A brand-new version of SparkyLinux 8.0, codenamed “Seven Sisters”, has been officially released. This release is fully compatible with Debian 13.0 “Trixie”, offering updated packages, new features, and improvements across multiple desktop environments.

Sparky Linux 8 featured image

About SparkyLinux 8 “Seven Sisters”

The codename “Seven Sisters” (also known as Pleiades in the Messier catalog, M45) refers to one of the most famous open clusters in the night sky, visible to the naked eye in the constellation Taurus, about 444 light-years away.

Key Changes in SparkyLinux 8

  • All packages updated from Debian and Sparky stable repositories as of August 13, 2025
  • Linux Kernel: 6.12.41-LTS (with 6.16.0 and 6.6.99-LTS available in Sparky repos)
  • LibreOffice: 25.2.3
  • KDE Plasma: 6.3.6
  • LXQt: 2.1.0
  • MATE: 1.26
  • Xfce: 4.20
  • Openbox: 3.6.1
  • Firefox ESR: 128.13.0 (141.0.3 in Sparky repo)
  • Thunderbird ESR: 128.13.0
  • New tool: sparky-package-tool (spt) for console-based package management
  • GIMP added to all ISO images
  • CLI installer now supports home partition encryption and auto-partitioning
  • Openbox now uses Thunar instead of PCManFM
  • Updated Sparky APTus AppCenter, removing deprecated packages from Debian “Trixie” repo

Download the latest ISO images from the SparkyLinux Download Page.

For further information on Sparky 8 - read the official release announcement.