SonicDE
SonicDE (the Sonic Desktop Environment) is an X11-focused desktop environment based on forked KDE Plasma components. It aims to preserve and improve KDE's X11-specific code after upstream KDE announced that the Plasma X11 session will be removed in Plasma 6.8.
SonicDE currently consists of the customized KWin/X11 sonic-win window manager and compositor, Plasma Workspace-derived components, the Silver theme, an SDDM theme, and support libraries.
Installation
SonicDE binary repository
The SonicDE project provides x86_64 binary packages through an unofficial user repository.
Install the sonicde-meta package from the SonicDE repository.
The included packages replace installed KDE counterparts where needed. When prompted by pacman, confirm the replacements.
AUR packages
Alternatively, install SonicDE with the sonicde-metaAUR package.
Migrating from KDE Plasma
If you are using KDE, disable plasmalogin.service before installing SonicDE.
If the graphical session is interrupted during installation, switch to a Linux console (for example with Ctrl+Alt+F3) and complete the installation as described in #Installation. To use Sonic Login Manager, enable/start soniclogin.service. Alternatively, continue using SDDM or another X11-capable display manager.
Starting SonicDE
SonicDE is normally started through a display manager.
Using a display manager
To use Sonic Login Manager, enable soniclogin.service. Other X11-capable display managers such as SDDM can also be used.
After logging in, open System Settings and check the About this System page to verify that the running session is SonicDE.
Configuration
SonicDE inherits many configuration concepts from KDE Plasma. Most desktop settings are configured through System Settings. For generic KDE/Plasma-derived configuration topics, see KDE#Configuration.
For display-manager configuration, see Display manager and SDDM. For X11-specific configuration, see Xorg and XLibre.
Troubleshooting
Graphical session interrupted during installation
If installation interrupts the graphical session, switch to a Linux console and complete the installation described in #Installation. To use Sonic Login Manager, enable/start soniclogin.service.
Login manager issues
If you cannot reach a graphical login screen, ensure that a display manager is enabled and started. See Display manager and SDDM. If you use Sonic Login Manager, check the status of soniclogin.service.
For packaging issues, report problems to sonicde-arch or to the relevant package repository in the SonicDE Arch package repositories.
KDE configuration issues
Many configuration issues are shared with KDE Plasma because SonicDE is based on KDE/Plasma components. See KDE#Troubleshooting for generic KDE troubleshooting.