get Started

 

Debian Salsa

Official Debian development

Get Started

Get paid or Get trained

Want to help build Lomiri, but need a little boost? Whether you're a seasoned developer looking for a paid challenge or just getting started with C++/Qt/Linux development, OS-SCi can help you get involved.

New to Lomiri or Rusty on Qt?

No problem. You can join one of OS-SCi's contributor training programs to sharpen your skills or learn how to build for Lomiri from scratch.

Courses are tailored for FOSS developers and Linux enthusiasts, covering everything from Qt fundamendals to Lomiri-specific development patterns.

​

Learn more: os-sci.com -> Courses ​​

Lomiri Bounty Program

Thanks to financial sponsors, OS-SCi offers paid development bounties to help accelerate high-priority Lomiri tasks.

Bounties include:

  • Qt6 bug fixes and UI testing
  • Packaging help for Debian
  • Lomiri Greeter multi-monitor support
  • Improvements to core apps (Morph, Teleports, Terminal)
  • CI integration and testing pipelines

View Lomiri Bounties ​ ​​

OS-Sci and UBports

​OS-SCi works in close cooperation with the UBports community and the Debian packaging team to ensure contributors are aligned with roadmap priorities and recieve mentorship when needed.

TL;DR:

Want to contribute to Lomiri but need help?

Get in touch at os-sci.com

Choose a bounty, join a course, or start small and grow.

Ready to Shape the Future?

Lomiri is already live in Debian. The architecture is sound.

Now we need you to help make it production-ready.

Join a real, growing FOSS project and help reshape how Linux works across form factors.


​​​​ ​Become a Contributor Today