China has made a significant stride in reducing its reliance on US technology with the release of its first open-source desktop operating system, OpenKylin. Developed by a community of over 4,000 developers, OpenKylin is a Linux-based operating system already being used in China’s space programs and various industries such as finance and energy.
Open-source software, including operating systems, allows users to view and modify the source code, offering greater transparency and control. OpenKylin, built from scratch, stands out with its desktop environment, UKUI. The operating system comes preinstalled with essential software, including WPS office suite and Firefox web browser, and provides a software store for app downloads.
OpenKylin can run on various computer hardware, making it accessible to a broad user base. The release of OpenKylin is a significant milestone, marking China’s ability to lead the development of its operating system. It joins a series of OSes named after the legendary creature Kylin, which are used in various sectors, including China’s space programs.
OpenKylin’s main competitor in China is Deepin, developed by a Wuhan-based enterprise that is also dedicated to building an independent open-source community. With the release of OpenKylin, China is reinforcing its commitment to developing domestic technology solutions and fostering a thriving open-source ecosystem.
